WBD Networks to Continue to Be Home to Fan-Favorites AEW Dynamite and AEW Collision, with Simulcast Streaming on Max for First Time Starting January 2025 AEW Pay-Per-View Events to Be Distributed on Max at Discounted Price<a href="https://biggoldbelt.com/video/big-gold-belt-wrestling-podcast-done-deal/">…</a><p><a class="more-link" href="https://biggoldbelt.com/video/big-gold-belt-wrestling-podcast-done-deal/">Continue reading →</a></p>…
— First AEW Pay-Per-View To Ever Be Held In Texas — August 15, 2024 – Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, the Texas Rangers, REV Entertainment, Arlington Sports Commission and All Elite Wrestling today announced that Globe<a href="https://biggoldbelt.com/news/august-14-2024-tna-wrestling/">…</a><p><a class="more-link" href="https://biggoldbelt.com/news/august-14-2024-tna-wrestling/">Continue reading →</a></p>…
AEW: Dynamite and AEW: Collision To Make United Kingdom Debuts At Utilita Arena Cardiff On August 21 — Tickets On Sale Next Friday Via Live Nation UK and Ticketmaster UK — June 19, 2024 – All Elite<a href="https://biggoldbelt.com/news/joe-hendry-frankie-kazarian-compete-in-nxt-1-contenders-battle-royal-tna-wrestling/">…</a><p><a class="more-link" href="https://biggoldbelt.com/news/joe-hendry-frankie-kazarian-compete-in-nxt-1-contenders-battle-royal-tna-wrestling/">Continue reading →</a></p>…
DAZN To Bring All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Pay-Per-View Events to Fans Worldwide — DAZN will carry AEW’s Upcoming “Double or Nothing” and “Forbidden Door” PPV Events — May 23, 2024 – DAZN and All Elite Wrestling today announced<a href="https://biggoldbelt.com/news/cody-rhodes-and-logan-paul-set-for-final-confrontation-one-night-before-king-queen-of-the-ring/">…</a><p><a class="more-link" href="https://biggoldbelt.com/news/cody-rhodes-and-logan-paul-set-for-final-confrontation-one-night-before-king-queen-of-the-ring/">Continue reading →</a></p>…
AEW Partners With City of Arlington For AEW Path To All In Summer Series At Esports Stadium Arlington Beginning July 20 May 16, 2024 – All Elite Wrestling and the City of Arlington today announced a<a href="https://biggoldbelt.com/video/andre-holland-interview-apple-tv-the-big-cigar/">…</a><p><a class="more-link" href="https://biggoldbelt.com/video/andre-holland-interview-apple-tv-the-big-cigar/">Continue reading →</a></p>…
TNT Sports and AEW Announce Launch of New Mobile Game AEW: Figure Fighters Casual Mobile Game Provides Fans an Animated Environment to Collect, Play and Upgrade their Favorite Wrestlers TNT Sports and AEW announce the<a href="https://biggoldbelt.com/reviews/alienoid-the-return-to-the-future-review-oegyein-2bu-%ec%99%b8%ea%b3%84%ec%9d%b8-2%eb%b6%80/">…</a><p><a class="more-link" href="https://biggoldbelt.com/reviews/alienoid-the-return-to-the-future-review-oegyein-2bu-%ec%99%b8%ea%b3%84%ec%9d%b8-2%eb%b6%80/">Continue reading →</a></p>…
Your Big Gold Belt Podcast is LIVE talking the week in pro wrestling including: -The picks are in! Breaking down the WWE Draft -Tony Khan’s neckbrace is EVERYWHERE -What’s up with WWE Backlash? Tags #BigGoldBeltMedia...
Title: With The First Pick… Your Big Gold Belt Podcast is back talking an eventful week in pro wrestling including: -Who’s our favorites of pro wrestling’s newest champions? -Tony Khan Gets Physical: A look at...
CONTAINS SPOILERS AEW COLLISION & BATTLE OF THE BELTS X was broadcast live from the Truist Arena in Highland Heights, KY! It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!<a href="https://biggoldbelt.com/reviews/bmf-black-mafia-family-season-3-episode-7-recap-review-get-em-home/">…</a><p><a class="more-link" href="https://biggoldbelt.com/reviews/bmf-black-mafia-family-season-3-episode-7-recap-review-get-em-home/">Continue reading →</a></p>…
— New York, Illinois, Washington, New Jersey and Florida Added as Hosts
of Upcoming AEW Pay-Per-Views —
April 11, 2024 – Following AEW’s biggest pay-per-view schedule in company history last year and the record-breaking success of the recent AEW: Revolution, AEW CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan today announced the remaining dates and locations for this year’s events. The full 2024 pay-per-view schedule includes:
Sunday, April 21 – AEW: Dynasty at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis
Sunday, May 26 – AEW: Double or Nothing at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
Sunday, June 30 – AEW: Forbidden Door at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y.
Sunday, August 25 – AEW: All In London at Wembley Stadium in London, UK
Sunday, September 1 – AEW: All Out at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Saturday, October 12 – AEW: WrestleDream at Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Wash.
Saturday, November 23 – AEW: Full Gear at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Saturday, December 28 – AEW: World’s End at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Fla.
“Last month’s AEW: Revolution was the best pay-per-view event in company history, further cementing AEW’s dominance as the leader in cutting-edge professional wrestling pay-per-view events worldwide,” said Khan. “With AEW: Dynasty on the horizon next Sunday, we are solidifying our remaining 2024 pay-per-view schedule by returning to familiar places and debuting in iconic locations, giving fans around the world the opportunity to make plans in advance to be part of the excitement live in-person."
Tickets for AEW: Dynasty in St. Louis, AEW: Double Or Nothing in Las Vegasand AEW: All In London in the UK are currently on sale via AEWTix.com. Additional information on the remaining events, including on sale dates, will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans interested in exclusive presale opportunities can register to become an AEW Insider by visiting allelitewrestling.com/aew-insider.
About AEW
Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in 2019, AEW is a red-hot professional wrestling promotion featuring a world-class roster that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry. “AEW: Dynamite” airs every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TBS, “AEW: Rampage” airs every Friday from 10-11 p.m. ET on TNT, and “AEW: Collision” airs every Saturday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TNT. AEW’s multi-platform content also includes “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series. For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AEW; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AEW
AEW Launches All Elite Arcade, New Gaming Podcast Hosted
by Evil Uno and Adam Cole
— Available Each Week On Spotify, Apple Podcasts and the AEW Games You Tube Channel, AEW’s Top Gamers and Special Weekly Guests will Dive into the Latest Gaming News, Launches and Their Own Video Game Adventures —
April 10, 2024 – Following the continued success of AEW Unrestricted and multiple talent-hosted podcasts, AEW’s resident gamers Evil Uno and Adam Cole – known within the gaming community as TheCHUGS – today announced the launch of the All Elite Arcade podcast, which will cover the hottest news, reviews and games they are currently playing.
The first episode of All Elite Arcade launches this Monday, April 15, and episodes will be available to watch every Monday on the AEW Games YouTube channel and for listening on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Weekly episodes will feature special guests from the AEW roster and the gaming community, sitting down with Uno and CHUGS to cover everything hot in the world of gaming.
Fans can check out Uno and CHUGS’ trailer for the launch of All Elite Arcadehere, and can subscribe to the AEW Games YouTube channel to stay up to date on the latest episodes as they drop.
About AEW
Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in 2019, AEW is a red-hot professional wrestling promotion featuring a world-class roster that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry. “AEW: Dynamite” airs every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TBS, “AEW: Rampage” airs every Friday from 10-11 p.m. ET on TNT, and “AEW: Collision” airs every Saturday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TNT. AEW’s multi-platform content also includes “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series. For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AEW; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AEW
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from DCU Center in Worcester, MA!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
TNT Champion “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland came to the ring to kick off the show!
Copeland: “I came out here to talk to all of you. I didn’t bring out my TNT Title. There’s been a lot of negative B.S. that has been spewed this week. Screw that! I want to talk about positives, and if you’re a fan of pro wrestling, it is a great time to be a fan of pro wrestling.
“If you’re sitting here, if you’re watching at home, you’re a fan of pro wrestling. I am a fan of pro wrestling. I grew up on WWF. I watched NWA. I watched Stampede. I devoured it all because I love professional wrestling. I know you’ve heard this before but for nine years I had this torn away from me, but I worked to get it back because I love it so damn much.
“When I thought about my career, because I’m closer to the end than to the start, I knew I needed to end my career in AEW. I will put our locker room against anybody. I can face Will Ospreay. I can face Kenny Omega. Hangman, Swerve, Joe, Moxley, Darby, I can face FTR, the Young Bucks, The House of Black, and by the way, those are all first time ever matches. How crazy is that? That happens in AEW.
“I’ve got a lot of friends in the industry. They call me and say, ‘Hey, it looks like you’re having a blast there.’ It’s because I am. This is the most fun I’ve had in my 32 year professional career. So, I celebrate AEW. I celebrate the men who started AEW. That means the Bucks, that means Kenny, that means Cody, that means Tony Khan. These guys are all fans, just like all of you. We love this! AEW has pushed this industry into a better place! It has gotten more people to do what they love for a living, and that should be celebrated. AEW makes pro wrestling better. AEW makes wrestling more fun. And AEW is where the best wrestle!
“Thank you for hearing me out. I had to get that off my chest. I asked for this time out here, so thank you. So now it’s time to move forward. AEW is walking into the future. There’s a reason Okada, Mercedes, Ospreay, and I came here! So let me introduce to you a man that symbolizes everything AEW is going forward. I give to you “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay!”
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay!
Don Callis joined the commentary team for this match.
Ospreay charged at Hobbs when the bell rang but Hobbs blocked Ospreay with a shoulder tackle. Will Ospreay fired back with a standing moonsault press onto Hobbs. Powerhouse Hobbs clubbed Will with a lariat.
Ospreay hit Hobbs with a clothesline, knocking Hobbs over the top rope. Will followed up by jumping over the top rope with a cross body press onto Hobbs on the arena floor. Ospreay tried for a springboard off the barricade, but Hobbs countered by grabbing him and nailing Will with a vertical suplex onto the steel ring steps!
Hobbs bashed Ospreay repeatedly into the apron with the World’s Strongest Slam. Hobbs flung Ospreay backwards, crashing onto the announcers’ desk! Back in the ring, Ospreay came back with a corkscrew kick, taking down Hobbs for the first time in the match.
Ospreay connected with a springboard flying forearm to Hobbs for a near fall. Will chopped at Hobbs’ chest, but Hobbs shrugged them off. Hobbs launched Will with a belly to belly suplex. Ospreay rallied back with a Stun dog Millionaire, but Hobbs cut the renewed momentum short with a powerslam.
Hobbs went for a frog splash, but Will dodged it. Will nailed Hobbs with an Os Cutter for a two-count! Ospreay connected with a heel kick, but Hobbs blasted Ospreay with a lariat!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Hobbs smashed Will with an avalanche powerslam for a near fall! Ospreay was clutching his midsection. Will hit a DDT on Hobbs and then crashed onto Hobbs with a Sky Twister! Ospreay wiped out Hobbs with the Hidden Blade and pinned Hobbs!
After the match, Callis had to hold Hobbs back from attacking Ospreay. Callis whispered something into Hobbs’ ear and Hobbs backed off.
“The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!
Archer ambushed Danielson as Archer entered the ring, before the bell. Danielson was just trying to survive early on, as Archer battered Bryan with stiff shots and then whipped Bryan into the turnbuckles. Archer charged at Danielson in the corner, but Danielson dodged him and countered with a dragon screw leg whip.
“Great strategy taking the big man off his feet,” said Schiavone.
Danielson stomped on the back of Archer’s knees and then kicked Archer in the hamstrings. Danielson dropkicked Archer on the inside of the knee, going after the base of Archer. Danielson attempted a tope to the outside on Archer, but Archer caught Danielson and choke slammed Danielson onto the ring apron! Archer grabbed an AEW crew member at ringside and body slammed him onto Danielson!
Danielson showed the fire, bringing the fight back to Archer in the ring. Danielson charged at Archer, perhaps looking for the running knee strike, but Archer countered with a massive cross body press!
“This is brutality by the MurderHawk Monster,” said Taz.
Archer grabbed Bryan’s wrist and was walking the top rope, but Danielson shoved Archer, forcing the Lance to lose his balance. Danielson applied the Le Bell Lock, but Archer reached the bottom rope with his legs, forcing the ref to break the hold. Danielson jumped off the apron with a knee strike to Archer’s head! He got Lance back into the ring, knowing Lance was rocked. Danielson knocked Archer to the mat with a missile dropkick from the top turnbuckle. Danielson lit up Archer’s chest with round kicks. Archer choke slammed Danielson out of nowhere for a near fall!
Archer was looking for the Black Out, but Danielson knocked Archer away with hammer and anvil strikes. Danielson dropped Archer to his knees with a running knee strike. Danielson drilled Archer with three roundhouse kicks to the head. Danielson smashed Archer with the running knee strike and pinned Archer!
“What a battle right there!” said Taz.
Renee Paquette was on the ramp to interview “Lionheart” Chris Jericho!
Jericho: “Renee, last week I told Hook I had a proposition for him where I offered to be his mentor. And even though he agreed, he said something to me that’s been sticking in my head all week. That’s why I want to talk to him right now. Hit the Hook signal!”
FTW Champion Hook came out and was clearly skeptical of Jericho.
Jericho: “Last week you said you’d love by advise by ‘I know who you are.’ And I understand that but when you play the game at the highest of levels like Chris Jericho does, the rules are different. It’s true. And once you understand that you’re going to understand what I’m trying to teach you. I’m not asking you to trust me 100% right now, but I’m asking you to believe in me as much as I believe in you.”
Hook: “Yeah, Chris, I believe in you. I believe in you so much that I got us a match on Collision. But Chris, I’ll be keeping my eye on you.”
Shane Taylor Promotions’ Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty were backstage!
Lee said one surefire way to jump straight to the top in one night is to beat the golden child and the first World Champion in AEW. Taylor said on Collision, all they have to do is knock out “the Ocho” and Hook!
“On Collision, LionHook gets their ass beat by STP!” said Taylor.
AEW World Trios Champion Billy Gunn vs. ROH World Six-Man Champion Jay White!
Billy Gunn decked Jay White as Jay White was making his entrance! Billy Gunn whipped “Switchblade” Jay White into the barricade, not wasting anytime. The Acclaimed were backstage watching the match on a monitor. The Gunns were also watching backstage on a different monitor.
Billy went after Jay White through the crowd, ramming White into a trash can. Jay White hid behind one AEW security guard. Billy found him and bashed him into one of the hockey boards in the arena. Billy trounced Jay White all around the ringside area. Jay just could not escape the grasp of Billy.
Jay White escaped a vertical suplex attempt and shoved Billy into the guardrail. Billy hit Jay White back, dominating Jay White, nailing White with a lariat. Footage was shown of The Acclaimed backstage, who had been attacked!
Billy blasted White with the Fame Asser! Billy didn’t go for the cover, instead opting to inflict more damage on White.
“Jay White came in looking for a match. Billy didn’t want a match. He wanted retribution,” said Tony Schiavone.
Billy dropped another Fame Asser on Jay White. Billy grabbed a steel chair from outside the ring. Billy returned to the ring with the chair, but the Gunns jumped into the ring, shielding Jay White, pleading with Billy to show some mercy. Jay White used the opportunity to hit a low blow on Billy! Ref Aubrey Edwards called for the disqualification, awarding the match to Billy Gunn!
The Gunns held Billy down while Jay White was going to bash a chair against Billy’s head, but the Acclaimed’s music hit! The Acclaimed sprinted to the ring! The Acclaimed cleaned house on the Gunns! Jay White begged off the Acclaimed and retreated. Jay White tripped outside. The Acclaimed threw Jay White back into the ring. The Gunns were waiting, but the Acclaimed grounded and pounded the Gunns. Billy decked Jay White with a stiff right hand!
The Acclaimed set up the steel ring steps by the announcers’ table. The Acclaimed were about to suplex Jay White off the steps and onto the table when the Gunns grabbed White, pulled him down, and ran off through the crowd!
“This is far from over between these two teams,” said Excalibur.
We heard from Willow Nightingale, who will challenge TBS Champion Julia Hart at AEW Dynasty on Sunday, April 21st on pay-per-view.
Willow came out with Stokely Hathaway and Kris Statlander.
Renee Paquette asked Willow how it felt to have earned a championship match in a few weeks.
Willow: “I am feeling motherfluffin’ great! I really love this city because for years and years I was busting my butt in this town. Kris and I would wrestle in this town at a little place called the White Eagle. So many of us have had great nights there. This is like a home away from home. This is where I learned who Willow Nightingale is, where I figured myself out.
“Your cheers reassured me. This applause is what helped blossom me into the woman standing in front of you today, this woman who will be challenging Julia Hart for the TBS Championship at Dynasty. And I know I will be the smiling face of TNT!”
Stokely: “Last week Willow had a banger and knocked it out of the park. Week after week she impresses me and impresses the entire world!”
“The CEO” Mercedes Moné walked onto the ramp!
Moné: “Now Willow, I can’t wait to watch you tear it up with Julia at Dynasty. Because whoever is going to be the TBS Champion at Double or Nothing, I get next. Because in Vegas, Moné means everything!”
AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament Semi Final Match!
At AEW Dynasty 2024 the winning team faces the winner of FTR vs. Top Flight.
Matthew suplexed Trent across the ring with Northern Lights Suplexes. Trent retaliated with a double knee strike. Nicholas swept out Trent’s legs, wiping out Trent on the apron. Orange attempted a tope suicida, but the Bucks blocked it! The Bucks power bombed Orange on the apron! Then they power bombed Trent on the apron!
Nicholas ripped the top turnbuckle pad off the corner. Orange tried for a double hurracanrana, but the Bucks blocked it. Matthew spiked Orange with a DDT. The Bucks were looking for the EVP Trigger on Orange, but Orange dodged it and the Bucks collided. Orange rocked the Bucks with separate DDTs, fighting through the pain. Orange blasted Nicholas with a diving DDT for a near fall!
Trent and Orange pulped Matthew with a modified TK Driver for a near fall. Nicholas was there to break up the pin attempt. Trent was looking for the crunchy on Nicholas but Matthew superkicked Trent, the momentum allowing for Nicholas to plant Trent with the Code Red! Matthew superkicked Chuck Taylor outside the ring, and then threatened Sue with a superkick but she spotted him, stopping him in his tracks!
“He was going to kick Sue! What’s wrong with that man?” yelled Schiavone.
Sue slapped Matthew and then Orange followed up with the Orange Punch! Trent rammed Matthew with a knee strike inside the ring! Orange wiped out Nicholas with a tope suicida! Trent had Matthew set up for the crunchy and Orange stomped down, adding impact to the move! Trent had Matthew tied up for the pin, but Nicholas jumped in to break it up in the nick of time!
“Wow, what a massive save by Nicholas,” said Taz.
Orange rocked Nicholas with an Orange Punch! Once again Orange hit a tope to Nicholas outside the ring! Matthew catapulted Trent into the exposed turnbuckle, grabbed Trent’s tights, and stole the pin!
“The Young Bucks have made it to the finals at Dynasty!” said Excalibur.
“What a victory for the Bucks. Like it or not, it was impressive,” replied Taz.
After the match, the Best Friends were about to give the people what they wanted with a hug, but Trent betrayed his partners and smashed into Orange with a running knee strike!
“What the—? What did we just see?” asked Taz.
“Chuck has no idea either,” said Schiavone.
Trent walked out on Orange, Chuck, and Sue!
Thunder Rosa (#1 ranked) vs. Mariah May (#2 ranked) (with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm and Luther)!
Toni Storm joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Thunder Rosa chopped Mariah May in the corner. Rosa charged at May but May dodged her. Mariah May smashed Thunder Rosa with a hip attack in the corner! Thunder Rosa took down Mariah with a hurracanrana onto the arena floor. Thunder Rosa used a diving cross body on Mariah May against the barricade.
“I am getting worried here,” said Toni Storm.
Thunder Rosa jumped off the top looking for the foot stomp but Mariah May rolled out of the way. Thunder Rosa reversed the May Day for a near fall. Mariah May hit Thunder Rosa with a knockout shot. Rosa escaped the May Day with a backstabber. Thunder Rosa flattened Mariah May with the Tijuana Bomb and scored the pin!
“Thunder Rosa is the number one contender for ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm’s title,” said Excalibur.
Penta El Zero Miedo was backstage with Alex Abrahantes!
Penta El Zero Miedo challenged Adam Copeland to a match for the TNT Championship next week on Dynamite!
Up next: The AEW World Championship Contract Signing between Champ Samoa Joe & challenger Swerve Strickland!
It was time to make their AEW World Championship Match for AEW Dynasty official!
Samoa Joe sat down at a table that was set up in the ring. Swerve paced on his side of the ring. The World Champion signed the contract first.
Samoa Joe: “Now Swerve, we’re out here in front of a lot of people who seem to care about you. I think you’re working on bad information. I’ve watched your rise in AEW. How else could this fairy tale end but with a big victory and everybody celebrating a new champion? See Swerve, that’s the bad information you’ve been working on.
“I’m about to tell this man the truth. Signing this contract is a big mistake. Let me put into terms that maybe a rapper can barely understand. I’m going to beat you so bad, it’s going to make it seem like maybe you left the party too late. So now that you have the right information, why don’t you do the right thing?”
Swerve: “Before I sign this contract Joe, just know I’ve wanted this moment my entire life. My destination was full of a lot of obstacles, but when I arrived, that journey was sweet. It took me all the way to Dynasty. And we’ve built a Dynasty in AEW with signings like Okada, Mercedes, and Will Ospreay. Joe, I understand this championship is bigger than the both of us. I understand the dangers of facing you for it. You are the definition of a killer. But so am I. April 21st at Dynasty, I show you that I am every bit of that man! I grab the keys to the Dynasty, and I turn AEW into who’s house?”
The crowd answered: “Swerve’s house!”
Swerve: “Now run the fade on that, bitch!”
Samoa Joe shoved Swerve from across the table! Swerve answered with a devastating right hand strike! Swerve wrapped his steel chain around Joe’s neck! Samoa Joe turned around and headbutted Swerve! Samoa Joe wrapped the chain around his fist and walloped Swerve in the head. Samoa Joe rocked Swerve with more strikes, and Swerve was busted open! The refs ran out and tried to pull Samoa Joe off Swerve.
Samoa Joe began to walk to the back. Swerve grabbed the microphone, laughed and said, “I love this. That’s all you got? Then I’m taking this championship from you.”
Swerve took the pen, dipped in the blood and signed the contract. Samoa Joe jumped back into the ring, grabbed Swerve, and smashed Swerve through the table! Samoa Joe held his championship above Swerve and taunted him!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET featuring:
-Serena Deeb vs. Trish Adora!
– “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. House of Black’s Malakai Black!
-AEW International Championship Eliminator Match: Roderick Strong (c.) vs. London Lightning!
-Final Four Elimination Match: Daniel Garcia vs. Action Andretti vs. Komander vs. “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith!
Special Start Time This Saturday don’t miss AEW Collision on TNT at 11:30/10:30c!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, WV!
Last Wednesday night was jam-packed with three hours of AEW programming, starting with our traditional two hours of DYNAMITE, then immediately followed by RAMPAGE as it aired on a special night! During those three hours, the AEW faithful witnessed Adam Copeland earn back the TNT Championship by going through a hellacious “I Quit” match with Christian Cage, and saw Kazuchika Okada defeat Eddie Kingston to claim the AEW Continental Championship! In addition, Skye Blue and TBS Champion Julia Hart beat Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale in a Street Fight, Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta won their Wild Card bout in the Tag Title Tournament, and FTW Champion HOOK defeated Chris Jericho!
This Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, live from Quebec City, QC and the Centre Videotron, we will witness a rematch seven years in the making, one that many thought would never come to pass, when Katsuyori Shibata takes on Will Ospreay! Plus, Konosuke Takeshita will go head-to-head with Swerve Strickland, and the Quarter-Finals of the AEW World Tag Title Tournament begin when The Young Bucks meet Private Party!
Then join All Elite Wrestling in London, ON for Saturday’s COLLISION, live from the Budweiser Gardens, for The Infantry versus FTR in the Quarter-Finals of the AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament, and so much more!
SEVEN YEARS IN THE WAITING…
“The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Eleven matches; that is how many times Katsuyori Shibata and Will Ospreay stepped into the ring between January 5th and February 11th of 2017. Seven of those times it was Shibata who came out on top, but only one of those victories came in the form of a singles match, the very last one at NJPW’s THE NEW BEGINNING IN OSAKA 2017 event. The other ten matches were all fought in trios and multi-man bouts, all save that RevPro British Heavyweight Championship fight on February 11th won by Shibata, but unfortunately a rematch never came to pass as Shibata’s career came to an end just two months later after an IWGP Heavyweight Title fight with Kazuchika Okada at SAKURA GENESIS 2017.
Then the unimaginable happened; four years and six months later, during the G1 CLIMAX 2021 tour, Shibata shocked the world when he stepped into the ring with Zack Sabre Jr. for a five minute Grappling Rules contest! Two and a half months later, at WRESTLE KINGDOM 16, Shibata would get back into the ring with Ren Narita for a full-blow professional wrestling match, then ten months later, on the 11/4/22 edition of RAMPAGE, Shibata would make his in-ring debut for AEW in an International Championship loss to Orange Cassidy. Given the time between those two matches, it was reasonable to question whether or not Shibata was returning to full-time competition or if those were just a couple matches to test his own limits. The answer came on March 31, 2023 when, at ROH’s SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023 event, Shibata won the ROH Pure Championship from Wheeler Yuta, and spent the next eight months tearing it up on both AEW and ROH events, as well as traveling to RevPro for their 11TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW.
After losing the Pure Championship back to Yuta last November, Shibata returned to Japan, but made a monumental return to AEW action on the March 16th COLLISION when he battled Bryan Danielson in a certified Dream Match. Here were two men that both thought their in-ring careers finished at some point in the years prior, two men who defied the odds and the expectations of medical professionals, two men who were now fighting better than they had at any previous point in their careers, and they were going to war for the AEW faithful. Danielson ultimately won the fight, and there was another man watching on who took what happened as a test he needed to take upon himself.
That man was Will Ospreay, and with his own bout against Bryan Danielson set for AEW DYNASTY on April 21st, he felt the need to test himself against Katsuyori Shibata, to see if he could succeed in 2024 where he did not in 2017, and thus made a challenge to “The Wrestler” for the fight going down this Wednesday night! Can Ospreay follow in Danielson’s footsteps and score a victory over Katsuyori Shibata in Quebec City? Or will Shibata repeat history in this monumental rematch seven years in the making?
ONE-ON-ONE…
“The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita vs. Swerve Strickland
Thus far in 2024, Konosuke Takeshita holds a record of 5-1 in singles matches, and 10-2 over the last twelve months in that field. That’s a run that includes victories over Chris Jericho, Darby Allin, Kenny Omega, Kyle Fletcher, as well as Rocky Romero this past Wednesday night, and has shown the world that “The Alpha” is one of the most fearsome competitors in All Elite Wrestling today.
Over the course of his last eleven one-on-one match-ups Swerve Strickland lost exactly one time, his Continental Classic Gold League fight with Jon Moxley on 12/13/23, and was taken to a 30-Minute time limit draw by Hangman Page on 2/7/24. It’s been an incredible run for Strickland as well, and even if you factor in his two Three Way losses in the Gold League Finals and at REVOLUTION 2024, it doesn’t change that run because wasn’t the man who took the fall in either of those matches. There are few men who’ve been on a hotter streak that Swerve Strickland, and that run has put Samoa Joe’s AEW World Championship in Swerve’s crosshairs.
For the very first time these two men, each at the top of their game, will lock horns this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, and there is certainly the possibility that the future of the AEW World Championship hinges on the result of this match! Both Takeshita and Swerve have reasonable claims to being the next challenger for Samoa Joe, based on their respective records and, in the case of Swerve, the fact he wasn’t defeated in the Three Way at REVOLUTION ’24.
As announced Tuesday night by AEW GM Tony Khan, this match will determine the next challenger for Samoa Joe’s AEW World Championship! With that added factor, there is no doubt Samoa Joe will have his eyes on this contest as his next contender is determined!
AEW WORLD TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL MATCH…
The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen
On October 9, 2019, in the very first match of the original AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament, Private Party shocked the world when they defeated The Young Bucks to advance out of the Quarter-Finals. Though Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen would fall to The Lucha Brothers in the Semi-Finals, the impact was made, and the world had been forced to stand up and recognize Private Party.
A year later The Young Bucks would even up the score, pinning Isiah Kassidy to win a Four Way #1 Contenders match on 10/21/20, and would follow that up with a traditional tag team victory over Private Party on November 4th a few weeks later. Since that bout over three years ago, the two teams only met in one Trios match, though Isiah has a little more experience fighting the brothers Jackson with other partners during Marq Quen’s injury recovery, but not one other tag team match between Private Party and The Young Bucks since 2020.
That all changes this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE when, in the Quarter-Finals of the AEW World Tag Title Tournament, The Young Bucks and Private Party meet again! Since Marq Quen’s return to action in 2024, Private Party is 2-2 in tag team action, though one of those losses came in a Three Way tag with Top Flight and Bryan Keith/Komander where neither Quen nor Kassidy were the ones pinned to lose the match. As for The EVPs, in 2024 they are 3-1 in tag team action, but to be honest about their record, two of those victories came over local competitors who frankly had no chance at actually beating the former 2-Time AEW World Tag Champions.
The Young Bucks have a mission of becoming the first 3-Time AEW Tag Champions while Private Party have one to capture those belts for the very first time, and only one team can get closer to their objective. Will it be The Young Bucks or Private Party who advances to the Semi-Finals? And will it be The Undisputed Kingdom or the Orange Cassidy/Trent Beretta tandem who meets them there?
AEW WORLD TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL MATCH…
The Undisputed Kingdom (ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs.
The AEW World Tag Title Tournament kicks off in full-force this Wednesday night with the aforementioned Young Bucks/Private Party match, and this Quarter-Final match pitting ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven and Mike Bennett against Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta!
Though OC and Trent have never faced this Undisputed Kingdom tandem in a tag match, Cassidy’s fight with Roderick Strong have made them all quite familiar with one another, in fact the former 2-Time International Champion beat both Taven and Bennett in singles matches on the road to REVOLUTION 2024. But on that same road, as part of their mission to remove Cassidy’s support system, The Undisputed Kingdom put a hurting on Trent Beretta, so that makes this tag team encounter as much a method of revenge as it is an opportunity to move forward in the tournament to face the winner of the Private Party/Young Bucks bout!
TBS CHAMPIONSHIP #1 CONTENDER MATCH…
Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale vs. Skye Blue vs. Anna Jay
The TBS Championship is a prize greatly coveted by the women of All Elite Wrestling, and this Wednesday night four competitors will clash to see who moves on to DYNASTY 2024 to face Julia Hart! All four of these women have plenty of story with Julia Hart, especially Statlander, Nightingale, and Skye Blue given their months of battle since FULL GEAR 2023, but Anna Jay has her own reasons for wanting another fight with Julia Hart.
Hart has been the bane of Anna Jay’s AEW existence, in three bouts it has been Julia who’s won each one, including a TBS Championship fight at BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX back in January. Statlander is the woman that Julia Hart took the TBS Championship from, though technically she did not defeat Kris to win in, but Statlander has yet to be granted a rematch. Coincidentally, Julia earned that title fight at FULL GEAR 2023 by defeating Willow Nightingale in an Eliminator Bout, and of course there’s the relationship between Hart and Skye Blue that’s blossomed since Hart misted Skye many months ago. At first they were at odds, but over time the two women became thick as thieves, and have come to operate as quite the fearsome tag team, actually beating Stat and Willow in a Street Fight last Wednesday night on RAMPAGE!
This is quite the intriguing Four Way, and it will be interesting to see how TBS Champion Julia Hart responds to the outcome of the fight, especially if it is Skye Blue who earns herself the DYNASTY 2024 title match!
Join us Wednesday night for DYNAMITE, hailing from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, QC, and featuring the first Quarter-Final match in the AEW World Tag Title Tournament between The Young Bucks and Private Party, Takeshita versus Swerve, and a rematch years in the making between Katsuyori Shibata and Will Ospreay!!!
The meets us this Saturday in London, ON at the Budweiser Gardens for the return of COLLISION featuring former 2-Time AEW World Tag Champions FTR taking on The Infantry in a Quarter-Final match-up of the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament!
AEW Returns to Las Vegas for Memorial Day Double Header:
AEW: DOUBLE OR NOTHING and AEW: Collision
— MGM Grand Garden Arena Hosts DOUBLE OR NOTHING on Sunday, May 26 and AEW: Collision on Saturday, May 25
— AEW: Dynamite returns to Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Wednesday, May 29,
and AEW: Collision debuts at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs for a special taping —
March 27, 2024 – Five years ago, AEW’s inaugural DOUBLE OR NOTHING pay-per-view event in Las Vegas revolutionized the professional wrestling industry, and propelled AEW on its meteoric rise around the world. Today, AEW CEO Tony Khan announced that Las Vegas will once again host the marquee DOUBLE OR NOTHING event on Sunday, May 26, live from MGM Grand Garden Arena.
As part of DOUBLE OR NOTHING weekend, TNT’s “AEW: Collision” will also be held at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, May 25. In addition, TBS’ “AEW: Dynamite” will emanate from the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Wednesday, May 29, followed by a special taping of “AEW: Collision” on Thursday, May 30, at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, Calif.
Tickets for the upcoming Las Vegas and Los Angeles events go on sale this Saturday, March 30, via AEWTix.com, AXS.com and Ticketmaster.com. On sale information for “AEW: Collision” in Palm Springs will be announced soon. Fans interested in exclusive presale opportunities can register to become an AEW Insider by visiting www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-insider.
About AEW
Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in 2019, AEW is a red-hot professional wrestling promotion featuring a world-class roster that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry. “AEW: Dynamite” airs every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TBS, “AEW: Rampage” airs every Friday from 10-11 p.m. ET on TNT, and “AEW: Collision” airs every Saturday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TNT. AEW’s multi-platform content also includes “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series. For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AEW; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AEW
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON!
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
Nigel McGuinness and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Katsuyori Shibata!
Danielson and Shibata chain wrestled at the start of the match. Danielson bridged his way out of wristlock. Shibata tried to keep his distance from Danielson’s kicks. They locked up and traded kicks. Danielson stomped on the back of Shibata’s knees, targeting the hamstrings. Danielson kicked Shibata in the spine.
Shibata rocked Danielson with forearms, but Danielson countered with a butterfly suplex. Danielson put Shibata in a surfboard submission, but Shibata escaped. Danielson and Shibata traded chops until Danielson went low and dropped Shibata with a single leg takedown.
Shibata suplexed Danielson out of the ring and followed up with a running PK from the apron. Danielson rallied back with a running dropkick, but Shibata chased after Danielson and clocked the American Dragon with a running boot in the corner.
Danielson tried for a discus elbow, but Shibata countered and planted Danielson hard with a trip. Shibata and Danielson clinched one another and exchanged knee strikes. Shibata drilled Danielson with a Death Valley Driver for a near fall.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Danielson rocked Shibata with a running knee strike. Danielson applied the LeBell Lock. Shibata managed to reach the ropes with his boot, forcing the ref to break the hold. Shibata taunted Danielson, inviting Danielson to kick him. Danielson obliged, and then Shibata served up straight pump kicks to Danielson. Shibata blistered Bryan with kicks to the chest. Now Danielson taunted Shibata and invited Shibata to kick him.
They both sat down and slapped one another with open palm strikes! Danielson caught Shibata in the back of the head with a kick. Shibata dodged Danielson’s charging knee strike and put Danielson in the Iron Octopus. Danielson escaped after putting his boot on the ropes. They grappled until Danielson was able to cradle Shibata and score the pin!
“Take a look at the fans standing up, loving what they see from Danielson and Shibata,” said Schiavone.
“A hell of a match,” replied Nigel.
After the match, they hugged one another as a sign of mutual respect.
TBS Championship Match!
The House of Black’s Julia Hart (c.) vs. The Infantry’s Trish Adora!
This match took place under “House Rules.” The loser will be banned from ringside during their respective team’s match later tonight.
Trish knocked down Julia with a shoulder block. Julia escaped a body slam attempt and rammed Adora headfirst into the steel ring steps. Julia whipped Trish into the ringside barricade. Trish retaliated with a shoulder breaker back in the ring.
Julia dodged a pump kick and then blasted Trish with a running lariat. Trish rocked Julia with a German Suplex from her knees for a near fall on Julia. The champ fired back with a thrust kick. Julia nailed Trish with a moonsault and pinned Trish, racking up another win.
Lexy Nair was backstage to interview Harley Cameron and Zak Knight!
Zak: “Angelo Parker wants to fight me? I’ll give you a fight, but I’m not doing it here in Canada. You want to fight? I’ll fight but it’ll be on my terms!”
Daniel Garcia vs. Shane Taylor Promotion’s Lee Moriarty (with Shane Taylor)!
“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Garcia blasted Moriarty with a shotgun dropkick. Shane Taylor distracted Garcia on the arena floor, long enough for Lee to rocket out of the ring with a tope suicida to Garcia.
Lee Moriarty swung at Garica, but Garica answered with strikes and then stomped Moriarty in the corner. Moriarty cracked Garcia in the back of the head with a jumping kick. Moriarty hit a double foot stomp on Garcia. Moriarty went for the Fang, but Garcia countered and locked in a vicious heel hook, forcing Moriarty to tap out!
“The Bastard” Pac vs. Aaron Solo!
Solo came out of the gates strong, with a flurry of offense on Pac! “The Bastard” stomped on Solo.
The fans chanted “Welcome back!” at Pac.
Pac’s quick feet knocked Solo to the mat. Pac rocked Solo with a shotgun dropkick off the top rope.
“Seamless offense. No wasted motion,” said Nigel about Pac.
Pac splashed Solo with the Black Arrow! Pac, wanting to make a statement, put Solo in the Brutalizer submission and won via ref stoppage!
Pac: “Tony, Tony, Tony. I told you, the Bastard’s back and I am looking for trouble. But you see, Aaron Solo is not exactly what I had in mind. Tony Khan, I am looking for trouble, so find me some, or I will find it myself.”
Bryan Danielson was backstage meditating.
Danielson: “I’m grateful that I was about to have a match with Shibata tonight. I’m grateful that I have a match with Will Ospreay coming up at Dynasty on Sunday, April 21st. He said when he gets in the ring it’s live or die and he doesn’t plan on dying. He can’t walk in my shoes. Shibata and I were told we would never be able to wrestle again. But we banged on death’s door. Say what you want about what you’re willing to do. I know what I’m willing to do. And I don’t think you’re ready for that.”
Claudio Castagnoli vs. “The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer!
They rammed each other with shoulder blocks, neither man budged. Claudio scoop slammed Archer, but Archer got right up! Claudio and Archer slugged it out, two battling bulls in the ring. Claudio clocked Archer with a lariat, knocking Archer over the top rope.
Claudio attempted a running European Uppercut on the floor, but Archer blocked it. Archer followed up with a cannonball senton off the apron and onto Claudio! Archer nailed Claudio with a side slam in the ring.
Archer signaled for a DDT, but Claudio reversed it and stunned Archer with a big vertical suplex. Archer tried to walk the ropes, but Claudio pulled him down and cracked him with a European Uppercut!
Claudio climbed up the turnbuckles, but Archer blasted him with a rising knee strike. Archer choke slammed Claudio for a near fall! Claudio came back with a Death Valley Driver on Archer! Claudio hit a cutter on Archer from the top turnbuckle for a near fall.
The fans chanted “Swing! Swing! Swing!”
Claudio got Archer in the Giant Swing but The Righteous—Vincent and Dutch—sprinted down the ramp and ambushed Claudio in the ring!
The Righteous attacked Claudio until Bryan Danielson came down to even up the odds for his fellow Blackpool Combat Club teammate! The numbers were too many, and they swarmed Danielson! Shibata sprinted to the ring with a chair, and Archer and The Righteous retreated!
“This match has been thrown out, but what a match it was,” said Tony Schiavone.
“This one is far from over,” replied Nigel.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Ruby Soho and “Cool Hand” Angelo Parker!
Parker: “This is a second home to me, and I was ready for a fight tonight. Zak is a coward. He doesn’t want to have a match. He’ll have a fight tonight!”
Ruby: “If you go looking for a fight, you’ll have to do it without me.”
Parker: “You’re right. I’ll leave it alone for tonight.”
Kyle O’Reilly vs. “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith!
Kyle cracked Keith with a forearm. Keith baited Kyle in and connected with a spinning kick. Keith put O’Reilly in an abdominal stretch. Keith transitioned with a DDT, spiking Kyle right on his head and neck!
Kyle put Bryan Keith in a triangle choke. Kyle gave up the submission attempt in search of something else. Keith battled back with a double underhook power bomb, though. Kyle fired back with a lariat, a brain buster, and then the Armageddon submission hold, forcing Bryan Keith to tap out!
The Undisputed Kingdom came out to help Kyle celebrate.
“What a return to action!” said Nigel.
Lexy Nair was backstage to interview Deonna Purrazzo and Thunder Rosa!
Lexy said Deonna and Thunder Rosa have never teamed before, but they’re scheduled to face Toni Storm and Mariah May next week on Dynamite.
Thunder Rosa: “Toni and Mariah want drama We are going to give you drama. We are going to stop all the games and all the jokes. We have a mission. It is TV time.”
AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament Wild Card Match!
The Infantry—Carlie Bravo & Captain Shawn Dean
vs.
The House of Black’s Brody King & Buddy Matthews!
The winning team faces FTR in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
The House of Black wasted no time pummeling the Infantry outside the ring, seeking and destroying.
“This match may not even happen,” said Nigel.
“You’re right, this match hasn’t even started, but the House of Black have decimated their opponents on the floor,” replied Schiavone.
The ref asked the Infantry if they could compete, and the Infantry wouldn’t back down!
Shawn Dean splashed Brody and Buddy in the corner. Brody fired back with a monstrous lariat! The House of Black took turns battering Carlie. They hit Dante’s Inferno on Dean, but Carlie broke up the pin attempt. The House of Black circled the Infantry, stalking them in the ring.
Brody spiked Carlie Bravo on the announcers’ desk! Buddy curb stomped Shawn Dean! Julia Hart whispered into Buddy’s ear, and he smiled. Buddy climbed to the top turnbuckle. The ref had his back turned on Buddy, as he was admonishing Julia Hart on the apron. Mark Briscoe ran down to the ring and whacked Buddy in the head with a steel chair! Brody King followed Briscoe up the arena steps, leaving Buddy in the ring. Shawn Dean crawled over and covered Buddy, scoring the pin!
“I can’t believe it! The Infantry won!” said a shocked Schiavone.
“The Infantry didn’t win it. Mark Briscoe won it,” replied Nigel.
Malakai Black stormed down to the ring, furiously staring at Mark Briscoe!
Ahead of this Wednesday’s TNT Championship “I Quit” Match against champion Christian Cage, we heard from the “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
Adam Copeland carried the case with the words “Spike” stenciled on it.
“I have no idea what is in the box, but it really scared away Christian Cage last time,” said Tony Schiavone.
Adam Copeland: “This Wednesday, it’s fitting that I fight a guy who I thought for 40 years was my best friend. So Christian Cage, I’m talking to you now. I’m not going to call you Jay. Jay’s dead. You’ve become Christian Cage. The ego is out of control.
“We used to talk about chasing our dreams and crushing our dreams. We did that! And then I fast forward to now. We had talked about me coming to AEW. You were on board. I came here to retire with you. I didn’t come here to take away your shine. At World’s End, I failed, and I’m not used to repeated failures. I picked myself up and walked forward.
“I earned that title shot. You and the Patriarchy took me out with the con-chair-to, a move we created. So maybe that’s fitting too. But when I was out, I got a call from a man who in the past has had to remind me of who I am. And he called again to remind me of who I am. So, I created Spike.”
Copeland opened the box and pulled out a 2×4 with nails sticking out of it!
Copeland: “Spike is hungry. She wants to take a bit out of you, Christian Cage. So that phone call from Mrs. Foley’s baby boy worked, because I remember who I am! I have kept it bottled up. I am the Rated R Superstar. This Wednesday you’re going to be in the hospital. Spike and I are going to take away your pride and make you say two words. And those two words are ‘I quit!’ 40 years after this started in our hometown, it ends!”
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, ON, featuring:
-AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm & Mariah May vs. Deonna Purrazzo & Thunder Rosa!
– “Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. FTW Champion HOOK!
-We’ll hear from Mercedes Moné!
-AEW Continental Championship Match: Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. Kazuchika Okada!
– Christian Cage (c.) vs. “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland for the TNT Championship in an I Quit Match!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE: Big Business was broadcast live from the TD Garden in Boston, MA!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Tonight’s episode kicked off with Seven-Time Women’s World Champion Mercedes Moné making her AEW Dynamite debut!
The fans were chanting “CEO! CEO! CEO!”
“I think the women’s division—everything—here in AEW has just gotten a lot more interesting,” said Excalibur.
Mercedes Moné: “Boston, I’m home! If you guys could feel my heart right now, it’s beating out of my chest. First thing I want to say is thank you. Thank you for having my back these past two years. Thank you for giving me the courage and the strength to be here. Thank you for sticking with me through all of my lows, my highs, my milestones, my titles, my history making moments, thank you!
“And trust me, we are going to be creating so much magic, and so many moments, together. Because every single one of you, you are the reason I’m here. So, thank you. I love you guys. And if you only knew how much tonight means to me, how much this means to me, how much wrestling means to me. In so many ways wrestling has changed and saved my life.
“Wrestling has given me hopes, a place to dream. My dreams got me to lead a women’s evolution. My dreams made me to become the first ever woman to main event a pay-per-view in this very building. My dreams started when I was only 10 years old. And when I was 13 years old, I dropped out of school to take care of my brother. And I had a dream to become the greatest women’s wrestler of all time. And I want you to know, if I can do it, you can do it too.
“So, let’s get down to business. You want to know why I’m here? Because I need to be here. AEW is the only place where this revolution can be global, and we are going to make that happen. I’ve been watching week after week after week, and everyone in that locker room, I can’t wait to tear it up with you.
“But let’s start with tonight’s main event, Riho against Willow Nightingale. Now Willow, you and I have a lot of unfinished business. But right now, at Big Business. Mercedes Moné is All Elite! So, to our chairman, Tony Khan, thank you so much for that tweet, to all the AEW fans out there, please say hello to your new CEO!”
“This is going to be a moment that we never forget here in AEW,” said Tony Schiavone.
“Big Business going down in Boston,” added Excalibur.
AEW World Championship Match!
Samoa Joe (c.) vs. Wardlow (with the Undisputed Kingdom)
Wardlow whipped Samoa Joe hard into the ringside barricade. Wardlow rammed Joe into the steel ring steps. Back in the ring, Samoa Joe chopped Wardlow, but Wardlow planted Samoa Joe with a spinebuster.
“Not often that Samoa Joe gets manhandled like that,” said Excalibur.
Samoa Joe tested the chin of Wardlow, jabbing away at the challenger. Samoa Joe chopped at Wardlow. Wardlow fired back with a shoulder block off the turnbuckles for a near fall. Samoa Joe slipped free of a powerbomb and followed up with a high boot and then a senton to Wardlow.
Both men slugged it out in the center of the ring but Samoa Joe powerslammed Wardlow for a two-count. Wardlow’s knee buckled. The ref tried to stop Samoa Joe so the ref could check on Wardlow. As the ref turned his back to back Samoa Joe up, Wardlow thumbed Joe in the eyes. Perhaps Wardlow was playing possum. Wardlow blasted Samoa Joe with a knee strike for a near fall.
“That is the first time anyone has survived that knee from Wardlow,” said Excalibur.
Wardlow attempted a senton atomico, but Samoa Joe dodged it! Wardlow retaliated with a power bomb out of the corner. Samoa Joe applied the rear naked choke and Samoa Joe won via ref stoppage!
“That was a great, great win for the champion,” said Tony Schiavone.
Swerve Strickland walked out to the ring with a steel chain! AEW security tried to stop Swerve, but Swerve knocked them out of his way. Samoa Joe left the ring, not wanting any part of Swerve tonight.
Trios Match!
The Elite— “Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada & The Young Bucks—EVPs Matthew & Nicholas Jackson
vs.
Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston & Death Triangle—PAC & Penta El Zero Miedo!
Kingston ignored a fist bump from Matthew and tagged in “The Bastard” Pac. “The Bastard” wiped out Matthew with a step up hurracanrana and followed up with a back breaker.
Penta El Zero Miedo nailed Nicholas with a thrust kick. Pac grabbed a tag and hit Nicholas with a big pump kick. Pac and Penta clocked Matthew with stereo thrust kicks. Okada tagged in and traded strikes with Kingston! Okada took down Kingston with a beautiful dropkick. Okada and the Bucks triple teamed Kingston in their corner with triple kicks!
Kingston fought out of the corner, crawling to his corner for a tag, but Okada and Nicholas pulled Penta and Pac off the ring apron. The Elite continued to isolate Eddie Kingston. Penta grabbed a tag and cleaned house on the Elite!
Pac blasted Okada with a shotgun dropkick. Pac and Penta took flight over the top rope, wiping out the Bucks on the arena floor. Penta smashed Nicholas with a double foot stomp from the top rope. Pac then landed on Nicholas with a 450 splash! Pac rocked Okada with a German Suplex.
Kingston blistered Okada’s chest with chops. Okada planted Kingston with a DDT. Penta clocked Matthew with a Canadian Destroyer. Nicholas blind sided Penta with a superkick. Nicholas removed his belt, wrapped it around his fist, and charged at Kingston, but Kingston countered with a hot shot, guillotining Nicholas’ throat across the top rope!
Matthew went to strike Kingston, but Kingston countered with a strike. As Matthew distracted the ref in the corner, Nicholas hit Kingston with a low blow between the legs. Okada clocked Kingston with the Rainmaker and pinned Kingston!
“When Okada lands that Rainmaker lariat, it is all over for his opponent,” said Excalibur.
Okada held up Kingston’s AEW Continental Crown Championship aloft after the match!
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to talk about AEW Dynasty, live on pay-per-view, Sunday, April 21st and the match between “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson and “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay!
Will Ospreay came out to the ring to discuss the upcoming match with Danielson at Dynasty.
Ospreay: “On April 21st, this match means so much to mean. Bryan Danielson left it in the ring every night for all these people. I’m glad he’s a fan of my work. Bryan, allow me to remind you of what you said once upon a time. After my match with Kenny Omega, everybody was talking about one move: the Tiger Driver 91.
“You see, Bryan, while I respect you, this match means a hell of a lot more to me. Because the moment I stepped foot in AEW, there has been a phrase that has been following me. Restore the feeling. Bruv, I am the feeling! This match is about reminding people what AEW is. You put the best wrestler in the world against the best wrestler of the 21st century, and only one man walks out the winner.
“The one thing I learned from Bryan Danielson is I can have respect for the man standing across from me but the moment I walk into this ring, it’s your life or it’s mine, and I don’t plan on dying, bruv!
“April 21st, this is about finding out who is the best wrestler in the world. And let me tell you, my name is Will Ospreay, and I am on another level!”
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo was backstage!
Purrazzo: “Toni Storm and Mariah, if you think this is over between us after Toni tapped out and you DDT’ed me on the ramp, then you’ve learned nothing about the Virtuosa. If this is a numbers game you want to play, then let’s play. I have no problem finding a partner and meeting you both next week in Toronto.
“And since you already have a tag team match this Friday on Rampage, maybe we’ll stick around and get a closer look. I suggest you watch for the shoe because it’s headed straight up your ass!”
“Switchblade” Jay White vs. Darby Allin!
Darby’s back was all bandaged up after his tag match with Sting against the Bucks from Revolution.
Jay White rammed Darby into the turnbuckles. Darby fired back with a shotgun dropkick. Darby climbed to the top and splashed Jay White with a back flip, throwing his body at Jay White. Darby rocketed back out of the ring with a tope suicida!
Jay White suplexed Darby onto a metal chair outside the ring! Jay White whipped Darby into the steel ring steps! Back in the ring, White chopped Darby in the back of the neck. Darby dodged a Stinger splash from White. Darby countered a Blade Runner with an over the top stunner and then a sunset flip for a near fall. Darby locked in the Last Supper, but Jay White managed to kick out at the two-count!
Jay White began to dig his fingers into Darby’s back. Darby retaliated with a scorpion death drop out of nowhere. Darby covered White but White got his feet on the bottom rope. Darby was looking for a Coffin Drop, but Jay White avoided it, and Darby crashed onto the edge of the ring apron!
“That was sickening,” said Taz.
Darby managed to jump into the ring, beating the ref’s count just in the nick of time, but Jay White was waiting for him. Jay White blasted Darby with the Blade Runner and scored the pin!
After the match, Jay White and the Gunns assaulted Darby Allin! The Gunns held Darby’s leg between a steel chair, and Jay White was about to smash it to smithereens with Sting’s baseball bat when…
The Acclaimed’s music began to play!
The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn sprinted to the ring to stop the Gunns and Jay White from hitting Darby’s ankle with the bat! The Acclaimed help Darby out of the ring. Billy Gunn took the baseball bat away from Jay White, but Jay White smashed a chair against Billy’s head!
Bowens and Caster turned around and saw that Billy Gunn had been knocked out. The Acclaimed jumped back into the ring but the Gunns began to club the Acclaimed with strikes.
“So much for the Bang Bang Scissor Gang,” said Tony Schiavone.
The Gunns bashed their championship belt into Bowens’ head. Austin Gunn broadsided Caster with the belt next!
“Bullet Club Gold showing their true colors here tonight,” said Excalibur.
The Gunns put Darby’s ankle back between the steel chair and Jay White walloped the ankle with the baseball bat!
LionHOOK—FTW Champion HOOK & “Lionheart” Chris Jericho
vs.
Gates of Agony—Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona!
Hook and Jericho hit a double suplex on Bishop. LionHOOK followed up with a double suplex on Liona. Jericho chopped at Kaun in the corner. Kaun ran Jericho over with a lariat. Toa tagged in and rammed into Jericho, who was hung up on the ropes.
Jericho connected with a lionsault on Kaun. Hook tagged in and bulldozed Bishop with a lariat and then a T-Bone suplex. Hook followed up with a Northern Lights Suplex to Bishop Kaun.
Gates of Agony regained momentum, but Hook put Kaun in Red Rum. Jericho dropkicked Toa and then Kuan tapped out to Hook’s Red Rum submission.
“For their first match together, boy, did they work well together,” said Tony Schiavone.
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Kyle O’Reilly when he was interrupted by the Undisputed Kingdom!
Roderick Strong: “Kyle! You know how much respect I have for you. And if you want to do this on your own, do it on your own.”
Kyle: “Yeah, this Saturday, first match back, and I’m going to do it on my own.”
Riho was getting warmed up backstage ahead of her match against Willow when Mercedes walked by and introduced herself.
Mercedes: “I look forward to your match tonight.”
Renee Paquette interviewed FTW Champion HOOK and Chris Jericho backstage!
Jericho said that Hook showed him that he had future World champion written all over him.
Jericho: “But as much as I learned in the ring standing next to you, I still need to learn more. I need to know what it’s like standing in the ring across from you. That’s why next week on Dynamite, live from Toronto, I’m challenging you, ‘Lionheart’ Chris Jericho against HOOK in AEW for the first time ever. What do you say?”
HOOK: “Let’s do it.”
Main Event Time!
Willow Nightingale (accompanied by Stokely Hathaway & Kris Statlander) vs. Riho!
Willow connected with a running cross body. Riho rocked Willow with a running dropkick and then clocked Willow with a knee strike. Willow walloped Riho with a dropkick off the turnbuckles!
Riho hit a diving cross body on Willow for a near fall. Riho followed up with a Northern Lights suplex, but Willow kicked out at the two-count!
“Willow hit very hard that time,” said Tony Schiavone.
Riho climbed to the top turnbuckle and went for the diving double foot stomp, but Willow dodged it! Willow sent Riho flying with a running pounce! Willow tried for a senton off the apron, but Riho moved, sending Willow crashing on the arena floor! Riho ran off the apron and walloped Willow with the diving foot stomp!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Riho drilled Willow with a dragon suplex on the apron! Riho hit the double foot stomp again, but this time Willow kicked out at the two-count. Willow avoided a running knee strike from Riho. Willow landed a big lariat. Willow smashed Riho with the gut wrench doctor bomb and scored the pin fall victory!
After the match, the lights in the arena went dark!
When the lights came back on, TBS Champion Julia Hart was standing in the aisle! Skye Blue ambushed Willow, chop blocking her leg. Julia and Skye double teamed Willow in the ring! Skye held back Willow while Julia was about to crack Willow in the head with the TBS title when Mercedes Moné’s music hit!
Skye Blue charged up the ramp at Mercedes and Mercedes clocked her! Mercedes entered the ring and planted Julia!
“Mercedes Moné, wow, what a difference maker here tonight,” said Excalibur.
Mercedes turned her attention to Willow, and they smiled at each other, with Willow raising Mercedes’ arm.
“Great respect shown by Willow towards the CEO Mercedes Moné,” said Excalibur.
“There’s never been a better time to be a fan of AEW than right now!” added Tony Schiavone.
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET featuring:
-The AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Bracketology will be announced!
-Best Friends vs. Dark Order!
-AEW Women’s World Champ “Timeless” Toni Storm & Mariah May in action!
-Trios Match: Undisputed Kingdom vs. Top Flight & Action Andretti!
Don’t miss AEW Collision live on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON featuring:
-Kyle O’Reilly vs. “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith!
-& Much more!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, ON, featuring:
– “Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. FTW Champion HOOK!
-We’ll hear from Mercedes Moné!
-AEW Continental Crown Championship Match: Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. Kazuchika Okada!
– Christian Cage (c.) vs. “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland for the TNT Championship in an I Quit Match!
After weeks of anticipation, DYNAMITE: BIG BU$INESS is upon us, and the TD Garden is going to be rocking on Wednesday night! AEW World Champion Samoa Joe will defend his title against a familiar foe in Wardlow, the man who earned this opportunity in REVOLUTION 2024’s All-Star Scramble, and we will witness the first-time clash between Darby Allin and ROH World Six-Man Champion “Switchblade” Jay White! But that’s not all; The New Elite of The Young Bucks and “Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada will battle Death Triangle and Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston in Trios action, Willow Nightingale takes on former AEW Women’s World Champion Riho, and FTW Champion HOOK unites with Chris Jericho to battle The Gates of Agony!! All that, and so much more, is on tap for the AEW faithful this Wednesday night for DYNAMITE: BIG BU$INESS!
The show 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, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then join us Saturday night in Ottawa, ON, Canada (https://www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-event/aew-collision-ottawa) for our debut at the Canadian Tire Centre for an all-new COLLISION!
AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Samoa Joe(c) vs. Wardlow
The history between AEW World Champion Samoa Joe and Wardlow runs a bit further back than just “The War Dog” winning the All-Star 8-Man Scramble at REVOLUTION 2024 to earn a World Title match. Back in the fall of 2022, for the better part of two months Joe and Wardlow operated as something of a tag team, even being dubbed WarJoe for their battles against The Varsity Athletes, Gates of Agony, and The Factory. It wasn’t the most stable of partnerships, but it seemed function enough until November 11, 2022 when all came crashing down after then-TNT Champion Wardlow told Powerhouse Hobbs he was going to take all the championships in the company while standing before then-ROH World TV Champion Samoa Joe.
Joe did not take kindly to that sentiment, cracked Wardlow with his ROH title belt, and slapped a Choke on the TNT Champion. This led to Joe becoming the TNT Champion at FULL GEAR 2022 in a Three Way with Wardlow and Powerhouse Hobbs, and then beating Wardlow in a singles match at NEW YEARS SMASH 2022 to close out the year. Darby Allin would beat Joe a week later to end that reign, but Joe regained the TNT Championship in short order, only to have Wardlow snatch it away at REVOLUTION 2023 in Joe’s first defense of that second reign.
The two parted ways after that, Wardlow getting wrapped up with Powerhouse Hobbs while Joe continued his epic ROH World TV Title run as well as began his pursuit of MJF’s AEW World Championship. For Wardlow that path led to triumph and tragedy, losing the title to Hobbs just three days later, before regaining it for a third time, only to have it ripped away by Christian Cage and Luchas…Killswitch. After that, it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that Wardlow floundered. He disappeared from television for four months, came back and resumed decimating one individual after another while sporting MJF’s initials on his wrist tape, but it wasn’t until the masks were ripped away, and he was revealed as member of the Undisputed Kingdom that things came into focus.
Wardlow, along with Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett, accomplished their larger goal of destroying MJF’s life by helping to weaken him for Samoa Joe to take the AEW World Championship at WORLDS END. Following that, each man declared their individual goals, and for Wardlow that meant taking what he felt he’d deserved since destroying MJF at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2022: the AEW World Championship. All Wardlow had to do was find his angle to a championship opportunity, and that came in Greensboro when he won the All-Star Scramble and earned a future title match, a result that occurred just a couple hours before Samoa Joe survived both Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland to retain the AEW World Championship.
With the title match in place, all that was needed was setting the date in stone, and that happened last Wednesday night on DYNAMITE following Joe and Swerve’s tag team victory over Wardlow’s partners in the Undisputed Kingdom, your ROH World Tag Team Champions Taven and Bennett. This Wednesday night, when AEW returns to TD Garden for the first time since BLOOD & GUTS 2023, it will be BIG BU$INESS, and there isn’t much that’s bigger business than the AEW World Championship! In this rubber match, Wardlow gets his very first crack at the most coveted championship in professional wrestling, and he does it knowing that the last time he met Samoa Joe one-on-one, he was the won who walked away with a championship title around his waist!
What’s rather frightening though is the difference between Samoa Joe circa March 2023 and Samoa Joe in March 2024; though he has always been one of the most intimidating men in wrestling today, the last 75 days have seen Joe unleash an intensity unfamiliar to AEW audiences. It was as if his pursuit of the AEW World Championship began to open a door he’d left closed for many years, and the first night he walked onto DYNAMITE as the AEW World Champion, said door swung wide open and the landscape of AEW quaked in fear. This is Joe unleashed, this is Joe with everything he’s wanted from the moment he came to All Elite Wrestling, and this is a Samoa Joe who will stop at nothing to make sure it remains his forevermore. It may sound trite to say that the person who beats Joe may have to kill him, but with one look at the way Joe carries that AEW World Title, it’s hard to not take that as his truth.
This Wednesday night in Boston, Wardlow is going to have to find a way to break Joe like no one ever has before in order to become the AEW World Champion, but if he can maintain that fury, if he can keep that righteous anger burning, then Wardlow may be able to do just that. All eyes will be on the TD Garden this Wednesday night, can Wardlow become the champion he’s longed to be in front of their gaze?
TRIOS BATTLE…
The Elite (Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson, & Nicholas Jackson)
vs.
Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston & Death Triangle (PAC & Penta El Zero Miedo)
Last week on DYNAMITE, “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada made his first appearance for All Elite Wrestling as a certified member of AEW locker room, and while that should’ve been a joyous occasion, it was marred by the former multi-time IWPG Heavyweight Champion signing on with The Elite following The EVPs official dismissal of Kenny Omega and Hangman Page. As if that wasn’t disappointing enough, Okada made that choice at the expense of Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston, and when Kingston tried for a measure of revenge on COLLISION a few days later, he paid for it then as well; at least until “The Bastard” PAC made his return to AEW
Now we come to BIG BU$INESS this Wednesday night at the TD Garden, and the challenge laid out by Kingston Saturday night. A Trios bout between this new Elite and the rather wild combination of the Continental Crown Champion, Penta El Zero Miedo, and “The Bastard”! One would have to go back nearly three years, to one of the finals events of AEW’s extended stay at Daily’s Place, to find the last time those three men stood together on the same side, coincidentally enough it was also in opposition to The Young Bucks, albeit with Brandon Cutler as their third. Kingston and Penta are close, though it hasn’t always been the easiest of roads, but PAC and Eddie aren’t exactly best friends. Still, they’ve proven they can function as a unit when driven by mutual goals, and eradicating this version of The Elite right out of the gate is certainly a goal worth fighting for.
Make no mistake, this is a pivotal fight in the careers of all men involved; it’s the first big match of Okada’s new endeavor as Elite, it’s PAC’s return to the fold for the first time since July 26th, and it’s AEW’s return to TD Garden! Who will rise in the face of the increased heat of the spotlight that’ll be shone on this match, as well as the entire BIG BU$INESS event?
Before the dust had even settled in Greensboro, before the crew had even finished tearing down the REVOLUTION 2024 set, AEW GM Tony Khan had announced that Darby Allin would fight ROH World Six-Man Champion “Switchblade” Jay White at DYNAMITE: BIG BUSINESS! At the moment Darby was informed of this, during the Media Scrum following the pay-per-view, he certainly didn’t look to be in any condition for a fight of this caliber, but anyone who’s paid attention to the career of the former World Tag Team Champion knows that he won’t let anything stop him from entering the fight, not even an impending trip to Mt. Everest on March 27th.
But will Darby Allin be in any condition to make that trip after this Wednesday night’s fight with “Switchblade” Jay White? After the words exchanged last week between Darby and “King Switch”, this bout has heated up quite quickly, and is a huge part of AEW’s return to TD Garden!
Given that Jay White is perpetually supported by The Gunns, Austin and Colten, the question has to be asked if they will get themselves involved in the bout? Or will the influence of The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass actually sway The Bang Bang Gang to fight on the up-and-up? As for Darby, what does his future look like in the post-Sting landscape of All Elite Wrestling? With so much of his last three years spent at Sting’s side, how will the former 2-Time TNT Champion move forward in his career standing by himself? This Wednesday night, as part of BIG BU$INESS, we will all see what the future entails!
SINGLES MATCH…
Willow Nightingale vs. Riho
A week ago former TBS Champion Kris Statlander stepped into the ring for a fight with original AEW Women’s World Champion Riho for the first time in four years, and though it was a hard-fought battle from Stat, it was Riho who took home the victory, moving herself one step closer to a potential championship bout.
But Riho and Kris Statlander aren’t the only women looking for a title opportunity, former NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion Willow Nightingale is also on the hunt for the TBS Championship around Julia Hart’s waist, and just like her tag partner, the road also goes through Riho! Prior to this, the only engagement between the two women took place on the November 14, 2022 edition of DARK: ELEVATION when they teamed up to defeat Emi Sakura and Mei Suruga, a match that coincidentally also took place in Boston, just four miles away at Agganis Arena.
Will Willow win out where Kris Statlander came up short one week ago? And how will Stokely Hathaway play a role in this bout because, let’s face it, he can’t help but find a way to insert himself into any match…
TAG TEAM BOUT…
FTW Champion HOOK & Chris Jericho vs. Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
It’s an unlikely alliance yet here we are; Chris Jericho and FTW Champion HOOK are set to stand on the same side of the ring with The Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) standing in opposition. All of this stems from the All-Star 8-man at REVOLUTION 2024, Jericho and HOOK’s participation in the match, HOOK’s rivalry with Brian Cage, and his victory over “The Machine” last week on DYNAMITE! It all coalesced into Jericho assisting HOOK, HOOK assisting the OG AEW World Champion, and now this tag team bout between The Gates of Agony and HOOK/Jericho. Jericho has some experience with The Gates after defeating them with Kenny Omega as his partner, but HOOK has never set foot in the ring with either Toa Liona or Bishop Kaun, and given that he and Jericho are entering into this unity for the first time, it’s going to be quite interesting to see how they function as a unit.
The Gates ended their 2023 as participants in the NJPW World Tag League, scoring four points overall, but in 2024 they’ve taken a step back from Mogul Embassy business as Swerve Strickland made it a point to pursue his AEW World Championship dreams without Embassy involvement. That’s done now; Kaun and Toa are back in business this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, and they aim to deliver a message to everyone in the AEW locker room by decimating the original AEW World Champ and the current FTW Champion!
DYNAMITE: BIG BU$INESS is finally here and the TD Garden better be ready for an epic night! The AEW World Championship will be at stake when Samoa Joe and Wardlow rekindle their rivalry, we will see Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston unite with PAC and Penta El Zero Miedo to take on The Elite, and FTW Champion HOOK tags up with Chris Jericho to battle The Mogul Embassy’s Gates of Agony! In addition, Darby Allin and Jay White lock horn, Willow Nightingale battles the original AEW Women’s World Champion Riho, and there is plenty more coming your way from Boston this Wednesday night!
DYNAMITE begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans, so drop by AEW’s official YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch highlights from last week’s editions of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then on Saturday night we head to Ottawa, ON, Canada for our debut at the Canadian Tire Centre with an all-new COLLISION!
Tonight’s season premiere episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Tony Schiavone kicked off the show in the ring to interview Swerve Strickland!
Swerve: “What’s Swerve’s house without the keys? I couldn’t get the job done this past Sunday. You know who did? Samoa Joe did. Here I stand, no gold around my waist. Part of me think it’s karma for all the bad things I’ve done in AEW. Maybe I’m paying for it now.
“Maybe I’m not supposed to be a champion here. Maybe I’m supposed to be a role player and be the guy that gets close enough but can’t quite grasp it, and I’ve gotta settle for this. I’m going to tell you all a little something. Something about Sunday felt different. Something about Revolution felt very different. It felt like people were truly rooting for me for the first time. It felt like y’all wanted me to win and make history.
“The fact remains nothing changes from this point on. Samoa Joe, whether you’re still holding the World championship or not, I’m coming for you. That I promise!”
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe came down to the ring!
Samoa Joe: “You know for a man who I beat down the other day, you sure are talking funny. Making a lot of promises to these good people that you will never keep. In fact, I came out here to give us a reality check. Here we are in Swerve’s House. But unfortunately, your house exists in my world. So instead of coming out here and disappointing these people about how you’re almost the champion, I thought I’d come out here and let them gaze upon an actual World Champion.”
Swerve: “Don’t talk your back on me, Joe. You’re talking real spicy. How about you put this title on the line tonight? Actually, I don’t want to wait until tonight. How about we do this right now?”
The Undisputed Kingdom’s music interrupted Swerve, and the Undisputed Kingdom rolled out onto the ramp!
Adam Cole: “The only story coming out of Revolution worth talking about is the Undisputed Kingdom. Roderick Strong is your new AEW International Champion. Mike Bennett and Matt Taven are still the greatest ROH Tag Champions of all time. And then there’s Swerve and Samoa Joe. Joe, you’re only champion because we allowed it to happen. And Swerve, in six months, no one will give a damn about you. You’re not going to win the World championship, but I’ll tell you who is: Wardlow.”
Swerve: “It’s funny you’re telling me I need to get to the back of the line. How many times did you fail, yet you got opportunity after opportunity.”
Adam Cole: You think you’re funny? How about this? The greatest ROH Tag Champions of all time against you and Samoa Joe next week?”
Swerve: “Why wait until next week?”
Adam Cole: “The match is happening next week!”
Tony Schiavone: “Pardon me. I heard from Tony Khan. The match is happening right now.”
ROH World Tag Team Champions Mike Bennett & Matt Taven
vs.
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland!
Samoa Joe booted Taven in the head and flattened him with a senton for a near fall. Samoa Joe hit Taven with a headbutt. Bennett grabbed a blind tag and began to strike Samoa Joe after a swift kick from Matt Taven.
Strickland tagged himself in and cleaned house on Taven and Bennett. Swerve blasted Bennett with a brain buster! Swerve climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Taven cut him off. Swerve shoved Taven away and nailed Taven with the double foot stomp and followed up with the House Call! Swerve planted Taven and scored the pin!
“No help from Joe, Swerve did it on his own, pretty much,” said Taz.
Wardlow walked down the ramp. Swerve was distracted by him, and while his back was turned, Samoa Joe locked Swerve in a sleeper.
“Joe just used Strickland as an example to Wardlow,” said Taz.
And it was made official for next week on Dynamite: Big Business—it’ll be AEW World Champion Samoa Joe placing his title on the line against Wardlow!
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview FTW Champion HOOK!
Chris Jericho interrupted Renee.
Jericho: “You know Hook, the first match I worked as “Lionheart” Chris Jericho in this country was against your father. He suplexed me on my head. I’ve never forgotten that. But I’ve always felt like I had a little connection to Taz because of it, which made me feel like I have a little connection to you. But I never really respected you, Hook, until you dumped me on my head this past Sunday at Revolution. And when I was in the ring with you, I realized maybe you are the real deal. So, congrats on that.”
Jericho fist bumped Hook and smiled.
Next: A huge announcement from AEW EVPs The Young Bucks—Matthew & Nicholas Jackson!
Nicholas: “Actually we have two huge announcements.”
Matthew: “How about we make those announcements in the ring tonight?”
FTW Championship Match!
HOOK (c.) vs. “The Machine” Brian Cage!
Cage cracked Hook with a thrust kick. Cage followed up with a suplex and then a running elbow to Hook in the corner. Cage sent Hook flying with a belly to belly suplex. Cage pulled a chair from beneath the ring and wedged it into the corner. Hook blasted Cage in the face with a fire extinguisher. Hook clocked Cage in the head with a trash can lid.
Hook jumped off the ring steps, but Cage caught Hook and powerslammed Hook on the arena floor. Cage charged at Hook, but Hook dodged him, sending Cage crashing through the barricade.
Back in the ring, Hook countered an F5 and spiked Cage with a DDT on a steel chair! Hook nailed Cage with a T-bone suplex! Hook smashed a trash can onto Cage and then suplexed Cage onto a steel guardrail for a near fall!
Brian Cage escaped the Red Rum. Cage smacked Hook with an F5 onto a chair. Brian Cage took a bag and emptied it, spilling thumbtacks onto the ring. Hook cracked a kendo stick across Cage’s back and then suplexed Cage into the thumbtacks!
Hook clubbed Cage. Hook applied the Red Rum, but Cage sat back into the thumbtacks! Hook wouldn’t let go, despite being in the thumb tacks, and put Brian Cage to sleep! Hook won via ref stoppage!
Out of nowhere, The Gates of Agony ambushed Hook! Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona stomped Hook!
Chris Jericho sprinted to the ring with his baseball bat, coming to the aid of Hook, and cleared the ring of the Gates of Agony!
It was announced that across the coming weeks, the AEW World Tag Team Championships will be decided in a tournament!
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy, Trent, and Chuck Taylor!
Renee: “What’s next for you Orange?”
Orange: “Well, you know, it’s going to be the same thing I always do. And that’s to do what ever I can to fill up my backpack up with another championship.”
Renee: “Let’s talk about these new vacated AEW World championships. Trent and Chuck, are you guys going to be in the tournament?”
Chuck: “Renee, it is high time that the Best Friends win the big one, but unfortunately, the boys aren’t back in town. I’m not cleared, my ankle is still hurt. But I think these two should enter that dang tournament and win the whole dang thing. And guess what? Friday night on Rampage, you guys got your first match.”
Trent: “Boys, it’s time to win the big one.”
Killswitch (with the Patriarch) vs. “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard!
TNT Champion Christian Cage joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Menard charged at Killswitch, not wasting anytime, throwing forearms at Killswitch. Menard ran into Killswitch, but Killswitch countered with a chokeslam! Killswitch clobbered Menard with a lariat to the back of the neck and then pinned him!
“Killswitch just made his father very, very proud,” said Christian Cage.
Killswitch continued his onslaught after the match, but Daniel Garcia ran to the ring to even up the odds! Garcia pummeled Killswitch in the corner! Nick Wayne jumped into the ring, but Garcia backed him off with strikes. Garcia turned around and was wiped out by a massive boot from Killswitch! Nick Wayne walloped Garcia with Wayne’s World!
“There’s nothing Nick Wayne can’t do under my guidance,” said Christian Cage.
Christian Cage and the Patriarchy celebrated on the ramp until “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland ran up from behind and attacked Killswitch with a steel chair! Copeland choked out Nick Wayne and then set his sights on Christian Cage, but Christian began to back away. Mother Wayne went to strike Copeland with a low blow, but Copeland blocked it! Copeland charged after Christian Cage, but Cage retreated! Adam Copeland chased Christian Cage through the arena and then backstage! Christian Cage jumped into someone’s SUV, highjacked it, and drove away!
Adam Copeland looked into the camera.
Copeland: “I know you’re going to see this. This has to end where it started. Toronto, March 20th, Dynamite, Copeland-Cage 3 for the TNT Championship in an I-Quit Match!”
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Kyle O’Reilly!
Kyle: “I hate admitting this, but for awhile there, I didn’t think that I’d ever wrestle again. But to be here now, to be cleared, to feel the love from the fans, to get a second chance at the only thing I’ve ever been good at, to get a second chance to provide for my family, I’m just grateful.
“I’ve got nothing but love and respect for the Undisputed Kingdom, but you’ve got to understand that I feel like I’ve fallen so far down the mountain, I don’t know which path to take. Now that I’ve got a second chance, I’ve just got to do it on my own.”
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview AEW EVPs The Young Bucks—Matthew & Nicholas Jackson!
The Bucks kicked Schiavone out of the ring. Nicholas said the Bucks were entering themselves into the tag tournament and getting the titles back.
Matthew said they had two huge announcements. The first item pertains to two of their dear friends. Matthew said “Hangman” Adam Page crossed the line at Revolution by putting his hands on two AEW officials, so he’d be suspended from the Elite without pay. Matthew also said Kenny was fired from the Elite. Matthew was about to make another announcement until the Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston walked down to the ring!
Kingston said he was warned that if he talked crap about the Bucks, he’d be fined, so he threw a wad of cash at Nicholas Jackson and said he might as well fine him now! Matthew told Eddie not to air their grievances on national television and put his arm around Kingston. Nicholas moved closer and grabbed Kingston, but Kingston knocked Nicholas down and then struck Matthew! As Kingston and Nicholas were tussling, Matthew connected with a low blow to Kingston and then Nicholas followed up with a thrust kick!
The Bucks were about to smash Kingston with the EVP Trigger when suddenly…
“The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada’s music began to play!
Okada came down to the ring as the arena became unglued! Okada got in the ring, and it appeared he was about to help Kingston. Instead, Okada grabbed Kingston and rocked him with the rainmaker clothesline!
Nicholas: “One announcement we forgot to make! The newest member of the Elite…” The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada!
“Omega is out, Okada is in! I can’t believe it!” said Tony Schiavone.
“Is Okada targeting the Continental Crown, gesturing at his waist and pointing to Kingston? Kazuchika Okada is All Elite, and the newest member of the Elite. What a shocking turn of events,” added Excalibur.
Kris Statlander (with Stokely Hathaway) vs. Riho!
Riho dropkicked Statlander. Riho followed up with a drop toehold, but Kris got up and shoulder blocked Riho. Kris put Riho in a bear hug. Statlander nailed Riho with a vertical suplex.
Statlander pressed Riho and then planted her hard on the mat! Riho connected with a dropkick and rallied back with a big hammering elbow in the corner. Riho rocked Kris with a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall.
Riho climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Kris dodged the double stomp. Kris clubbed Riho in the face with a clothesline. Kris followed up with two more forearms. Riho was playing possum, jumped off the top rope, but Statlander rolled through. Riho slipped behind and nailed Kris with a dragon suplex for a two-count!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Stokely Hathaway placed a chain in the ring for Kris, and then jumped onto the apron to distract the ref. Statlander picked up the chain, and it was clear she was torn, but then tossed the chain away. Riho charged at Statlander, but Statlander put on the brakes and suplexed Riho!
Statlander planted Riho with a German Suplex. Statlander picked up Riho, but Riho rolled through and pinned Statlander!
“What a win! What a comeback! Statlander is shocked, she should have used the chain,” said Taz.
Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm, Mariah May, and Luther!
Storm said this Saturday on Collision she’d be presenting the first ever “Toni” award.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Stokely Hathaway and Willow Nightingale!
Renee asked Stokely what went wrong out there.
Stokely: “Kris Statlander wanted to do things here way. She is my favorite. I just wish she listened to those who love her the most.”
Renee: “I have good news I’ve just been informed. Next week on Dynamite: Big Business, you will be going one on one with Riho.”
Willow: “Stokely, I know what you were trying to do out there, but next week we have to do things my way. I know I can beat Riho, the former Women’s Champion. And Julia Hart, I’ve got my sights set on you and the TBS Championship. I am going to become the face of TBS, I just have to get through Riho first.”
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview Darby Allin ahead of his match against “Switchblade” Jay White at Dynamite: Big Business!
Tony asked Darby what it would be like without Sting.
Darby: “I’m lacerated, I’m beat up, I’m tired. Next week at Big Business I’ve got a match against Jay White. And then on March 27th, I’m flying to go climb Mount Everest. There is no guarantee that I’m going to come back alive from Mount Everest. I just want to take this moment to thank every fan and AEW for giving me this dream. And if next week is my last match, I’m going to go out fighting for my life! And as for this AEW World Tag championship, everybody asks me why I don’t just find a new partner and keep defending it. Let’s get serious here, Tony. I can’t replace Sting. So next team that wins this, congratulations.”
“Darby Allin is relinquishing the AEW World Tag Team Championship,” said Excalibur.
The Bullet Club Gold came out onto the ramp!
“Switchblade” Jay White: “Whoa, I am sorry, I didn’t want to interrupt this little sob story but Darby, you’re just such an elusive guy, I didn’t know if I’d get the chance to talk to you face to face. Congrats on an amazing night at Revolution.
“You were willing to risk it all when you jumped off the top of the ladder. Our EVPs moved out of the way, and you went crashing through the glass all by yourself. Between you and me and Atlanta, I don’t really care that this is all people are talking about. There’s no one to watch after you now. But you don’t have to get in the ring with me. Trust me, nobody would think any less of you after what you’ve been through. Because Darby remember, if you do decide to get in the ring with me, there’s a lot worse things that can happen than a few scratches.
“So, I have a better idea. Instead of a match, why don’t you come back, and you can hang with the Bang Bang Scissor Gang. We have a nickname for you already: Darby Scissorhands.”
Darby: “Are you done? I’m going to get right to the point. You came to AEW and did what? I don’t believe the hype. If you think you’re as good as you say you are, you’d come out here alone. I’ll see you at Big Business on Dynamite next week!”
The House of Black were backstage with strong words for Mark Briscoe!
They said they’d fight fire with fire!
Brody King: “Just let us know if we need to dig one grave or three after Collision this Saturday.”
Renee Paquette was backstage with Mark Briscoe!
Briscoe: “Saturday night, let’s do it! Atlanta Street Fight, anything goes on Collision!”
Jay Lethal interrupted and said he had Mark’s back. And he’d bring Jeff Jarrett with him.
Main Event Time!
ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher vs. “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay!
Don Callis joined the commentary team for this match.
Fletcher and Ospreay hugged as the bell rang.
Fletcher hit Ospreay with a shoulder tackle. Ospreay took down Fletcher with a step up hurracanrana. Will chopped Fletcher in the chest. Fletcher reversed an Irish Whip and sent Ospreay into the turnbuckles. Will, with an injured back from Revolution, crumbled to the mat, writhing in pain.
Will rallied back and hit a tope on Fletcher. Will suplexed Fletcher for a near fall. Fletcher had the Os Cutter scouted and nailed Will with a suplex and then a brain buster! Fletcher and Ospreay exchanged chops in the center of the ring.
Fletcher tried to block the Os Cutter with a Styles Clash, but Will countered with a DDT! Fletcher ducked the Hidden Blade and countered with Snake Eyes into the middle turnbuckle! Ospreay staggered Fletcher with a heel kick and then blasted Fletcher with an Os Cutter on the apron!
Ospreay countered a tombstone piledriver with a poison rana to Fletcher! Ospreay climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Fletcher knocked Will down. Fletcher attempted an avalanche dragon suplex, but Will landed on his feet! Will power bombed Fletcher but Fletcher kicked out at the two-count! Ospreay decimated Fletcher with an avalanche poison rana! Ospreay caught Fletcher with a Spanish Fly and then an Os Cutter, but Kyle kicked out!
“How tough is Kyle Fletcher?” asked Excalibur.
“Double tough,” replied Don Callis.
Ospreay finished off Fletcher with the Hidden Blade and pinned Fletcher!
After the match, “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson came down to the ring!
Danielson smiled at Fletcher and the two had a stare down.
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Big Business on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the TD Garden in Boston, MA!
