Leon Slater Signs Long-Term TNA Contract News / October 28, 2023 / by IMPACT Wrestling Staff At our sold-out live event this evening in Coventry, England TNA/IMPACT Wrestling President Scott D’Amore signed 19 year old UK sensation

Continue reading →

Preview the Lineup for the UK Invasion Tour LIVE October 28th in Coventry News / October 24, 2023 / by IMPACT Wrestling Staff On Saturday, October 28th, IMPACT Wrestling rolls into the HMV Empire in

Continue reading →

Preview the Lineup for the UK Invasion Tour LIVE October 29th in Coventry News / October 25, 2023 / by IMPACT Wrestling Staff Get tickets On Sunday, October 29th, IMPACT Wrestling returns to the HMV

Continue reading →

UK Invasion Event in Glasgow to Be Taped for IMPACT! On AXS TV News / October 24, 2023 / by IMPACT Wrestling Staff Get tickets Breaking News: The live IMPACT Wrestling show on Thursday, October

Continue reading →

Director Menhaj Huda Interview by Big Gold Belt Media-Synopsis:The story centers on Jeremy Horne (Vance), a criminal mastermind with an innate ability to convince anyone to do just about anything. After deciding to pull one last…

Preview the Lineup for the UK Invasion Tour LIVE October 26th in Glasgow News / October 20, 2023 / by IMPACT Wrestling Staff Get tickets On Thursday, October 26th, IMPACT Wrestling heads to the O2

Continue reading →

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**

AEW presented WrestleDream live from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA!

It’s Sunday and you know what that means!

The Zero Hour portion of the show kicked off!

AEW CEO and GM Tony Khan was in the ring with an opening ceremony to honor the legendary trailblazer and dreamer Antonio Inoki. Tony Khan was with some great representatives from New Japan Pro-Wrestling, including the grandsons of Antonio Inoki—Naoto Inoki and Hirota Inoki.

ICHI NI SON DA!

Your announce team for Zero Hour was Excalibur, Jim Ross, and Nigel McGuinness.

8-Person Mixed Tag Team Match!

Diamante, Lee Moriarty, Mercedes Martinez, & Shane Taylor

vs.

ROH Women’s World Champion Athena, Billie Starkz, Keith Lee, & Satoshi Kojima!

Athena ducked a kick from Diamante and then suplexed her. Athena and Billie Starkz hit tandem tope suicidas on Diamante and Martinez.

Shane Taylor charged into Keith Lee but Lee barely budged. Lee took down Taylor with a hurracanrana. Taylor walloped Keith Lee with a cheap shop. Lee Moriarty tagged in, but Keith Lee hurled him across the ring and tagged in Kojima. Kojima lit up Lee Moriarty with rapid fire chops. Kojima spiked Moriarty with a DDT for a near fall.

Athena rocked Lee Moriarty with the O-Face. Keith Lee planted Moriarty. Kojima nailed Lee Moriarty with a lariat and pinned him for the victory!

Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli (with Jon Moxley)

vs.

“The War Master” Josh Barnett!

“Josh Barnett is the most feared catch wrestler in the world today,” said Nigel.

Jon Moxley joined the broadcast booth for this match.

Barnett and Claudio grappled to the mat. Barnett went for a knee bar. Claudio spun out of it. Claudio began to connect with the hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Barnett fired back with a dragon screw leg whip.

Barnett kicked to the inside of Claudio’s leg. Claudio retaliated with European Uppercuts. They traded forearms. Barnett blasted Claudio with a spinning leg kick. Claudio grabbed the legs of Barnett and put him in the Giant Swing!

Josh Barnett threw Claudio with a double underarm suplex. Claudio transitioned from an octopus submission to a crucifix and pinned Josh Barnett!

Barnett: “Heard a lot about you, Claudio. You’re highly regarded. Hearing about it is one thing, experiencing it is another, and they’re all correct. They don’t understand how great you actually art. I promise you. Inoki-San would approve of you. I came in with no expectations and I leave with only the highest expectations for you. Tonight, I gave you a challenge, and you overcame. I’m very proud of you. However, this ain’t over. You owe me more time. And I will come, someday, some place, for that time.”

Claudio: “Anytime, anyplace.”

Luchasaurus vs. Nick Wayne!

Luchasaurus planted Nick Wayne on the back of his neck with a German Suplex. Nick Wayne’s mother was watching from the front row.

Nick Wayne connected with two thrust kicks. Luchasaurus headbutted Nick Wayne in the midsection. Luchasaurus picked up Nick Wayne and choke slammed him over the ropes and onto the ring apron!

Nick Wayne used a moonsault to take down Luchasaurus. Luchasaurus countered Wayne’s World with a nasty shot to the back of the head and pinned Nick Wayne.

AEW World Trios Championship Match!

The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass (c.)

vs.

TMDK—Bad Dude Tito, Mikey Nichols, & Shane Haste!

Max fought out of TMDK’s corner and tagged Billy Gunn into the match. Billy Gunn hit a shoulder tackle on Shane Haste. As the ref was distracted, TMDK double teamed Bowens. Bad Dude Tito sent Bowens soaring with an exploder suplex.

Bowens peppered Bad Dude Tito with elbow strikes. Tito cracked Bowens with a spinebuster. Billy Gunn tagged in and cleaned house on TMDK. Bad Dude Tito German Suplexed Billy, but Caster was there to break up the pin. Bowens smashed Bad Dude Tito with the Arrival. Max Caster hit the Mic Drop and pinned Bad Dude Tito!

The pay-per-view portion of WrestleDream kicked off with…

ROH World Tag Team Championship 2-on-1 Handicap Match!

AEW World Champion MJF (c.) vs. The Righteous—Dutch & Vincent!

“The Human Suplex Machine” Taz joined the broadcast booth.

MJF: “It appears the devil has arrived in Seattle! I’m not gonna lie, I’m a little mad about the rumors that I attacked Jay White. I had nothing to do with it. To top it off, someone went into my locker room and stole my mask out of my bag. And to make matters worse, my boy Adam Cole is hurt and isn’t here tonight.

“But it’s all good because I’m going to make sure when he comes back these ROH World Tag Titles are here waiting for him. I’m gonna hit Dutch with a body slam. And Vincent, I’m going to grab you by your dirty dreads and shove your head up Dutch’s a–!”

When the match started, the Righteous swarmed MJF and stomped a mudhole into him. Dutch connected with a rip cord lariat and Vincent followed up with a low flatliner for a near fall. MJF tried to go for a tag, his tag team instincts kicking in, but then he realized his partner Adam Cole was out with an injury.

Dutch power bombed MJF and then Vincent swooped down with the Death From Above senton for a two-count on MJF. Vincent drilled MJF with the Bossman slam. Dutch distracted the ref while Vincent grabbed the block of wood and a steel chair, intending to break MJF’s legs. MJF grabbed Vincent in the groin before Vincent could swing the chair!

Vincent rattled MJF with a pump kick. Vincent tried for a senton, but MJF sat up, dodging it in time. MJF chomped down on Vincent’s forehead. MJF body slammed Dutch!

“The slam that shook Seattle, maybe the world,” said Taz.

MJF grabbed Vincent by the hair and rammed him into Dutch’s backend. MJF followed up with a double kangaroo kick! MJF drilled Dutch with the heat seeker and pinned Dutch with his feet on the ropes!

“MJF, somehow, someway, has retained the ROH World Tag Team Titles to kick off WrestleDream,” said Excalibur.

ROH World & NJPW Strong Openweight Championship Match!

Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata!

Shibata put Eddie in deep water with a knee bar. Kingston managed to crawl to the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Shibata locked on the figure four in the center of the ring. Eddie grabbed the ropes, managing to escape again, but he was wearing agony on his face.

Shibata put Eddie in a bow and arrow. He transitioned to a side headlock. Kingston threw Shibata with a high angle back driver. Kingston fired off machine gun chops. Shibata rocked Eddie in the corner with a running dropkick.

It broke down into a slugfest with Shibata and Kingston exchanging strikes. Kingston nailed Shibata with an exploder. Shibata swept Kingston’s leg and drove him into the mat. Shibata applied a cobra twist. He transitioned into a ground octopus submission, and Kingston was fading. Kingston forced the rope break, grabbing the bottom rope.

Kingston walloped Shibata with a spinning backfist. Kingston drilled Shibata with a Northern Lights Bomb for a near fall! Kingston came back with another spinning backfist and then a powerbomb for the pin on Shibata!

“What a match, what a win, for Eddie Kingston! It was a war,” said Excalibur.

TBS Championship Match!

Kris Statlander (c.) vs. The House of Black’s Julia Hart (with Brody King)!

Tony Schiavone joined the broadcast booth for this match.

Statlander charged with a knee, but Julia moved out of the way. Kris plowed into Julia Hart with a shoulder tackle. Julia Hart connected with a thrust kick to Statlander. Julia pulled Kris out of the ring with a handful of hair. Statlander picked up Julia and carried her up the ring steps. Julia escaped after a distraction from Brody King and swept out Kris’ legs on the apron.

Julia whipped the TBS Champ into the steel guardrail. Julia mounted Kris and bounced her head off the mat repeatedly. Julia rammed her knee into Kris’ ribs. Julia launched herself off Kris’ back and squashed her with a senton. Out of desperation, Kris powerslammed Julia Hart.

Statlander charged into the corner with a knee to the side of Julia’s head. Statlander rattled Julia with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Julia was about to spray the mist into Kris’ eyes, but Kris slapped it right out of her mouth! Kris climbed to the top rope, but Julia met her up there and launched Kris into the ring with a spider German suplex. Julia connected with a moonsault press and went for the pin, but Kris got her boot on the ropes.

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Julia applied the Heartless submission, but Kris stood up and smashed Julia with Sunday Night Fever, scoring the pinfall victory over Julia Hart!

AEW World Tag Title #1 Contender Match!

The Gunns—Austin & Colten

vs.

ROH World Six-Man Champions The Young Bucks—Matt & Nick Jackson

vs.

The Lucha Brothers—Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix

vs.

FTW Champion HOOK & Orange Cassidy!

Nick Jackson and Rey Fenix traded forearms, then superkicks. Cassidy tagged himself in and dared tried for the Orange Punch on Rey Fenix, but Fenix countered with a thrust kick. The Gunns swarmed the Lucha Bros outside the ring, battering them with cheap shots.

Colten blocked a DDT from Orange Cassidy. The Bucks served up a pair of superkicks to the Gunns. Hook tagged in and lit up Matt Jackson with big right hands. Matt Jackson sent Hook overhead with a Northern Lights Suplex. Hook retaliated with a Northern Lights Suplex of his own. Hook sent Matt Jackson for a ride with a high crotch suplex.

Orange Cassidy and Hook double suplexed the Gunns. Orange flew out of the ring with a tope suicida on the Young Bucks. Penta entered the fray and staggered the Gunns with thrust kicks. Colten hit Penta with a blindside shot.

Penta El Zero Miedo jumped off the top rope with a double cross body press to the Gunns. Penta dropped Austin Gunn with a thrust kick. He planted Colten with the Made in Japan for a near fall.

Austin Gunn got rocked by the Orange Punch from Cassidy. Hook locked in RedRum, but Nick Jackson grabbed a tag and hit a 450 on Austin and Hook! The Bucks superkicked Hook, and then Colten Gunn. The Bucks bashed Penta with the BTE Trigger and Nick pinned Penta!

ROH World Six-Man Champion “Hangman” Adam Page

vs.

Mogul Embassy’s Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana)!

Swerve cracked Page in the face with a strike. Page sent Swerve overhead and to the mat with a fallaway slam. Hangman connected with a lariat. Hangman power bombed Swerve onto the apron and then onto the barricade.

Page soared from the ring post and crashed onto Swerve with a moonsault. Hangman followed up with a pop-up Liger Bomb for a near fall. Hangman smashed into Swerve with a tope!

Hangman went after Swerve’s injured hand. Hangman nailed Swerve with a flying forearm off the top rope. Swerve took down Page with a flatliner. Swerve rattled Hangman with a backbreaker. Swerve squashed Page with a double foot stomp and then rocked Hangman with the House Call for a very close near fall!

“Hangman Adam Page is hurt and hurt bad,” said Nigel.

Swerve was looking for a piledriver on the steel ring steps but Page countered with a Dead Eye! Page bit Swerve’s injured hand. Page went for the Buckshot Lariat, but Swerve countered with a drop toehold.

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Swerve snapped back Page’s arm, hyperextending Page’s elbow. The AEW medical staff were checking on Hangman, but Swerve didn’t care, hitting the double foot stomp. Swerve drilled Page with a 450 on the injured arm!

Hangman shocked Swerve with the comeback lariat. Swerve retaliated with an arm bar. Page escaped and hammered away at Swerve’s damaged hand.

“We are in the middle of a classic!” said Nigel.

Hangman dodged the double lariat and countered with the Buckshot Lariat! Hangman was clutching his injured right arm. He covered Swerve for the pin, but Prince Nana pulled Swerve’s boot onto the bottom rope. Ref Paul Turner ejected Prince Nana from ringside.

As Prince Nana was arguing with the referee, Page went for the Buckshot Lariat, but Swerve countered by hitting him with Prince Nana’s crown! Swerve covered Page but Page kicked out at two! Swerve blasted Page with the House Call! Swerve served up a second House Call! Swerve planted Page with the JML driver and scored the pin!

Blackpool Combat Club’s Wheeler Yuta vs. “Absolute” Ricky Starks!

Jon Moxley joined the broadcast booth for this match.

Starks and Yuta chain wrestled during the early goings of the match. Starks and Yuta turned it into smashmouth wrestling, trading stiff strikes with one another. Starks suplexed Yuta.

“Wheeler isn’t going to wilt under pressure,” said Moxley.

Big Bill walked down to the ring. Starks rolled up Yuta for a two-count. Starks spiked Yuta with a DDT! Starks power bombed Yuta! Starks used the hammer and anvil elbows on Yuta, but Yuta grit his teeth and got to his feet!

Yuta shoved Starks off the apron, but Big Bill caught Starks. Yuta applied the seatbelt on Starks for a near fall. Starks speared Yuta. Starks followed up with the Rochambeau and pinned Yuta!

Starks was staring at Jon Moxley, smirking.

Dream Match!

“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. NJPW TV Champion Zack Sabre, Jr.!

“This is a human game of chess, and we are going to watch a masterclass,” said Nigel.

Zack tried to work over Bryan’s arm. They exchanged submissions and Zack was looking for an arm bar. Danielson escaped and put an Indian Death Lock on Sabre. Zack escaped and went into a full mount.

“Stalemate here in the early goings,” said Excalibur.

Danielson escaped a bow and arrow from Sabre. Danielson went for a European Uppercut, but Sabre countered and then stomped on Danielson’s arm! Danielson battered Zack’s leg with a dragon screw but then Zack cranked Bryan’s neck!

Danielson had Sabre in the tree of woe and brutalized him with body shots. They jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle. Danielson drilled Zack with an avalanche butterfly suplex. Danielson followed up with a single leg crab, but Zack reached the ropes with his boot.

Danielson nailed Sabre with stiff kicks! Danielson captured Sabre’s wrists and stomped on his head! Danielson and Sabre traded European clutches!

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Danielson applied Cattle Mutilation, but Zack countered, cranking on Danielson’s wrist. Danielson spat at Sabre and slapped him in the mouth. Sabre uppercutted the inside of Danielson’s arm.

Zack blistered Bryan with the PK kick to the inside of the arm. Danielson escaped a submission attempt from Zack by reaching the bottom rope with his boot. Danielson stopped Sabre in his tracks with a roundhouse kick. Danielson stomped Sabre’s head. Danielson nailed Sabre with a shoulder capture suplex!

“Zack is on wobbly legs,” said Moxley.

Danielson scored with the knee strike and pinned Sabre!

“What a match! What a physical war. What a hell of a match,” said Jim Ross.

“That was one of the finest displays of wrestling I’ve ever seen in my life. What an experience this was for everyone,” said Moxley.

Trios Grudge Match!

Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, & Kota Ibushi

vs.

The Don Callis Family— “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara,

& IWGP UK Champion Will Ospreay!

Jericho chopped Sammy’s chest. Sammy tagged out to Will. Jericho chopped at Will’s chest, taking Will right off his feet. Jericho and Omega used a double suplex to further punish Will.

Both teams entered the ring, and a hockey fight broke out! The ref restored order in the ring. Takeshita connected with a Takeshita-line to Omega. Ospreay tagged in and put Omega in an abdominal stretch. Omega back body dropped Ospreay. Takeshita planted Omega with a Blue Thunder Bomb!

Ibushi drilled Sammy with a high round kick and followed up with a moonsault for a near fall. Jericho dropped down on Sammy with a lionsault! Jericho was looking for the lion tamer, but Takeshita entered the ring and sent Jericho flying with a German Suplex. Takeshita walloped Ibushi and Omega with suplexes!

Omega flew over the top with a tope con hiro onto Ospreay and Takeshita. In the ring, Sammy rocked Jericho with a Spanish Fly. Sammy jumped off the top rope with a shooting star press onto Omega outside the ring!

Sammy clocked Omega with a cutter off the ropes. Ospreay power bombed Ibushi onto the back of his head. Takeshita and Ospreay hit Jericho with a pair of high boots. Sammy used a Code Breaker on Jericho. All three members of the Don Callis Family attacked Jericho. Ibushi decked Ospreay. Ibushi decked Sammy. Ibushi and Takeshita traded strikes and then Takeshita leveled Ibushi with a lariat. Ibushi fired back with a lariat of his own!

Ospreay countered Omega’s One-Winged Angel and then collided with Omega with the Sky Twister Press. Jericho was looking for the Judas Effect on Sammy. Ospreay shoved Sammy out of the way and ate the Judas Effect from Jericho for his troubles.

Jericho took down Sammy with a hurracanrana. Jericho covered Sammy but Ospreay held the ref back long enough for Sammy to gather himself. Jericho countered Sammy’s GTH and was looking for the Walls. While Will had ref Aubrey Edwards distracted, Don Callis cracked Jericho with Jericho’s baseball bat! Sammy covered Jericho and scored the pin while Takeshita held back Omega and Ibushi from making the save!

AEW World Tag Team Championship Match!

FTR (c.)—Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood

vs.

Aussie Open—Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis!

Cash sent Fletcher towards the sky with a back body drop. Dax tagged in and he and Davis traded chops. Davis body slammed Dax and stuck him with a senton.

“Mark Davis wanted to make a statement there and did he ever,” said Nigel.

Dax hit a snap suplex and then a snap leg drop on Fletcher. FTR double teamed Davis with chops. Aussie Open lifted up FTR and rammed them together, smashing the spins.

Davis threw Cash into Fletcher and Fletcher power bombed Cash! Cash superplexed Fletcher from the top. Dax tagged in and jabbed at Kyle. Dax neutralized Davis and focused his firepower on Fletcher. Dax German Suplexed Fletcher and followed up with a diving headbutt but Fletcher moved out of the way.

Dax drilled Fletcher with a slingshot powerbomb for a near fall. Fletcher hoisted up Cash and Davis jumped off the top turnbuckle with a straight crescent kick to Cash! Dax superplexed Davis and Cash splashed him. Fletcher broke up the pin attempt. Aussie Open sandwiched FTR with lariats. Aussie Open smashed Cash with the Shatter Machine! They followed up with the Coriolis, but Dax ran in to break up the pin. FTR rallied back with a spiked piledriver on Davis on the apron! After a super shatter machine, Cash pinned Fletcher!

Main Event Time!

TNT Championship 2 Out of 3 Falls Match!

Christian Cage (c.) vs. Darby Allin!

Christian Cage sent Luchasaurus to the back to prove he could do it alone.

Darby used a back heel kick on Christian. Darby followed up with an arm drag. Darby held onto a side headlock. Christian Cage got to his feet and punished Darby’s chest with chops. Darby pulled Christian’s turtleneck over Christian’s head and scored the first fall with a jackknife pin.

Nick Wayne’s mother was watching from the front row.

Christian Cage stomped on Darby’s head. Darby dodged a diving headbutt. Darby surprised Christian with the Code Red for a near fall. Outside the ring, Christian whipped Darby into the steel barricade.

Christian approached Nick Wayne’s mother and she threw a drink into his face! Darby rocketed out with a Coffin Drop! Darby tried for another Coffin Drop, this time in the ring, but Christian countered by raising his knees. Christian charged at Darby, knocking him off the edge of the ring and down onto the announcers’ desk.

Christian suplexed Darby onto the steel ring steps! Christian slammed Darby off the apron, driving him into the edge of the ring steps! Darby was counted out and the second fall was awarded to Christian Cage.

While Doc Sampson and the referee were checking on Darby, Christian began tearing the padding off the ring. The medical team brought down a stretcher and placed Darby on it. Christian frog splashed Darby who was on the stretcher!

Christian Cage picked up Darby and placed him back in the ring. The pine boards were exposed. Christian nailed Darby with the Kill Switch on the exposed pine boards! Darby side stepped a spear attempt. Christian Cage applied a Scorpion Death Lock on Darby. Darby was able to crawl and reach the bottom rope, forcing the ref to break the hold.

The fans chanted “Let’s go Darby! Let’s go Darby!”

Darby gouged Christian’s eyes. Darby planted Christian with a Scorpion Death Drop. Darby nailed Christian with the Coffin Drop for a near fall! Darby went up for a second Coffin Drop, but Christian pushed him onto the turnbuckles. Christian rocked Darby with a sunset flip powerbomb on Darby. Christian tried for the spear, but Darby moved, sending Christian into the ref! Christian dropped Darby with a low blow. Christian grabbed his TNT Title, but Nick Wayne ran down and pulled it away from him!

Nick Wayne took the title and clocked Darby in the head with it!

“What the hell?” asked Taz.

“What a betrayal,” said Excalibur.

Christian Cage covered Darby and pinned him, retaining the TNT Title!

Christian Cage kissed Nick Wayne on the top of his head after the match. Christian Cage held Darby by the arms and Nick Wayne began to pummel Darby.

Sting came to the ring! Sting struck Nick Wayne and Christian Cage! Luchasaurus popped Sting in the face after Nick grabbed Sting’s leg. Christian placed a chair under Sting’s head. Christian was about to hit Sting with the con-chair-to when the arena lights turned off!

When the lights came back on, the “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland walked onto the ramp to a massive ovation!

The “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland got in the ring and asked for the chair from Christian. Adam Copeland clobbered Nick Wayne with the chair! Copeland speared Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne! Christian Cage retreated!

Copeland shook hands with Darby and Sting in the ring!

“What an unforgettable moment!” said Excalibur.

Missed what the entire wrestling world is buzzing about? Order the replay of the historic AEW WrestleDream 2023! It’s available on all traditional cable and satellite providers in the United States and Canada, Bleacher Report, Fite International, PPV.COM, and more! See AEW WrestleDream 2023 for yourself!

Catch the four year anniversary of AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Stockton Arena in Stockton, CA!

And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/5VenDXf6FLM?si=GQP5Ohl30M3mM1CP

This Sunday night, live on pay-per-view (https://www.allelitewrestling.com/watchwrestledream), All Elite Wrestling presents WRESTLEDREAM (https://www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-event/aew-wrestledream) from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA! Headlined by the Danielson/ZSJ “Submissions in Seattle” dream match over a year in the waiting, this event is as loaded as it gets, and with AEW PPV’s that is saying quite a lot!

Six championships will be on the line, including a match with both the ROH World and NJPW STRONG Openweight at stake, plus we will see the next contender to the AEW World Tag Team Titles crowned in an all-star Four Way Tag! In addition, Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi will be joined by the unlikeliest of allies in Chris Jericho to take on The Don Callis Family, Hangman Page faces Swerve Strickland, and more!

The action begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT, with the ZERO HOUR getting underway at 7pm ET/6pm CT on the official AEW YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@AEW/videos). Before the ZERO HOUR gets underway, be sure to check out the highlights from all the week’s action to get ready for the first-ever WRESTLEDREAM event!

TNT CHAMPIONSHIP/2 OUT OF 3 FALLS MATCH: Christian Cage(c) vs. Darby Allin

https://www.youtube.com/embed/mLn5lhSr5qk?si=NlPfWEfexYq2wKYm&start=124

This is as personal as a rivalry in the AEW career of Darby Allin has gotten, and it should come as little surprise that it’s due to Christian Cage picking, poking, and prodding at any vulnerability he sees. He’s not the first man to pick at the scab of Darby’s late-uncle, but he might be the one whose gotten the most reaction from Darby out of it. He’s likely not the first man in the life of Nick Wayne to prod at the memory of his late father Buddy Wayne, but Cage has managed dig in deeper than anyone else. And he’s certainly not the first individual to manipulate others to find a way to his goals, but Christian Cage has done it so masterfully with Luchasaurus that the former TNT Champion is still standing at the side of the man who took the title from him.

It’s clear that Christian Cage is a horrible human, at his core possibly the worst man to ever set foot in an AEW ring, and that’s saying something when Don Callis is also part of the scene. This is a man who has used the deaths of loved ones as a tool against his foes, who has dismissively addressed his own children on live television, and treated everyone around him like pawns on that proverbial chessboard. He’s scum, and this Sunday night in Seattle, in front of the people who have witnessed Darby’s rise to the top from the very beginning of his career, in front of those who watched his TNT Championship triumph over Samoa Joe back in January, Christian Cage is going to get his comeuppance two times over.

In a two out of three falls match, Christian Cage will defend the TNT Championship against Darby Allin and he may well have to do so all by himself depending the outcome of the Luchasaurus/Nick Wayne match during ZERO HOUR. His Right Hand of Destruction may not be available for the assist if Nick Wayne gets his way during their fight, because even though Darby challenged Cage to leave Luchasaurus behind, it’s highly unlikely Christian will stick to his word that he doesn’t need Luchasaurus to beat Darby. Also it won’t be enough for Cage to beat Darby once, if he beats him at all, he’s got to do it twice in a single match, and given Allin’s ability to take the pain and use it as fuel, that may be an impossible task for even the lowliest of men.

Will this be the night that Christian Cage finally beats Darby Allin after losing to him twice in recent months, or will it be a triumphant night for the 2-Time TNT Champion, one where he hoists the title up for the third time, and shuts up Christian Cage for the moment?

SUBMISSIONS IN SEATTLE…

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. NJPW TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr.

Over a year ago at the inaugural FORBIDDEN DOOR pay-per-view, this fight was on the table, but an injury Bryan Danielson sustained during Anarchy in the Arena at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2022 forced a change to the line-up, and introduced Claudio Castagnoli into the AEW landscape.

Fast forward to September 9th’s episode of COLLISION, just a few days removed from defeating Ricky Starks in a No DQ Strap match at ALL OUT 2023, and Bryan Danielson issued the challenge to Zack Sabre Jr. to finally make their dream match a reality. It is not their first meeting, that took place in March 2008 in the United Kingdom where Bryan beat ZSJ in a 2 Out of 3 Falls match, nor is it their second as that took place in March 2009 in Germany and was won by Zack Sabre Jr., but both of those matches too place in the early years of the NJPW TV Champion’s career, before he evolved into the fight he is today.

As talented a wrestler as ZSJ was at that point, just 4 and 5 years into his career, the reality of being a wrestler is that he was still just only beginning to understand the intricacies of the game. Even Bryan’s experience, nearly double that of Zack when they first faced, was still just only beginning to elevate and even in 2009 many considered “The American Dragon” the best wrestler in the world. In the fourteen years since their clash each has grown exponentially as a competitor and as a man, and though Danielson has dealt with injuries that many considered the death knell of his in-ring career, he has rebounded back better than he ever was before, and considering the G.O.A.T moniker that was already being applied in 2015, that’s speaks volumes to just how vast a pro wrestler’s knowledge can get.

Much like Bryan, Zack Sabre Jr. has only gotten better with age, his already superb submission skills honed to a lethal edge, and with that so too has his ego grown. There is little doubt foisted about any who claim ZSJ to be the greatest technical wrestler alive, he’s shown the skills it time and again all around the world, be it as part of SUZUKI-GUN, or since he become the first, and thus far only, NJPW World TV Champion earlier this year at WRESTLE KINGDOM 17.

But there are those who also put that crown on Bryan Danielson’s head, and with “The American Dragon” telling the world that he’s in his last full-time year of competition, every wrestler worth their salt is going to want to test the man on his way out, and try to snatch the crown. What’s interesting here is that this is not a case of Zack wanting Bryan as that time draws near, but rather Bryan wanting the fight after being unable to bring the rubber match to fruition last year.

And that brings us to this “Submissions in Seattle” fight between two of best grapplers in the history of professional wrestling, not just best of today, but best of all-time, and that is an undisputed fact. After confronting each other in the aftermath of COLLISION’s All-Star 8-Man tag, what is this fight going to look like? Will ZSJ live up to his promise to end Bryan’s career in 2023? It may be a homecoming for Bryan, but is he coming home just to say goodbye?

AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood)(c) vs. Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis)

One year ago, New Japan’s ROYAL QUEST II event at the Crystal Palace in London, FTR and Aussie Open went to battle with the IWGP Tag Titles hanging in the balance. For thirty-two minutes Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler, Kyle Fletcher, and Mark Davis battled their hearts out, leaving every bit of themselves in that ring, but when the final bell rang it was FTR, the defending champions, who walked away with the titles still in their possession. Three months later at WRESTLE KINGDOM 17 Kyle and Mark would have to watch Bishamon, the team that beat them in the 2022 World Tag League Finals, dethrone FTR, and though Aussie Open would in turn take the IWGP Tag Titles from Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI in April, as well as win the NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Titles, they would end up having to vacate bout due to Mark Davis’ injury.

Still, while Mark healed and Kyle flew solo for a bit, that loss to FTR clearly ate them up, and hearing Dax and Cash continue to proclaim themselves the greatest tag team in professional wrestling, even after losing all three of their titles between December 2022 and January 2023, didn’t help matters. The fact that FTR claimed the AEW World Tag Titles for a second time only exacerbated those feelings, and winning the ROH World Tag Titles at DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR 2023 upon Mark’s return to action didn’t prove a salve for Aussie Open either. Listening to FTR, watching them with the AEW World Tag Titles, and losing the ROH World Tag Titles to Adam Cole and MJF, well it all just threw gasoline on the fire. The match that finally blew it all up for Kyle and Mark was watching FTR engage in Open Challenges and facing teams that Aussie Open didn’t deem worthy of the opportunity they felt they’d earned many times over.

So it was set, just prior to The Workhorsemen of JD Drake and Anthony Henry getting their shot, that Aussie Open would face FTR at WRESTLEDREAM, and should Dax and Cash retain the titles in their fight with The Workhorsemen, they would be on the line in Seattle! Well here we are, the bell set to ring in just a short time, and after Saturday night’s clash on COLLISION, all four men are anxious to throw down without anyone else involved. No Blackpool Combat Club, no Starks and Big Bill, just two teams that each believe they are the greatest competing in professional wrestling today, and possibly even of all-time.

FTR wants a fight with the toughest version of Aussie Open, not the ones who may have taken an MJF and Adam Cole team lightly, but the ones who carried two sets of tag belts simultaneously last year, the ones who gave FTR the fight of their lives at ROYAL QUEST II. Conversely, Aussie Open want the belts and they want to desecrate the legacy of Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood. Kyle and Mark want to desecrate the work that earned FTR those seven stars, and expose them as subpar to Aussie Open. With The Young Bucks, with The Briscoes, as heated as the fights got, for FTR there was at least some level of respect shared between the four men, but here with Aussie Open, there is no respect for the champions, only disdain.

Can Aussie Open tarnish the names of FTR and take the AEW World Tag Team Championship from their hands, or will it be Dax and Cash who continue to show why they are the best tag team in wrestling today while simultaneously building their legacy towards being known as the best team to ever do it?

ROH WORLD/NJPW STRONG OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Eddie Kingston(c) vs. ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata

Twice now Eddie Kingston and Katsuyori Shibata have shared the ring as partners, one victory and one defeat, but that defeat at ALL OUT 2023, where Eddie took his eye off the prize for a moment and fell victim to Claudio Castagnoli proved to be the final thing Kingston needed to have happen to push him over the hump. Seventeen days later, in front of his hometown fans and his family at DYNAMITE: GRAND SLAM 2023, Eddie did the one thing that has evaded him since September 2009, he beat Claudio Castagnoli, and not only did he beat the man, Eddie dethroned him as ROH World Champion.

Shockingly Claudio also shook Kingston’s hand after the match, a sign of respect for the fight they had, and hearkening back to a Respect Match they had in November of 2009, but little more than that. These are not to men who will ever be friends again, but at least they can respect the fight and acknowledge one another for their skills.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_Z_FPQEghtA?si=XIJNb2GRf_aMBG81&start=124

That acknowledgment of skill, the recognition of a fighter, that is the reason why Eddie Kingston made the challenge to Katsuyori Shibata, the Ring of Honor Pure Champion, to meet him at WRESTLEDREAM for a championship bout. While the Pure Title will not be at stake, after Eddie retained the NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship on RAMPAGE, both that and the ROH World Championship will be on the line in Seattle! This will mark the first time Shibata has challenged for either of Kingston’s championships, as well as their first-ever meeting as foes, and Kingston could would’ve been hard-pressed to find a tougher first challenger to his ROH reign than “The Wrestler”.

A lethal striker, a submission specialist, and man who loves to dish out pain, Shibata is the kind of man to absorb every one of Kingston’s blows and channel them into himself like some kind of fuel. He will not go down easily, this is a man who survived near-death and fought to return to professional wrestling after all, and Eddie will have to throw every bomb he has at the man to put him down. Should Eddie Kingston emerge from this fight with his belts intact, he will have earned it the hard way, just as he has done throughout his entire life, and the same will be said for Shibata as Kingston will rain punishment down upon him as well.

This is going to be a hard-hitting war, of that there is no doubt, and when it ends, no matter who comes out on top, there will be a show of respect and sportsmanship because that is what Ring of Honor is about at its core, and that is what both Shibata and Kingston want from pro wrestling at theirs.

AEW WORLD TAG TITLE #1 CONTENDER MATCH…

The Gunns (Austin & Colten) vs. ROH World Six-Man Champions The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) vs. FTW Champion HOOK & Orange Cassidy

https://www.youtube.com/embed/WlPnITnegr4?si=v8bK0JmYz7C5W4uX&start=124

Between the FTR/Aussie Open clash, and this Four Way fray right here, the immediate future of the AEW’s tag team division will be shaped. The former will determine which duo moves forward as champion while this bout will set another pair up as future challengers to the throne at any time of their choosing. Three of the teams, The Young Bucks, Lucha Brothers, and Gunns, are former champions, two times over in the case of the brothers Jackson, while the fourth team in this bout will mark this fight as their first outing together. HOOK and Orange Cassidy did the Mixed Trios thing at RAMPAGE: GRAND SLAM 2023, but this high stakes situation is their first actual tag team bout, putting the FTW Champion and the former International Champion in a serious underdog situation.

One thing working in their favor though is that just this past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, Orange Cassidy knocked Matt Jackson out with the Orange Punch and secured the victory in a Four Way singles match that also included Penta El Zero Miedo and Austin Gunn. That victory may be a sign of things to come, or it could simply the most experienced singles competitors of that quartet getting one over the man with the least. Either way, the world will soon found out just who the next contenders for either Aussie Open or FTR will be!

SINGLES MATCH…

ROH World Six-Man Champion “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland (w/ Prince Nana)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6cOQ4haG0Rs?si=K7kpkp7I57LdXoxg&start=124

“What’s a buckshot to a killshot?”

That was the question posited by Swerve Strickland when he and Hangman Page sat down to sign the contract for their fight this Sunday night, and by the end of their face-to-face Swerve had a piece of the answer in the form Hangman manically stabbing a pencil into his hand.

After an exchange of harsh words, after Swerve questioning Hangman in the weeks before the signing, after having the audacity to laugh in the face of the former AEW World Champion, Strickland awoke the ugliness inside Page. That ugliness in Hangman is what helped pushed him into the position he is in now, the position that Swerve Strickland covets, but before he woke up that ugliness perhaps Strickland should’ve looked at what else it did for Hangman. That ugliness pushed him to victory in Texas Death Matches with Adam Cole, Lance Archer, and Jon Moxley, the latter of which he actually made quit, something no man in All Elite Wrestling can say. It helped him survive in Blood & Guts, Anarchy in the Arena, and Stadium Stampede, and it helped him survive through some of the toughest times when Hangman Page was riding alone through the wilds of AEW.

Swerve, for as talented a performer as he is, has not ridden alone in All Elite Wrestling, not when he has had his greatest successes. His reign as champion came in the form of tag team gold, and with that came a partner in Keith Lee, a tremendous partner who helped Swerve reach new heights in AEW, but a partner that Swerve casually discarded when he found others with which surround himself. First born as The Mogul Affiliates, a merger with Prince Nana’s Embassy gave birth to The Mogul Embassy, and with that Swerve Strickland surrounded himself with, to be frank, a trio of killers in Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona.

They have insulted Swerve in many ways, a great example of that being how in their absence at Wembley it was Strickland shoved into that casket by Darby and Sting rather than Christian Cage, and done his dirty work too many times to count. Just look at the moment Swerve elected to engage in this fight with Hangman Page, it was Brian Cage who committed the physicality rather than Swerve, just as it was Cage who had to step into the ring with Hangman first. That gave “The Machine” his second loss to Hangman, and then it was Cage and The Gates of Agony who had to step up to The Elite with their ROH World Six-Man Championship on the line, and they who paid the price for this fight Swerve started when the lost said titles to The Young Bucks and Hangman.

But now Swerve has to fight for himself, and though it may be in his hometown thus creating a situation likely to make him the crowd’s chosen one that night, the crowd isn’t inside the ring throwing down with a former AEW World Tag Champion, a former AEW World Champion, and current ROH World Six-Man Champion. It is Swerve, ideally Swerve alone, who has to fight this fight, a fight he picked mind you, and who now has to elevate his game against one of the elite competitors in professional wrestling.

The world knows Swerve Strickland has the talent in the ring, and the world knows he can talk the game, but now he has to prove that the spot Hangman has earned through blood, sweat, tears, and beers, that spot is now Swerve’s House.

TRIOS GRUDGE MATCH…

Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, & Kota Ibushi vs. The Don Callis Family (“The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara, & IWGP UK Champion Will Ospreay

https://www.youtube.com/embed/qdzMHOM-4p0?si=yjuSpmRKPfE5G_t4&start=124

Don Callis has done his best to decimate the lives of men he once considered family, all in the name of some imagined sleight created in his own mind, one in which Kenny Omega was an ungrateful wretch rather than an unbelievably loyal nephew and in which Don falsely believed Chris Jericho would refuse his help, thus painting that portrait that triggered their splintering, creating his own self-fulfilling prophecy.

Callis sees both men’s successes, and by proxy the success of AEW, as belonging to him rather than those two men or all the forces that have helped create All Elite Wrestling over the last four years. Don believes that without him Jericho never goes to New Japan, Kenny never goes to Japan, their WRESTLE KINGDOM 12 match in 2018 never happens, and thus AEW is never born. With all his heart and soul, Callis believes those to be facts, and on an even grander scale, he essentially wants credit for everything Kenny Omega has accomplished in his storied career.

So he has stabbed Omega in the head with a screwdriver, turned Takeshita to his side opposite The Elite, aligned himself with The BCC heading into Blood & Guts (bailing when it was no longer convenient of course), aligned with BULLET CLUB GOLD when it was beneficial, facilitated Will Ospreay coming to AEW for fights with Jericho and Omega, poisoned the well of the Jericho Appreciation Society which led to their fracturing, and finally turned Sammy Guevara against his best friend and mentor, though given their tense history it may not have taken much persuasion to pull Guevara away.

But for all his manipulation and plotting and scheming, it is highly unlikely that Don Callis ever saw Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega coming together over their mutual disdain for Don and all he’s done to their lives over the last several months. For years now Jericho and Omega have stayed as far away from each other as possible, and yet it was the only Triple Crown champion in AEW history who rushed to Jericho’s aid when “The Ocho” was at his lowest, totally alone.

To say it was shocking to both Callis and the AEW faithful would be a massive understatement, but it was likely just as shocking to Jericho to see the form his salvation took, and likely shocking to Kenny as well that he would even take up arms alongside Jericho. Only Don Callis could bring together two men with such a heated history and make them allies, but perhaps it was only Don Callis who could whisper the right words in the ears of Takeshita, Guevara, and Ospreay to get them on his side of this fight. It’s clear Don will stoop to any low in his mission to destroy Jericho and Omega, in a situation eerily similar to how he got BC GOLD to attack Kenny Omega in Jacksonville, Callis and Takeshita traveled to Tokyo in order to get at Ibushi while he was without any support.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/k5gO4Qt1BwE?si=DCgjpjTvJyQyZAqp

After Saturday night’s tag team bout it is clear that they can figure out a way to work together, as long as Nana isn’t around to distract, so this Sunday night the unlikely trio of Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, and Chris Jericho will have to do the same to try and end Don Callis’ family. Callis has done nothing but wreak havoc on the lives of Jericho, Omega, and now Ibushi, and used men like Takeshita, Guevara, and Ospreay as his chess pieces to do so. Whether or not this can ever end while Callis occupies the same space as those he once called family is a reasonable question, one that may be answered comes Sunday in Seattle live on pay-per-view.

TBS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Kris Statlander(c) vs. The House of Black’s Julia Hart

https://www.youtube.com/embed/vNpp3SBiePs?si=brABVlg6KGqiyqox

28)Vertvixen

27)Willow Nightingale

26)Kiera Hogan

25)Skye Blue

24)Bambi Hall

23)No Holds Barred: Anna Jay AS

22)Kiera Hogan

21)Anna Jay AS

20)Kelsey Heather

19)Zoey Lynn

18)Devlyn Macabre

17)Leva Bates

16)Promise Braxton

15)Sahara Seven

14)Tiara James

13)Missa Kate

12)Alice Crowley

11)Arie Alexander

10)Vickie Dreamboat

9)Hayley Shadows

8)Free-Range Kara

7)LMK

6)Renee Michelle

5)Amber Nova

4)JC

3)Valentina Rossi

2)Jacey Love

1)Abby Jane

Starting with last night’s COLLISION and working backwards to DARK: ELEVATION #61 on 5/2/22, those are the women that have fallen before Julia Hart on this road to WRESTLEDREAM on Sunday night, but to truly see where this all began, one need only look a week prior to that first win, April 25th’s edition of ELEVATION, the night that Julia Hart lost to Kris Statlander in just over six minutes. A month after that loss to Statlander, Hart would align herself with The House of Black, and ever since then fans have witnessed a slow, systematic descent by Julia into a sadistic bent for punishment. Hart has come to relish the pain she inflicts on individuals, both the women in her division and the men with whom her House compatriots fight, and it has been particularly noticeable in the last several weeks as Hart’s desire to avenge her last loss became apparent.

Meanwhile, just a few months after that victory over Julia, Kris Statlander would find herself on the outside looking in, recovering from a devastating knee injury that kept her out of action for nearly a year from August 9, 2022 until her shocking reemergence at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2023 on May 28th of this year. That night in Vegas, not only did Stat return to AEW, but she returned to in-ring competition to dethrone Jade Cargill as TBS Champion, thereby bringing an end to Cargill’s dominating run as champion, and her record-setting unbeaten streak.

Since then Kris Statlander has been a true fighting champion, turning away 13 challenges to her reign, including a rematch with Jade and a bout with Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D, and has done nothing but prove herself as worthy of the crown. No challengers would ever be turned away by Statlander, and certainly not one being made by a woman with an undefeated streak as lengthy as that of Julia Hart’s. Julie has earned this opportunity, of that there is no doubt, but she elevated the stakes over the last several weeks with her attacks on the women Statlander calls friends, namely Willow, Skye, and Kiera.

The defending champion knows she’s not dealing with the same animal she did last time around, that The House of Black has turned Julie Hart into something, someone, far darker than ever before, and unleashed a ferocity in the woman that seems barely contained. Going into this fight Statlander has to remember to meet the woman Julia Hart is now, not the girl she was in 2022, but be aware that where Julia walks she never walks alone. Does The House always wins? Not if Kris Statlander can help it…

ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP HANDICAP MATCH…

AEW World Champion MJF(c) vs. The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent)

After winning their #1 Contender’s Match at RAMPAGE: GRAND SLAM 2023, The Righteous of Vincent and Dutch were all set to challenge MJF and Adam Cole for the ROH World Tag Team Championship titles, but fate had other plans in store. As we all found out this past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, Adam Cole is injured and won’t be cleared to compete for some time, a situation that would generally dictate the champions vacate their titles, leaving the ROH Board of Directors to decide their future. AEW World Champion MJF had other ideas though and made a promise to Adam Cole that Max would make sure the belts were waiting for him when Adam returned to action, and that he would take on The Righteous in a Handicap Match this Sunday at WRESTLEDREAM! Call it crazy brave or just down right stupid, it goes to show just how much this partnership with Cole means to MJF, and just how much these titles may actually mean to Maxwell as well. He’s not just holding them for Adam Cole’s sake, perhaps he’s taking some pride in being a tag team champion and proving he can work with someone else to great success. Unfortunately he’s now headed down a path where he’s fighting alone, but fighting for two, and doing that against Vincent and Dutch may not be the smartest idea.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/FxYW0EOkSFs?si=X8cRymYiUJXmEi43

It’s clear that The Righteous are ready for this fight, ready to dig into the mess that is the situation between MJF, Cole, Roderick, and The Kingdom, and ready to use that situation to engage in psychological warfare against the champion. In addition to their man advantage, that mental game just may be what The Righteous need to leave Seattle as the new ROH World Tag Team Champions, but should MJF find a way to escape this situation with titles in tow, is this his plan from now until the day Adam Cole is cleared? Taking on that role, along with his duties as AEW World Championship, that is a sure way to find himself with no titles to his name…

SINGLES MATCH…

Wheeler Yuta vs. “Absolute” Ricky Starks

Wheeler Yuta still has a problem with “Absolute” Ricky Starks, and this Sunday night at WRESTLEDREAM he aims to pick up right where “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson left off and kick Starks’s head right in. Whether or not picking a fight with Ricky after the hell he went through with Bryan is the smartest idea, well that remains to be seen after the final bell rings and we see whose hand is raised. Starks is not about to let this affront from Yuta go unpunished, and Yuta isn’t about to let Ricky skate with what he thought was disrespect to Bryan after their Texas Death Match. This fight between two young and hungry dogs is going to be something to see, and it will be interesting to see if that violence Bryan showed Starks in their two encounters brought that side of Ricky closer to the surface.

ZERO HOUR

-AEW World Trios Championship Match: The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass(c) vs. TMDK (Bad Dude Tito, Mikey Nichols, & Shane Haste)

-Luchasaurus vs. Nick Wayne

-Claudio Castagnoli vs. Josh Barnett

-Diamante, Lee Moriarty, Mercedes Martinez, & Shane Taylor vs. ROH Women’s World Champion Athena, Billie Starkz, Keith Lee, & Satoshi Kojima

With the ZERO HOUR getting underway at 7pm ET/6pm CT, and WRESTLEDREAM proper going live at 8pm ET/7pm CT, Sunday night is loaded with the greatest professional wrestling available anywhere on the planet! Do not miss out as All Elite Wrestling returns to pay-per-view, something no one does as consistently amazing as AEW, and especially this time around when it has been called the end of one era and the beginning of another!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/h1GEcDiWEB0?si=SLrcL2jiLwgOnT0g

https://www.youtube.com/embed/7EpjV-rKRH0?si=QmqwhXe-bkAmIS-3&start=209

This past Wednesday on DYNAMITE the stage for GRAND SLAM 2023 began to take shape as the Grand Slam World Championship Eliminator Tournament began! The winner of said tournament will advance to Arthur Ashe on September 20th to challenge MJF for the AEW World Championship, and on Wednesday night both Darby Allin and Roderick Strong took one step closer to the prize. In addition, we learned there will be a Women’s Four Way Eliminator Match to determine Saraya’s challengers that night involving former champions Toni Storm, Dr. Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, and Nyla Rose.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y7oidTdrSBE?si=3Xnitd11X8iVw11P&start=209

This Friday night on RAMPAGE we will find out the other two men advancing to the Semi-Finals in the tournament as Samoa Joe takes on a familiar foe in Jeff Hardy, and Jay Lethal meets Penta El Zero Miedo! Plus, The Young Bucks will be in tag team action after two disappointing nights between ALL IN: LONDON and ALL OUT 2023, and a Women’s Trios battle goes down involving six of the best AEW has to offer! The matches begins at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international audiences, so visit the official AEW YouTube channel ahead of time for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, plus THE CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!

GRAND SLAM WORLD TITLE ELIMINATOR TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL…

ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Hardy

https://www.youtube.com/embed/VLCw_QJD6sw?si=qhgtoPUN8rrANvQV&start=167

From Universal Studios in Orlando to Abu Dhabi and Allentown, PA to Manchester, UK, Samoa Joe and Jeff Hardy have locked horns some 70+ times over the course of the last 18 years, even in Indianapolis, albeit a different venue that where RAMPAGE emanates from this Friday night. Thirty-two of those bouts have been one-on-one fights, and the balance of the victories tips heavily in favor of Hardy, though their last singles encounter that took place in March 2019 did swing Joe’s way.

This Friday night, as part of the Grand Slam World Title Eliminator Tournament, this storied rivalry will add a new chapter to its story, the first said chapter taking place in All Elite Wrestling, and at stake is the AEW World Championship bout awaiting the winner of the whole field. We’ve already seen Roderick Strong and Darby Allin advance to the Semi-Finals taking place this Saturday on COLLISION in Cleveland, now it’s a question of who will be the other two men to advance. One of those bouts will take place between Joe and Hardy, and the question is whether or not the ROH World Television Champion can buck his history with Jeff and actually defeat the man, or if Jeff Hardy will continue to dominate this rivalry in yet another promotion.

GRAND SLAM WORLD TITLE ELIMINATOR TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL…

Jay Lethal vs. Penta El Zero Miedo

The other Quarter-Final match in this tournament runs quite contrary to that of Joe/Hardy; rather than a continuation of a rivalry that has crossed promotions for more than a decade, it is instead a first time singles match! While Jay Lethal and Penta El Zero Miedo have met previously in Battle Royales here in AEW, as well as in a non-AEW Three Way that included Matt Taven and took place one day shy of a year ago, they’ve never met in singles competition prior to this Friday night!

It’s a huge opportunity for both individuals, especially for Lethal given that he’s never challenged for the AEW World Championship, but to the victor of this comes the right to fight either Jay Lethal or Samoa Joe. Given the history between Joe and Lethal, one can imagine Lethal rooting for Hardy to win that bout, but he best stay focused on his own fight rather than worry about the outcome of the other.

Which of these warriors will move one step closer to that Grand Slam spotlight?

TRIOS MATCH…

Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D, Hikaru Shida, & Skye Blue

vs.

Anna Jay, Taya Valkyrie, & The Bunny

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZQG1phgDsU4?si=EXxYO3SLverq-_eY&start=209

Though they’ve managed to persevere through it, Dr. Britt Baker and Hikaru Shida have a history that primarily has them on opposite sides of a fight. Yet ever since the emergence of The Outcasts as a threat to the rest of the Women’s Division, these two AEW stalwarts have found common ground, even if if has occasionally resulted in some crucial miscommunications. Still, they persevere, and this Friday night on RAMPAGE they will do so once again, welcoming Skye Blue to the party for the first time, to form a trio for battle against another first-time unit of Anna Jay, Taya Valkyrie, and The Bunny!

With Britt and Shida both set for the Four Way Eliminator on Wednesday night’s DYNAMITE, and plenty of past issues swirling about between the women involved here, this one has the potential to be a powder keg between two brand-new trios!

TAG TEAM ACTION…

The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. Angelo Parker & Matt Menard

The Young Bucks have had a rather frustrating couple weeks: they lost to FTR at ALL IN: LONDON in front of the biggest crowd in AEW’s history, not only giving Cash and Dax the advantage in their trilogy of bouts, but failing to capture the AEW World Tag Team Championship for a third time. Then, a week later at ALL OUT 2023, they and FTR, working as a quartet, fell to BULLET CLUB GOLD; not the best week in Young Buck history, but a new one has dawned, meaning a new chance to make up for those losses and get back on track.

That begins with a fight against former J.A.S. members Angelo Parker and Matt Menard, two men the brothers Jackson haven’t clashed with in over ten years, and who are also looking to get their ship upright after the upheaval of the Jericho Appreciation Society. So will it be the former 2-Time AEW World Tag Champs who get back on track, or Parker and Menard who score a RAMPAGE victory? Tune in Friday night to see which team rises up!

On RAMPAGE this Friday night, we will see who else advances to the Semi-Finals in the Grand Slam World Title Eliminator tournament when Samoa Joe fights Jeff Hardy, and Jay Lethal battles Penta El Zero Miedo! Plus, The Young Bucks take on Matt Menard and Angelo Parker, while Dr. Britt Baker, Shida, and Skye Blue take on Taya Valkyrie, Anna Jay, and The Bunny in Trios action! The night begins at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international audiences, so visit the official AEW YouTube channel ahead of time for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, plus THE CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/dM7cb4L6CCs?si=6LkKFF2RVB5Cx7Jh

Just seven days after the biggest night in All Elite Wrestling history, we are right back at it with our second pay-per-view offering in a week! ALL OUT has been at the heart of AEW since 2019 when Chris Jericho defeated Hangman Page to become the first AEW World Champion, and it has provided a lion’s share of memorable matches and moments every year since! The Chicagoland area has been home to this event every year save one, and 2023 will be no different, but for the very first time, ALL OUT will emanate from the United Center!

If you can’t be there in-person, click here for details on all the ways you can watch the pay-per-view event live no matter where you are in the world! Also be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the latest edition of CONTROL CENTER, highlights from ALL IN: LONDON, and more to get you up to speed for ALL OUT 2023!

AEW International Championship Match…

Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Jon Moxley

This past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, after Orange Cassidy bested Penta El Zero Miedo in his 31st International Championship defense, he was confronted by the next man scheduled to challenge for the title regardless of who won Wednesday night’s fight, former 3-Time AEW World Champion Jon Moxley.

Three years ago this would’ve seemed a largely lopsided fight, but in the time since Orange Cassidy fought his first AEW singles match at REVOLUTION 2020, coincidentally at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago as well as the same night Moxley won his first AEW World Championship, he has proven to be in a class all his own. There was never any question that Jon Moxley was at the top of the heap in All Elite Wrestling, he pretty much heralded that himself with how he arrived on the scene at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2019, but Orange Cassidy has been questioned, doubted, bullied, and tested at every step of his AEW career.

It didn’t matter how he performed in that first fight with PAC, that he beat Chris Jericho in two straight matches, that he beat Adam Cole in a Lights Out Match, or that he took Will Ospreay to his limits at FORBIDDEN DOOR 2022, he was still doubted. But since the October 12, 2022 edition of DYNAMITE where he defeated “The Bastard” to claim the AEW International Championship, Orange Cassidy has done nothing but proven himself as one of the elite competitors in pro wrestling. His first two title defenses took place in Three Way bouts, he took on “The Wrestler” Katsuyori Shibata in his next, and from that point on, it has been a matter of fighting everyone who stepped up to the plate. Daniel Garcia, Wheeler Yuta, Big Bill, Jeff Jarrett, and Jay Lethal; they all fell before “Freshly Squeezed” and at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2023 he really showed the world where he stood as champion when he took on 20 challengers simultaneously in the Blackjack Battle Royale. As a result of that many simultaneous challengers in Vegas, as Cassidy heads into this fight with Moxley, he has defended the AEW International Championship 31 times against 41 different men, and been champion for 326 days. He’s defended his title more times than any champion in AEW’s entire history across all divisions, and sits behind Jade Cargill’s 508-day TBS Title reign, Hikaru Shida 372-day AEW Woman’s World Championship reign, and Kenny Omega’s 346-day AEW World Championship run in terms of duration as champ.

And if that’s wasn’t enough to make the entire wrestling world stand-up and recognize the greatness of “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy, perhaps it should be noted that at 121 overall victories, he’s got more wins than any man in All Elite Wrestling, topping Jon Moxley’s 118 overall wins, though Mox does surpass OC as a singles competitor, holding 75 victories to Cassidy’s 68.

As if that wasn’t enough, Cassidy also has the longest active singles win streak in AEW with thirty-one consecutive victories, eclipsing Moxley’s run of 25 from 11/13/19-12/2/20 and HOOK’s from 12/10/21-7/19/23. All that put together, it could be argued that Orange Cassidy is the absolute best in All Elite Wrestling, that he is the measuring stick for the company, and that he is the one everyone else should be looking to as their litmus test.

Jon Moxley clearly is not a man who sees that to be the case, and after their engagement the last several weeks, including Stadium Stampede at ALL IN: LONDON, he aims to put OC to the test this Sunday at ALL OUT 2023! Mox aims to put Cassidy through the wringer in the process of proving that it is he and The Blackpool Combat Club who run AEW, and given the AEW career path that has brought both men here, this may be one of the most important pay-per-view matches in AEW’s history. It is also a night Jon Moxley could make history as the first AEW World Champion to capture another AEW singles championship!

OC has already made history during his International Championship reign, it started with being the man to level the belt up from the All-Atlantic to the International Championship, and has continued with each title defense he survives. But eventually the rigorous schedule Orange has kept will catch up to him, but will that point come this Sunday at the United Center? If there is anyone likely to push OC past that point, it is Jon Moxley, and if the defending champion can’t find an even deeper level to his reservoir of strength, he’s in for a rough night and most likely the end of his historic championship reign.

TNT Championship Match…

Luchasaurus(c) vs. Darby Allin

https://www.youtube.com/embed/nvFMQMMVsCs?si=gHpA5xJTY6YrFudb

As much as Christian Cage may claim otherwise, as much as he would rather have the fans believe an alternative truth, the reality is that Luchasaurus is the TNT Champion, not Christian Cage. Cage may carry the belt around, may consistently refer to the belt as “his” TNT Title, but it was Luchasaurus who won the belt from Wardlow, it’s been the former AEW World Tag Champion who’s defended it since that victory over “The War Dog”, and it will be Luchasaurus who faces former 2-Time TNT Champion Darby Allin this Sunday night at ALL OUT 2023!

But what condition is the challenger in? Like so many others at ALL IN: LONDON, Darby went through tremendous physical punishment, but the x-factor of the coffin elevated his to a whole other level. He was slammed on the metal lid, went for a Coffin Drop on Swerve while Strickland was draped across the top only for Allin to find no one home when he crashed down, he was battered and bruised, but ultimately victorious, though it also came at the expense of young Nick Wayne. Wayne, seeking to balance the scales of the bout, ended up being taken away by The Right Hand of Destruction, but that wasn’t the end of the story.

This week on COLLISION we heard Nick Wayne speak on Darby Allin’s actions pertaining to AR Fox, leading Darby out to the ring to publicly discuss the issue, but even that was interrupted by Christian Cage, who proceeded to say horrid things about Wayne’s mother, and of course promised destruction would rain down upon Allin’s head in his TNT Championship fight with Luchasaurus. Of course it wouldn’t have been Cage if he didn’t, yet again, imply he was the actual TNT Champion, but of course it won’t be he who steps into the ring to face Darby Allin, it will be the former AEW World Tag Team Champion.

Can Darby overcome the size of Luchasaurus, the numbers game that will be played by Christian Cage, and the injuries he sustained at ALL IN: LONDON’s Casket Match? If so, he will become the second man after Sammy Guevara to achieve 3-Time TNT Champion status, but if he cannot, and Cage has his way, will there be anything left of Darby to dust off and try again?

Singles Match…

“The Redeemer” Miro vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

https://www.youtube.com/embed/U-V_gYV6_7o?si=crR3wyOrsc4bjNUE

Forty-two days, in the span of 42 days between 3/8/23 and 4/19/23 Powerhouse Hobbs managed to defeat Wardlow to claim the TNT Championship, defend it five times, and then lose it right back to Wardlow. It was not the way Hobbs anticipating his championship reign going when he won the belt, and after it ended, he spent some time on the House Rules loop getting back on track, leading to a five match win streak, including a smashing victory over Powerhouse Hobbs in the 2023 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarter-Finals.

Unfortunately he ran into a familiar foe named Ricky Starks in the Semi-Finals, and “Absolute” would best his former Team Taz partner en route to winning the entire tournament shortly thereafter. Again, not the way Hobbs wanted his COLLISION career to go, but he rebounded and has since won six consecutive bouts, including an eight-second victory last night in Chicago.

As impressive as that streak may be, as rapidly as Hobbs has dispatched those foes, perhaps the most impressive thing Hobbs has done is have the gumption to call out “The Redeemer” Miro for a fight! A former TNT Champion himself, Miro is one of the most intimidating men in all of professional wrestling, and to call him out for a fight is to court pain and punishment. Thus he is also the supreme test for a men looking to redeem himself for the key losses he’s experienced in 2023.

Will Hobbs live to regret his choice to goad Miro into battle? Will he be humbled before “The Redeemer”, or will Hobbs instead find that redemption he’s looking for?

TBS Championship Match…

Kris Statlander(c) vs. Ruby Soho

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZQG1phgDsU4?si=4NUVHthSKNL6fd7L&start=180

The challenge was made by Ruby Soho, a woman that Kris Statlander has yet to defeat, and it appears a challenge born out of this Outcasts frustration at having never won a championship during the last 13 years. Just in All Elite Wrestling, after making her debut at ALL OUT 2021 by winning the Women’s Casino Battle Royale, she was frustrated in her first World Championship match at GRAND SLAM 2021 against Dr. Britt Baker, and sadly that would not be the last time Ruby’s dreams were dashed. A month later, in the inaugural TBS Championship Tournament, Soho would make it past Penelope Ford, Kris Statlander, and Nyla Rose but end up stifled in the finals by Jade Cargill, having to watch her claim status as the first TBS Champion. Even the AAA Mixed Tag Title alluded her and Ortiz at ALL OUT 2022 when they faced Sammy Guevara and Tay Melo on the ZERO HOUR, and finally at REVOLUTION 2023, in a Three Way where she and Saraya challenged AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter, Ruby was again turned away. The frustration is understandable, she is unquestionably one of the best wrestlers competing today, but has repeatedly failed to achieve the trophies that cement that fact in the history books.

That being said, it’s not as if Kris Statlander has had the easiest road to the status she now holds. Injuries have slowed her professional growth on multiple occasions since she first came to All Elite Wrestling, even her first AEW championship bout at REVOLUTION 2020 was tainted as Stat fought Nyla Rose with a debilitating flu that had kept her on bed rest for several days leading up to that night in Chicago. Even in the COUNTDOWN TO ALL OUT Statlander shared about her feelings as champion, a rather open look at the thoughts spinning around in her head despite defending her title eight times in the last 100 days on DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and on the HOUSE RULES tour. She has been a fighting champion from the moment she beat Jade Cargill at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2023, and yet doubt still creeps.

It’s not an easy road for champion or challenger, both are driven to be the best, both have had their frustrations and setbacks, but only one has taken those challenges and used them to make herself a better version of who she was. Statlander has gotten tougher, she’s gotten stronger, and it’s led her to the status as TBS Champion whereas Ruby Soho has thrown her lot in with The Outcasts which in turn led her to watching both Saraya and Toni Storm become champions, although Toni’s current situation makes one question whether or not becoming a champion was worth the ramifications of losing it.

This Sunday, when Kris Statlander and Ruby Soho meet in their third singles match, it’s clear there is a bit more than the TBS Championship on the line for each woman. Pride, ego, legacy; they are all wrapped up in this fight between two of today’s best, but only one can walk away as champion while they other will have to find a way to handle with the disappointment and frustration…

Grudge Match…

“The Cleaner” Kenny Omega vs. Konosuke Takeshita

https://www.youtube.com/embed/GUeppqfOU4A?si=bAJ3mScOKwz94jgp

Kenny Omega has been betrayed by Don Callis on so many levels since that Cage Match against Jon Moxley back in May, and yet this Sunday night at ALL OUT 2023 he will still come to fight in the face of that sting. Whether it was Callis throwing his support behind Will Ospreay at FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023, ripping Takeshita away from his growing alliance with The Elite, or signing up with BULLET CLUB GOLD, the man who was once akin to Omega’s uncle has done anything he can to wreck the former AEW World Champion’s life.

This all stems from some sense of ownership Callis has over Kenny’s career, some belief he is entitled to the credit though it is Omega who did the heavy-lifting of actually getting in the ring for the fight. Uncle Don may have shown a young Kenny the ropes, but it was Omega who did the work and earned monikers like “Best Bout Machine” and “The God of Pro Wrestling”. It was Kenny in the ring with Okada for their four matches that, over the course of three-plus hours, firmly established both men as the best in the world. It was Kenny in the ring with Chris Jericho at WRESTLE KINGDOM 12 and DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2019 not Don Callis, and point of fact, the only actual accomplishment in Kenny’s career that Callis could take some credit for would be Omega defeating Jon Moxley to become the AEW World Champion. It’s undeniable that “The Invisible Hand” played a part in assisting Kenny’s championship challenge, but it’s certainly possible that it was Don whispering in Kenny’s ear that he needed his Uncle’s help to achieve that success.

That loyalty is simultaneously both Kenny’s biggest positive and negative, especially since his return to action in August 2022 after taking 10 months to recover from a litany of injuries collected over his wrestling career. Despite Callis’ entire oeuvre being a stark contrast to where The Elite stood as people in the fall of 2022, Omega kept Don by his side and Callis clearly bristled at the fact Kenny was not on the same page as he when it came to how to conduct business. Omega’s loyalty was that strong, his love for everything Uncle Don had been to him and his family was that strong, and yet Callis clearly grew unhappy with the fact he was no longer the primary voice in Kenny’s ear as he’d been during Omega’s championship reign.

All that anger and disappointment led Callis to betraying Kenny inside that Steel Cage, allowing Jon Moxley to get some revenge for Omega’s equally shady victories several years prior, and has taken us all down this path to ALL OUT 2023. It led Callis to put Takeshita inside the Blood & Guts Cage, and to pull him away from the fight when things weren’t looking promising for The Blackpool Combat Club, it led to the BC GOLD attack on Kenny when he sat down to talk to Jim Ross in Jacksonville, and now has Takeshita fighting Omega on Sunday night.

The relationship between Omega and Takeshita dates back to the earliest years of the latter’s career, so far back that Kenny was the opponent for the fifth match on record in Takeshita’s career, the first of their thirteen encounters in DDT Pro Wrestling between 9/30/12 and 10/26/14, all which posted them as opponents. It wasn’t until Takeshita first came to AEW in April 2021 that the two men fought as partners, and when he became a regular part of the roster one year later, it looked as if Takeshita would ride alongside The Elite as he pursued the growth of his own career.

Then Don Callis got in his ear, promising the sky, and turned Konosuke against those who’d supported him, leading to Takeshita’s impact on Omega’s face during Anarchy in the Arena at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2023, and now here we are, four months later, with the two men colliding in their first AEW singles match, and their first head-to-head in a decade. It should be noted, though they were over a decade ago during Takeshita’s early days as a wrestler, Omega is 2-0 in their singles matches, but obviously Takeshita has grown exponentially since that time.

So should Takeshita fail in this singles match, will this be the end of Don Callis’ pursuit of Omega’s end? If Kenny walks away with the victory, will Uncle Don give up this mission to end his nephew, or is Kenny stuck in this infinite loop of Don Callis throwing everything at Omega just hoping he breaks until the weight of it all? And what is the future if Takeshita pins Omega as he did at ALL IN: LONDON? That is the kind of victory that potentially bolsters Takeshita up into championship contention, but what would it mean for Kenny Omega’s immediate future? The ramifications for this one will be felt for some time by all parties involved, but just looking at it as a fight, this one could possibly steal the show at ALL OUT 2023!

ROH World Tag Team Championship Match…

AEW World Champion MJF & Adam Cole(c)
vs.

Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & John Silver)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/aZg5OWcGD8g?si=rVeItcGbSfyT3iHd

After defeating Aussie Open at ALL IN: LONDON to become the new Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champions, Adam Cole and AEW World Champion MJF were informed they’d have to defend their championship against the winner of a Tag Team Battle Royale at ALL OUT 2023. So, in typical MJF fashion, he took the week off to recover from his UK journey while Adam Cole came to work only to be confronted by Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett, including Roddy throwing his name in the hat for the Grand Slam Tournament of Champions and telling Cole he would do what Adam couldn’t: beat MJF.

While that is indeed a concern for Cole, the more immediate matter is the match this Sunday with the winners of the aforementioned Battle Royale: The Dark Order of Alex Reynolds and John Silver! Though they have been part of AEW since the earliest days of DYNAMITE, the pair have only challenged one time for the AEW World Tag Team titles, during the reign of Jurassic Express, and they were unsuccessful in that endeavor. Since coming into the ROH fold back in April, the duo has been embroiled in their own violent affair with The Righteous, one that culminated with victory in the first-ever Trios Fight Without Honor at DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR 2023. But none of that matters to MJF who, having some experience with both Alex Reynolds and John Silver early in his career, doesn’t have a bit of respect for either man.

Well Dark Order is quite the motivated, driven duo, one whose bond runs far deep than just the last couple months of this year, and they aim to break this championship drought on Sunday night!

Adam Cole and Maxwell Jacob Friedman have proven themselves to be a strong tag team duo, with a genuine bond that defies all logic and reason, but they are facing a team who’ve been together for over a decade, and who have a whole lot to prove to themselves and the world. Adam Cole and MJF are in for a fight, and they will have to pull out every Double Clothesline, Kangaroo Kick, and any other offense to keep these ROH World Tag Team Titles around their waists.

ROH World Television Championship Match…

Samoa Joe(c) vs. Shane Taylor

The history of Samoa Joe in Ring of Honor has been well-documented; for 645 days he reigned as ROH World Champion, elevating the title from a regional one to World Championship status, and engaging in legendary fights that proved influential to the modern wrestling scene. Even after that reign ended at FINAL BATTLE 2004, Joe remained integral to the workings of ROH, claiming the ROH Pure Championship from Jay Lethal at MANHATTAN MAYHEM, and keeping that for 112 days until he was dethroned by Nigel McGuinness. Even then, his influence on both ROH and pro wrestling at large was felt as he engaged in one of the hardest-hitting, most memorable bouts in modern wrestling history when he fought the legendary Kenta Kobashi at JOE VS. KOBASHI, and even after Joe first parted ways with ROH in March 2007, his presence loomed large over every individual who held the ROH World Championship in his wake. All World Champions were compared to Joe and his legacy, and every big man who ever entered into ROH competition was sized up against Samoa Joe’s shadow as well.

That was the world into which Shane Taylor entered when he first joined Ring of Honor in November 2014 at GLORY BY HONOR XIII, and though he reigned as a dominating ROH World TV Champion for 218 days, and a ROH World Six Man Champion for 295 days, the comparisons to Samoa Joe never ceased, but Taylor never had a chance to tackle those comparisons head-on until now.

When Samoa Joe re-entered the ROH landscape at SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2022, the fanbase was excited at the prospects of all that could be, speculating on if Joe would pursue the ROH World Championship he lost, or who he may want to lock horns with inside the squared circle. It turned out his first mission was to claim a championship that he had no opportunity to hold during his original ROH tenure simply because it did not exist until 2010, the ROH World Television Championship.

Shortly after his arrival, Joe dethroned Minoru Suzuki to claim the title, and 508 days later, he is still standing tall as the champion with 13 successful defenses to his reign! This makes Joe the second longest reigning TV champion of all time, behind Jay Lethal, and put him just above Shane Taylor on the list of successful defenses, a list Jay Lethal is also at the top of, having retained the belt on 36 occasions during his 567 days.

So it shall be this Sunday night in Chicago that two of Ring of Honor’s most dominant forces, two of the most imposing competitors in professional wrestling today, will engage in combat for the very first time, a right Taylor earned with victories over Serpentico, Christopher Daniels, and Gravity in an Eliminator Tournament. This is a fight about the championship, about legacy, and about who will be the dominant force moving forward, and for Shane Taylor, with a visit to his hometown of Cleveland looming next Saturday, it’s absolutely about being able to go home a champion!

NO DISQUALIFICATION STRAP MATCH…

“Absolute” Ricky Starks vs. “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson

https://www.youtube.com/embed/FTOIjz-OYYY?si=yPI4zS_v0eAnHUku

Well Ricky Starks certainly did not anticipate getting the match he’s got to face on Sunday night at ALL OUT 2023, he was looking to fight a 70 year old “Dragon” in a Strap Match, but instead he got a date with a different Dragon, an “American Dragon”. This came as a shock to the AEW faithful in Chicago, as well as those watching at home, as no one was aware Danielson was cleared for competition following his injury in the Kazuchika Okada match at FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023.

To his credit, Starks recognized the mistake he had made, and essentially told the world “if this is the bed I made, than I’m going to make myself comfortable”. After all, it’s a huge opportunity for the 2023 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament winner, the chance to spoil Danielson’s return to action almost two years to the date since his AEW debut at ALL OUT 2021, and continue to rise up towards the championship status he craves.

Will Sunday night be Ricky Starks night, or will it be the night “The American Dragon” roars?

Tag Team Battle…

NJPW STRONG Open Weight Champion Eddie Kingston & ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata

vs.

Blackpool Combat Club (ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta)

The bad blood between Eddie Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli has kept these two men bonded across many, many years, and even years wrestling in drastically different spheres did nothing to lessen the feelings of disdain. It’s spread from AEW to Ring of Honor and back again, putting Kingston inside Blood & Guts alongside The Golden Elite, putting him on the same side of Stadium Stampede as The Best Friends and Penta El Zero Miedo, and even putting him at odds with a man who was like a brother: Jon Moxley.

It’s been story of Eddie and his strange bedfellows, doing whatever he needs to do in order to get to Claudio, uniting with whoever has motivates that align with his, and hoping it leads to ending Castagnoli. This Sunday night in Chicago that means uniting with ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata to face the ROH World Champion and the man Shibata dethroned to claim that Ring of Honor title, the only 2-Time Pure Champion in ROH history, Wheeler Yuta!

The sad reality is that the animosity between Claudio and Kingston will probably never be satiated as long as both men are breathing. It’s shattered promotional boundaries, it’s bled across years and years, and sustained itself even when both men were on opposite sides of the wrestling world. Given that these men were once friends, roommates even, it’s a shame it’s gotten to this point, but that familiarity has bred contempt like none other. Is this a case of mutually assured destruction? Can either survive their own hate?

Eight-Man Fight…

AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) and The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)

vs.

BULLET CLUB GOLD (Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Jay White, & Juice Robinson)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/9hub3SmDfiM?si=JR1UIjkmXMLUTJT1&start=180

It may come as a shock in 2023, but in 2020 The Young Bucks and FTR actually united on two occasions ahead of their first clash at FULL GEAR 2020. Neither ended up as positive moments for the four men, they lost both the eight and ten man tags in which they participated, and as history as shown, they’ve since fought it out in three landmark bouts. The first won by The Young Bucks at FULL GEAR 2020, the second by FTR on the April 6, 2022 edition of DYNAMITE, and the third also by FTR at ALL IN: LONDON just a week ago. Though the brothers Jackson walked away from the match without shaking the hands of Dax and Cash, a common foe had brought them together once again this Sunday night at ALL O UT 2023.

BULLET CLUB GOLD has been a thorn in the side of FTR since the inception of COLLISION, and have also inserted themselves in Elite business time and again, including Kenny uniting with Ibushi and Hangman Page in a losing effort to Jay White, Juice Robinson, and Takeshita at ALL IN: LONDON. Now all the worlds collide as FTR and The Young Bucks try to put aside their differences to fight BC GOLD live on pay-per-view! Is it possible? Or will BC GOLD celebrate in the Windy City tonight!

ALL OUT 2023: ZERO HOUR…

-AEW World Trios Championship Match: The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens, Daddy Ass, & Max Caster)(c) vs. Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett, & Satnam Singh

https://www.youtube.com/embed/dGq4ROIquRk?si=Upw7ARLadTEDjKMw&start=180

-ROH Women’s World Champion Athena, Diamante, & Mercedes Martinez vs. Hikaru Shida, Skye Blue, and Willow Nightingale

-Over Budget Charity Battle Royale: Winner gives $50K to the charity of their choice

ALL OUT 2023 emanates from the United Center in Chicago, IL this Sunday night, and live on pay-per-view beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT! Make a point to check out the official AEW YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFN4JkGP_bVhAdBsoV9xftA/videos) to get up to date with highlights from the lastest episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the CONTROL CENTER, highlights from ALL IN: LONDON, and more to get you ready for ALL OUT 2023!

Will Ospreay to Appear at Turning Point on October 27th in Newcastle News / August 31, 2023 / by IMPACT Wrestling Staff Get tickets On Friday, October 27th, the IMPACT Wrestling UK Invasion Tour comes

Continue reading →

— Global Pay-Per-View Event Becomes AEW’s Highest Grossing Event in History and Biggest Pro Wrestling Event Ever Held in Europe

August 27, 2023 – All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announced tonight that “AEW: All In London” shattered multiple records across the professional wrestling industry. The sold-out event, which was broadcast worldwide, saw 81,035 fans from more than 70 countries converge on Wembley Stadium in London, marking the largest crowd in history to ever attend a pro wrestling event in Europe.

In addition, “AEW: All In London” became AEW’s highest grossing event ever and one of the largest pro wrestling gates of all time, generating more than $10 million.

“‘AEW: All In London’ marked a monumental achievement, and showed the world that AEW is not only here to stay, but also a formidable force worldwide,” said Tony Khan, CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW. “This success wouldn’t have been possible without ourincredible roster and talented staff, as well as our colleagues at WBD, who passionately believe in the AEW brand as much as I do, and our amazing partners at Wembley Stadium, Live Nation UK and ITV who worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality.

“Most importantly, we thank AEW’s incredibly loyal fans, many of whom travelled to London from around the world to be part of the event, and have been with us from the beginning. We celebrate this long-awaited moment with all of you and look forward to our return to Wembley Stadium in 2024, where we will once again make history.”As announced during tonight’s event, “AEW: All In London” will return to Wembley Stadium on Sunday, August 25, 2024. Fans can register for additional information on the event by clicking ,here.

About AEW
Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in 2019, AEW is offering an alternative to mainstream wrestling, with a roster of world-class talent that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry. In the U.S., “AEW: Dynamite” airs every Wednesday night on TBS and attracts the youngest wrestling audience on television, the fight-forward “AEW: RAMPAGE” airs every Friday night on TNT, and the new “AEW: Collision” airs every Saturday night on TNT. AEW’s multi-platform content also includes “Being the Elite,” a weekly behind-the-scenes YouTube series, and “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series. For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AEW; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AEW.

ALL IN: LONDON draws ever closer and we’ve got several challenges laid out, and one AEW World Championship match made with Adam Cole…

Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, we found out that ALL IN: LONDON will be headlined by an AEW World Championship fight between MJF and Adam…

With so many eyes looking towards Wembley and ALL IN: LONDON, All Elite Wrestling comes to the Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL this…

Coming off a tremendous night of action on Wednesday’s DYNAMITE in which burgeoning issues between The Blackpool Combat Club and The Best…

With AEW heading towards the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finals this Saturday night in Calgary , RAMPAGE is coming in hot this Friday…

Amazon Freevee has released the official trailer for the second season of Almost Paradise and announced it will premiere July 21. All 10 episodes from the season will be available on premiere day exclusively on Freevee in the U.S. and UK. Christian Kane returns to star along with returning executive producers and co-showrunners, Dean Devlin and Gary Rosen.
Kane is Alex Walker, a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent forced into…

Your Big Gold Belt Podcast is LIVE talking the week in wrestling including: -Our thoughts on Money In The Bank & Roman Reigns first loss in over three years. -How viable is WrestleMania London &...

Continue reading →

Continue reading →