This Friday night RAMPAGE hails from The BOK Center in Tulsa, OK, and we are back at our traditional start time of 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, and there is quite an exciting night of combat lined up for the AEW faithful! In the aftermath of his No DQ fight with Jeff Hardy last week, we will hear from “The Spanish God” Sammy Guevara, plus Mariah May locks up with Anna Jay, The Young Bucks will apparently be in action to prepare for REVOLUTION 2024’s fight with Darby Allin and Sting, Roddy takes on Oklahoma’s own Jake Hager, and let’s not forget the wild 3-Way Trios going down in Tulsa!
Before the night begins, drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
ONE-ON-ONE…
Roderick Strong vs. Jake Hager
In one of the more unexpected moments of one competitor coming to another’s rescue, this past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE it was Jake Hager who arrived on the scene to help AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy as he once more fell victim to a Undisputed Kingdom assault. Without Chuck Taylor, Trent Beretta, or Rocky Romero anywhere in the vicinity to lend a hand, it seemed OC was destined to be battered by Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett, but with AEW being in his home state, Hager took it upon himself to do the right thing.
It may have been the first time since arriving in AEW that Hager actually did the right thing, but late is better than never, and it couldn’t have come at a more crucial time for Orange Cassidy, insuring he remained intact for his REVOLUTION 2024 championship defense against Roddy. But apparently good deeds do not come without consequence, and this Friday night on RAMPAGE Jake Hager faces his consequences in the form of a singles match with Roderick!
This will mark the first time these two men have ever gone one-on-one inside a wrestling ring, and just the second time they’ve even been in the same match in their entire careers. It’s liable to be a hard-hitting affair, but one that will likely see Matt Taven and Mike Bennett stalking around ringside. Can Hager counteract their presence at ringside? Will OC return the favor Hager did for him by attempting to neutralize The UK members? Tune in Friday night to find out how this one goes down!
SINGLES MATCH…
Mariah May vs. Anna Jay
Anna Jay is coming off a hard-fought loss to Queen Aminata last week on RAMPAGE, one that ended with a show of respect between the two women, a sign of appreciation for the fight they gave one another, and Anna’s recognition of Aminata finally scoring her first singles victory in All Elite Wrestling.
Unfortunately Anna Jay isn’t likely to see that same sort of respect this Friday night, regardless of how the match goes, because her opponent is Toni Storm’s biggest fan: Mariah May! Mariah remains rather desperate to get Toni Storm’s attention on her actual in-ring work rather than just on her slavish fan-girl devotion to the AEW Women’s World Champion, but there always seems to be a reason for Storm to not partake in viewing Mariah’s bouts.
That makes this an interesting bout to watch unfold as Anna Jay really needs a win to not only get back on track, but to also push towards joining the rankings. Mariah, on the other hand, has occupied the number five spot for the first two weeks of the reborn rankings, and a victory would not only keep her there, but also possibly boost her up towards the top spot. That is an interesting situation in itself, the idea of Mariah in the top spot, but one that can wait until after REVOLUTION 2024 to see where the AEW Women’s World Championship rests.
3-WAY TRIOS MATCH…
Action Andretti & Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) vs. Bryan Keith, Komander, & Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Matt Sydal & Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)
With the rankings back, one segment of AEW that was never part of their original incarnation was the Trios Division. So while The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass sit atop the division as champions, there are plenty of men who want to ascend to the status of contender, who want that opportunity to score an AEW championship, and those willing to create their own trio could be in a prime spot to take over the rankings!
That’s what we have here this Friday night on RAMPAGE when these three trios, two of which are uniting for the first time, come together in what is sure to be a wild, high-flying affair! Action Andretti and Top Flight are obviously the most experienced unit in this contest, with victories over Isiah Kassidy (as he teamed with The Hardys), Penta and Komander (as they united with El Hijo del Vikingo), and the CHAOS trio of OC, Trent, and Rocky Romero. That being said, their foes in this Three Way are also quite experienced in their own ways, and then there’s the recent history between Private Party and Top Flight that plays into this dynamic as well. Which trio will rise to occasion on Friday night, and perhaps make enough of an impact to crack the rankings? Whichever trio it may be, all three are going to have their work cut out for them trying to score a win among the inevitable chaos!
The BOK Center in Tulsa, OK hosts this Friday night’s edition of RAMPAGE and we are back at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, with a wild Three-Way Trios match pitting Andretti & Top Flight versus Sydal & Private Party versus Bryan Keith, Penta, and Komander! Plus, Anna Jay battles Mariah May, The EVPs Matthew and Nicholas Jackson will apparently be in action, and Roderick Strong will tackle Oklahoma’s own Jake Hager! We will also hear from Sammy Guevara following his No Disqualification battle with Jeff Hardy, and more!
Before bell time, swing on by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, plus the latest CONTROL CENTER!
This Saturday night All Elite Wrestling makes our debut in Bossier City, LA at the Brookshire Grocery Arena with what will surely be an unforgettable edition of COLLISION based on the Cage Match alone. That’s right, six of the best in the world, locked inside a Steel Cage together, The House of Black battling FTR and Daniel Garcia, and fighting it out under Elimination rules! Plus, “Blue Thunder” Yuji Nagata returns to AEW to take on “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson in their first-ever singles match; they’ve got some New Japan history from two decades back, but never went one-on-one until now! In addition to those two huge bouts, Mariah May will be in action against Lady Frost, Serena Deeb makes her return to in-ring competition, and Orange Cassidy defends his AEW International Championship against Komander!
The night gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and the AEW faithful can get prepared for the action-packed evening by visiting the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s other social media platforms, for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
SIX-MAN ELIMINATION STEEL CAGE MATCH…
Daniel Garcia & FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs.
The House of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews, & Malakai Black)
Since October, there has been a war going on between FTR and The House of Black, the details of which can be viewed in great detail on this Timeline presentation, and that war has also pulled in Daniel Garcia as an ally on the side of Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler. See in their final match of the Continental Classic, Daniel Garcia defeat The House’s Brody King, his second singles victory over Brody in 2023 actually, and Daniel has suffered for that sin against The House repeatedly.
But that hasn’t stopped Garcia from stepping up against The House of Black, from aligning himself with FTR, and fighting them with every ounce of his being. He did it two weeks ago on COLLISION when he and FTR lost in a standard Trios bout to The House of Black, and again last week when he bested Buddy Matthews in their singles bout. FTR has done their part as well, tussling with House of Black as two of the teams in FULL GEAR 2023’s Championship Ladder Match, and beating the Buddy/Malakai combination three weeks ago, but every contest involving these six individuals seems to end up in a fight after the bell.
That’s why this Saturday night on COLLISION, with AEW’s debut in Bossier City, all six of these competitors will be locked inside a Steel Cage! This will be the first time in AEW’s history a Trios battle will be contested under this circumstances, as well as the first Elimination Rules Cage match, and that could lead to very painful outcome for any one of these six men. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to find one man alone against all three House of Black members, or FTR going 2-on-1 with a House member; the Elimination factor makes this even more an unpredictable battle that it would be as a standard Cage Match.
This will be a violent affair, of that there is no doubt, but will even this be enough to end the hostilities perpetually erupting between these six combatants? Or will the outcome just be adding more fuel to the burgeoning inferno?
DREAM (MATCHES) DO COME TRUE…
“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. “Blue Justice” Yuji Nagata
The very first time Bryan Danielson stepped into the ring with Yuji Nagata was November 2, 2002 at the tail end of American Dragon’s very first tour with New Japan Professional Wrestling. That night, with Scott Norton and a man named Jack The Bull at his side, Danielson’s team bested Nagata, Masahiro Chono, and Heat (aka Minoru Tanaka). Over the course of the next two years, Bryan and “Blue Justice” would be on opposite sides of the ring a total of nine times, all in tags or trios, with Danielson’s side of the coin winning just twice, that aforementioned first match and their last on July 16, 2004, making Bryan 1-2 in tags and 1-5 in trios all-time against Yuji Nagata.
What that means in the grand scheme of things is that this Saturday night on COLLISION, when Yuji Nagata returns to All Elite Wrestling nearly three years since he fought Jon Moxley over the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship! In the years since, Nagata reigned as All Japan’s Triple Crown Champion for 133 days during the course of 2023, competed in the NJPW’s 2023 World Tag League as Minoru Suzuki’s partner, fought in AJPW’s Real World Tag League and Royal Road Tournament’s in 2022, competed for DDT Pro Wrestling, GLEAT, ZERO1’s Shinjiro Otani Benefit Show, and even for West Coast Pro here in the United States; Nagata generally made his way across the wrestling landscape, and now the oldest 55 year old returns to AEW for this dream battle with Bryan Danielson!
We know Bryan has his eyes set on ripping that Continental Crown away from Eddie Kingston, a man he clearly does not respect in any fashion, but before that can become reality, “The American Dragon” has to contend with Nagata this Saturday night!
ONE-ON-ONE…
Mariah May vs. Lady Frost
Several weeks ago, Mariah May made her much anticipated in-ring debut by scoring a victory over Queen Aminata. It wasn’t the easiest of wins, Amanita gave Mariah May a tremendous fight in the process, but it was a win nonetheless. Unfortunately for the former Stardom champion, not only did her idol Toni Storm neglect to watch the match, but Mariah’s moment was crashed by a Deonna Purrazzo more interested in challenging the AEW Women’s World Champion than in Mariah May.
This Saturday night, Mariah will have a second chance to make the night all about her as she gets back into the ring for the first time since January 3rd, and her opponent will be one of the more impressive competitors gunning for a spot at the top of the locker room: Lady Frost! While Mariah may be new to All Elite Wrestling, these two women that are no stranger to one another, each having been a part of a pivotal moment in the other’s career.
For Lady Frost, when she made her first excursion to the United Kingdom in November of 2019, the very first match she competed in was spent working as Mariah May’s partner, and the two were actually victorious in that bout.
For Mariah May, when she traveled to the United States for the very first time in March of 2022, the opponent standing across the ring from her that night in the South Philly’s legendary Arena was in fact Lady Frost! In that singles outing, it was May who came out with the victory, and Frost has been itching for another go for nearly two years.
Well she will have her opportunity this Saturday night on COLLISION when she and Mariah May lock horns under the AEW banner! May is still desperate for the approval and acknowledgment of the AEW Women’s World Champion, so she will be fighting as much for that as for herself, while Frost is fighting for to establish her position within the grand scheme of the Women’s Division. Will this rematch go the same way as the first, or can Lady Frost dim May’s spotlight?
Last night on RAMPAGE, Komander scored the victory on Kip Sabian in the “Freshly Squeezed Four Way” that also included The Butcher and AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo. With that pinfall victory, the AAA World Cruiserweight Champion earned himself a shot at Orange Cassidy’s AEW International Championship this Saturday on COLLISION! This will mark Komander’s first singles opportunity at that title, though he did participate in the 21 Man Blackjack Battle Royale at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2023, as well as the first one-on-one encounter between he and “Freshly Squeezed”. OC does hold a tag team victory over Komander from the January 17th edition of DYNAMITE, and between a desire to even that score, as well as to earn his first AEW championship, Komander will no doubt go all out on Saturday night!
Something else that no doubt will happen on Saturday night is this bout having the eyes of Roderick Strong all over it. Roddy may have the patience to wait until REVOLUTION 2024 to fight Orange Cassidy, but with that willingness to wait comes the possibility it won’t be OC holding the International Title. That means the former ROH World Champion will also have to keep his eyes on anyone Cassidy faces between now and March 3rd, just to stay prepared for whoever may be standing across the ring from him in Greensboro, NC! For Roderick, that fight does not seem to be about the person, but rather about the prize, and it doesn’t appear to matter who he fights as long as they have what he wants!
ELIMINATOR MATCH…
Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston vs. Willie Mack
If wrestling is a matter of respect earned, then there are few men who’ve fought harder to earn it than Eddie Kingston, and not because he was seeking it out like some individuals may be compelled to do. Instead, that respect came from those who watched Kingston grind it out across the independent landscape for the last two decades before he earned his way into All Elite Wrestling. That respect grew in those who watched Eddie struggle publicly with his demons and his mental health, never denying he had issues to work through, and willing to fail in the process of learning. Eddie is respected by fans and most of his peers because he’s willing to be an open, honest man about himself, as well as those around him, but that kind of honesty can cut when it’s pushed towards someone who refuses to hear it.
That someone is Bryan Danielson, that someone is Claudio Castagnoli, and there is nothing that Eddie Kingston can ever do that will make those two men see him as any other than the street kid they first met twenty years ago. Even though they share the Blackpool banner with Jon Moxley, they will never see Kingston the same way Mox does, but after all these years of being ridiculed and derided by men like Bryan and Claudio, it doesn’t matter to Eddie. His love and respect, his time and energy, it will be reserved for those who have earned it, and that is where Willie Mack comes into the picture.
Just like Eddie, and many of their AEW compatriots, Willie Mack has been through the independent grind of little-to-no pay, long drives, small crowds, and yet he still stands, and yet he too has worked his way into fighting on the AEW stage. That is why Eddie Kingston is giving Willie this Eliminator opportunity on COLLISION; all he’s got to do is beat Eddie and a shot at the Continental Crown will be his! History isn’t on the side of Mack, the only Eliminator match in AEW history that’s gone the way of the potential challengers was actually the night Kingston and Jon Moxley beat then AEW World Tag Champions The Young Bucks, but if there’s anyone who can pull it off, it may just be Willie Mack!
TAG TEAM GRUDGE MATCH…
Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley) vs.
Shane Taylor Promotions (Lee Moriarty & Shane Taylor)
Short and sweet, after Jon Moxley defeated a very game Lee Moriarty last night on RAMPAGE, the two members of Shane Taylor Promotions did something very few men in All Elite Wrestling had done: left Jon Moxley laying in the middle in the ring. Perhaps it was frustration over both Shane Taylor and Lee taking an “L” from Moxley in the last week, perhaps it’s a bigger picture than just those two matches, either way it marked a new level for Shane Taylor Promotions, and with that leveling up (or down depending on your perspective) comes a whole new level of competition.
That is why this Saturday night on COLLISION, STP will have to answer for this assault and those consequences come in the form of a tag team fight against Blackpool Combat Club! Of the few men Jon Moxley has deemed worthy of partnership in his AEW career, Claudio Castagnoli has been one of his strongest alliances, the two marking an 8-1 record as a team (ironically the same record he holds with Eddie Kingston), whereas Lee and Shane T’s experience working as a team has all been under the ROH banner, but at least they are 4-0 in traditional tag team competition, including a 2/3 Falls victory over The Infantry.
So will this be Shane Taylor Promotions elevating their game to overcome BCC or will it be, as Robert Southey wrote over 200 years ago, “Curses are like young chickens, they always come home to roost”?
SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION…
459 days; that is how long it has been since Serena Deeb stepped out onto the AEW stage and into an AEW ring to compete in front of the AEW faithful. For 459 days she fought with her mind, body, and soul to get back to a place where she was ready to step back between the ropes and do what she does best: wrestle.
As a former Women’s Champion, many times over, Deeb has made a career out of being spoken of as one of the best technical wrestlers in the game, a woman capable of breaking an opponent’s body down, treating a match like a complete dissection, and making sure her opponent left the match realizing they had a lot left to learn. Serena Deeb is “The Professor of Professional Wrestling”, a woman who teaches lessons in pain and suffering to those hapless enough to be across the ring from her, but one lesson she still has to learn herself is that of an AEW champion.
Despite the accolades she has earned across her career, Serena Deeb has yet to wear a championship around her waist bearing the letters AEW, but with this return to form “The Professor” aims to fix that blemish on her record, to make up for failures against Toni Storm and Thunder Rosa, and show that she herself learned the lessons taught from those championship losses. For all those women in the AEW locker room, and for whoever stands across the ring from Serena Deeb on Saturday night, this fight on COLLISION will be a warning that “The Professor” is back, and she has plenty of lessons to teach the division!
Bossier City, LA and the Brookshire Grocery Arena play host to COLLISION this Saturday night! The House of Black will be locked inside a Steel Cage with FTR and Daniel Garcia, battling one another under Elimination rules, in hopes that this violent affair will bring an end to their rivalry! Danielson versus Nagata, Serena Deeb returns, Mariah May takes on Lady Frost, and so much more in store for your Saturday night fights! The action gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and the AEW faithful can get prepared for the action-packed evening by visiting the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s other social media platforms, for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA!
Your broadcast team was Excalibur, “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard, and Tony Schiavone.
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
This…is…Rampage!
Jon Moxley vs. Shane Taylor Promotions’ Lee Moriarty (with Shane Taylor)!
Moriarty took Mox down with a snap mare. Lee flexed and posed and let Mox get to his feet. Lee showed off his technical prowess, taking Mox down again with a side headlock. Moxley escaped and trucked Lee with a running back elbow. Moxley had a face off with Shane Taylor on the floor.
Moxley chopped Moriarty. Lee ducked a lariat attempt and rolled up Mox in a Border City Stretch. Moxley lunged toward the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Moriarty and Moxley traded stiff forearms in the center of the ring. Moxley knocked Moriarty’s block off. Moxley charged at Lee in the corner with a lariat and then pummeled him with shots.
Moriarty blasted Mox with a shotgun dropkick off the second turnbuckle. Moxley was looking for a piledriver on the apron, but Lee countered with a hammerlock, using Mox’s own body weight against him, planting Mox hard on the apron. Moriarty connected with a belly-to-belly suplex and then applied a cross arm breaker. Moriarty rocked Mox with a high stack German Suplex for a near fall.
Lee charged at Mox, but Mox wiped him out with a King Kong lariat! Moxley was looking for the bulldog choke, but Moriarty escaped and transitioned into the border city stretch. Moxley reversed and crashed down with hammer and anvil elbow strikes.
Moriarty fired back with a flurry of offense. Moriarty kicked at Mox’s arm. Lee went for a springboard forearm, but Mox countered with a big right elbow. Mox stomped Moriarty and then spiked him with a piledriver. Moxley locked in a choke and Moxley won via ref stoppage!
“A victory for Jon Moxley but a hell of a match for Lee Moriarty,” said Excalibur.
“No question. I don’t think Moxley expected to go this long with Lee. I’m impressed,” replied Matt Menard.
After the match, Shane Taylor mauled Mox with a cheap shot!
“What a sucker punch that was!” said Tony Schiavone.
Moriarty took advantage of Shane Taylor’s heavy right hand and stomped on Moxley’s injured arm.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Anna Jay and Angelo Parker!
Parker wanted to know if Anna had anything to do with Harley Cameron kissing him two weeks ago. Anna Jay slapped Cool Hand Ang!
Anna Jay: “I cannot believe you just asked me that! After everything we’ve been through. I am so sick of this. Tonight, I was defending you against your girlfriends. But tonight, I am doing this for me. I am tired of having everyone’s back, and no one having mine. Tonight, I am done!”
“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita (with The Don Callis Family)!
Daniels got the jump on Takeshita at the bell. Takeshita walloped Daniels with a massive shot. Takeshita landed the Takeshita Line on CD. Takeshita followed up with a dive on Daniels. Takeshita attempted a superplex but CD headbutted Takeshita, knocking him to the mat. Daniels swung down, driving Takeshita face first into the mat.
Daniels hurled Takeshita with a German Suplex. Takeshita countered the Angels Wings and drove Daniels down on the back of the head. Takeshita finished off Daniels with a running knee strike and pinned Daniels!
“A statement made by Takeshita with that victory,” said Excalibur.
Don Callis: “I have something important to say. The Don Callis Family takes everything. Jericho you took 33 years from me. I can’t get those years back. We took your tag team partner from the Golden Jets. Then we took Sammy. But you keep coming back. Now it’s time to end this. So, Jericho, in two weeks on Dynamite, we challenge you to face the real Alpha of professional wrestling, Takeshita, and this time, there’s going to be nothing left!”
Kyle Fletcher: “Pardon the interruption, Don. Hasn’t Takeshita already had his shot at Chris Jericho? Hasn’t Will Hobbs already had his shot at Chris Jericho? If anybody deserves the next shot at Chris Jericho it’s me!”
Callis: “You’re right. Jericho, you’ve got Takeshita in two weeks. How about next week in New Orleans, you got Kyle Fletcher if you’ve got the guts. And whatever is left at the end of the next two weeks is going to be mine and Jericho, there’ll be nothing left but the tears!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with Top Flight and Action Andretti, and Private Party!
Private Party said they won last time. Action Andretti said next time he’d be in Top Flight’s corner, watching their back!
Anna Jay vs. Ruby Soho (with Saraya and Harley Cameron)!
Ruby ambushed Anna Jay, trying to ruin her homecoming. Ruby whipped Anna into the barricade outside the ring. Anna connected with a high boot to Ruby’s face. Anna followed up with the pendulum kick.
Saraya swept out Anna Jay’s leg on the apron. Anna got to her feet and planted Ruby with a DDT for a near fall. Anna was looking for the Queen Slayer, but Harley grabbed Anna Jay’s boot. Saraya held back Anna Jay, but the referee saw it and ejected Saraya and Harley from ringside.
Anna attempted a backslide, but Ruby escaped and rocked Anna with Destination Unknown. Anna stunned Ruby with a blockbuster and then forced Ruby to tap out with the Queen Slayer!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Continental Champion Eddie Kingston!
Kingston: “Bryan Danielson, you don’t respect me? That’s fine. I don’t respect you at all. I want to be on Collision. I’m going to go against somebody I respect. And if he beats me, he gets a title shot. And said person is Willie Mack. Me and you Willie, we paid our dues, so I want to give you an opportunity. Bryan, good luck with Nagata tomorrow.”
Main Event Time! Freshly Squeezed Four Way Match!
Kip Sabian vs. El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Komander vs. The Butcher!
The winner earns an International Championship Match on tomorrow’s Collision.
Butcher turned his back and Sabian rolled him up for a near fall. Vikingo swept out Sabian’s legs, and Komander hit a tope on Kip while Vikingo smashed Butcher with a tope!
Butcher blocked a springboard dropkick from Komander and applied a Texas Cloverleaf. Vikingo rocked Butcher with a thrust kick. Kip dropkicked Vikingo. Kip cannonballed Komander in the corner. Butcher went over the top with a splash on Komander.
Butcher tossed Komander at Kip and Kip nailed Komander with a lung blower. Kip booted Butcher in the midsection. Butcher stunned Sabian with a back breaker. Vikingo staggered Butcher with a corkscrew kick!
Sabian swept out Vikingo’s legs. Komander walloped Sabian with a Spanish Fly for a two-count. Komander climbed to the top rope, but Vikingo tripped him up. Vikingo climbed to the top, but Butcher put Vikingo on his shoulders, while Vikingo had Komander locked in a superplex position. Kip got on his hands and knees behind Butcher, tripped him up, and knocked all three men to the mat!
Komander jumped off Alex Abrahantes’ back like a launching pad and crushed Kip with a Canadian Destroyer on the arena floor! Vikingo took out both men on the floor with a moonsault. Vikingo tried for a moonsault, but Komander booted him. Butcher power bombed Komander and covered him, but Vikingo broke up the pin attempt.
Kip snuck in and drilled Komander with a German Suplex. Komander reversed a vertical suplex attempt, grabbed Kip’s legs and pinned him!
“Now we know it’ll be Orange Cassidy defending the International Championship tomorrow against Komander on Collision,” said Excalibur.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, LA!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City, LA:
-AEW International Championship Match! Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. Komander!
-Serena Deeb’s First Match Since 2022!
-Mariah May vs. Lady Frost!
-Continental Champion Eddie Kingston vs. Willie Mack!
– “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Yuji Nagata!
-Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty!
-The Escape The Cage Elimination Match! FTR & Daniel Garcia vs. House of Black!
On Wednesday night’s DYNAMITE, fans watched as Samoa Joe stood in the center of the ring and told the AEW locker room just how things were going to go moving forward. Showing he still had no fear despite their vicious fight a week prior, HOOK shook Joe’s hand but told him they would meet again down the line. With that, Joe watched ringside as Adam Page bested Penta El Zero Miedo, saw Swerve Strickland beat Jeff Hardy later in the night, as well as Wardlow defeat Trent Beretta; three men all with aspirations of dethroning the AEW World Champion, all picking up wins as they await the new ratings to drop. On top of that, we saw Thunder Rosa score victory over Red Velvet, the AEW World Trios Championship titles at stake, and that gritty fight between Adam Copeland and Minoru Suzuki!
This Friday RAMPAGE comes your way from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, beginning at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and featuring a quartet of top shelf battles! AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy has laid it out, he wants another challenger, and one will be set when The Butcher, El Hijo del Vikingo, Komander, and Kip Sabian battle it out for the next title fight! Jon Moxley has promised to bring the fight to RAMPAGE to which Shane Taylor Promotions’ Lee Moriarty has stepped up to the challenge, Anna Jay and Ruby Soho will lock horns, and Konosuke Takeshita will battle “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels!
Before the show begins, drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!F
RESHLY SQUEEZED FOUR WAY…
***WINNER EARNS AN INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH ON COLLISION***
Kip Sabian vs. El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Komander vs. The Butcher
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy knows that Roderick Strong wants a shot at the title, but rather than pushing for the immediate fight that “Freshly Squeezed” is willing to give, he wants to wait until March 3rd at REVOLUTION 2024. Well OC isn’t going to just sit around and wait until then, he’s been a defending champion since the moment he beat “The Bastard” PAC to win this championship the first time, and he’s been the same since beating Rey Fenix to kick off the second reign.
That is why he requested a championship fight this Saturday night on COLLISION when AEW debuts in Bossier City , and why this Freshly Squeezed Four Way is going down on RAMPAGE to determine who gets the title opportunity! Cassidy has plenty of history with all four of these men, be it as friend or foe, and successfully defended the International Championship against Kip Sabian, The Butcher, and Komander over the course of his first championship reign, though the last one was only as part of the Blackjack Battle Royale at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2023 rather than a singles match. Vikingo is the only one OC has never competed against as a foe, only as an ally in a Trios Match last summer. So it’s reasonable to believe that Cassidy is fine with any one of these men being the one to challenge him Saturday, but what makes the getting there interesting is the alliances that exist between the men here; Kip Sabian and Butcher have been close allies for quite some time now, competing regularly as a trio with The Blade, while Komander and Vikingo have a relationship as both friend and foe dating back several years, with quite a bit of teamwork exhibited on Ring of Honor programming.
All this means that alliances could be made to help accomplish goals, like Kip and Butch working together to eliminate their foes, and then settling the matter between each other after the fact. Will that be how it plays out on Friday night, or will it truly be every man for himself with a championship opportunity on the line?
ONE-ON-ONE…
Jon Moxley vs. Lee Moriarty
Last week on COLLISION, Jon Moxley made his return to All Elite Wrestling after several weeks away competing with NJPW, and even making a challenge towards IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Tetsuyo Naito for a championship fight. Waiting for Mox was one of the hardest-hitting individuals in professional wrestling today, the namesake of Shane Taylor Promotions himself, former ROH World TV Champion Shane Taylor. Shane gave Mox a tremendous fight, putting the 3-Time AEW World Champion on his heels several times, but eventually Mox was able to overcome. It was a loss that didn’t sit well with Taylor, but one which he clearly intends to learn from and move on a better fighter than he was beforehand.
After all, Shane has a young man at his side by the name of Lee Moriarty who also has aspirations of being the best fighter in the world, and that means taking on the best in the game in order to evolve. With that in his mind, #TAIGASTYLE has stepped up to face Jon Moxley this Friday night on RAMPAGE, answering the former champ’s challenge to the rest of the AEW locker room.
Moriarty danced these steps with Jon Moxley before, and was found wanting when the final bell rang, but that was many moons ago, and Lee has garnered quite a bit of experience since that night. Is it enough to push Moriarty to the next level of competition and give him the biggest victory of his life?
SINGLES MATCH…
Anna Jay vs. Ruby Soho
This all feels like a set-up, Saraya and Harley Cameron framing Anna Jay for something she’s not remotely responsible for, but Ruby Soho has enough trust left in her Outcast sister to follow in the direction that she is pointing. That brings Ruby to this Friday night on RAMPAGE where, in retaliation for that kiss and how she believes it came to pass, she will fight Anna Jay one-on-one!
Now the intriguing part of this fight is that Anna Jay will be stepping into the ring just 75 miles away from her hometown of Brunswick, GA, meaning she will have the support of the fans on her side, all while insisting that this drama is not of her doing.
Ruby isn’t hearing that though, all she knows is her relationship with “Cool Hand” Angelo Parker has been put in jeopardy and apparently Anna Jay is to blame! It’s time for vengeance, at least in Ruby’s world, and getting it so close to Anna’s home is just icing on the cake. Will Ruby listen to reason and hear Anna Jay out, or has her anger made her unwilling to listen? And can the relationship between Ruby and Angelo survive all this drama being heaped upon it from outside forces?
ALSO FEATURING:
-“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita
Savannah, GA hosts this Friday’s edition of RAMPAGE beginning at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features four men vying for a shot at AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy on COLLISION, Anna Jay and Ruby Soho looking to settle their issues, Jon Moxley taking on Lee Moriarty, and Takeshita battling “The Fallen Angel” in singles competition! Prior to showtime, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, plus the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, 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!
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe kicked off the show, dressed in a business suit, and eager to speak his mind!
Samoa Joe: “I stand before you your undisputed, undeniable AEW World Champion. And tonight is a night of celebration because a new championship endeavor, we embark upon tonight. No more will AEW Championship opportunities be given. No, tonight, they must be earned. That’s why all your favorite AEW superstars are going to battle tooth and nail in this ring, all for an opportunity at my championship gold.
“I come here with a warning. You may think you’re getting an opportunity at a championship. But I’m here to tell you it’s going to be an opportunity to have the worst night of your life. Anyone that comes in here, I’m going to do them like I did Hook last week. I will take everything from you!”
FTW Champion Hook’s music began to play! Hook entered the ring with a microphone.
HOOK: “Last week you won, I lost.”
Hook extended his hand and offered it to Samoa Joe before they embraced.
Hook: “I don’t know when, and I don’t know where, but I will see you again.”
Samoa Joe: “I bet you will. Now if you excuse me, I came here to survey the field, so you can get to the back of the line. Security, get the unworthy out of my ring.”
AEW Security entered the ring but Hook suplexed them until Hook had enough and stormed off, defiantly scowling at Samoa Joe on his way out.
“Hangman” Adam Page vs. Penta El Zero Miedo (with Alex Abrahantes)!
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe joined the broadcast team.
They began with a collar and elbow tie up. Page backed Penta into the ropes and then allowed for a clean break. It quickly escalated as both men brought heavy shots, blistering one another with chops. Penta connected with a thrust kick, but Page returned with a big boot of his own. Penta El Zero Miedo wiped out Hangman Page with a Sling Blade. Hangman retaliated with a fallaway slam and then a standing shooting star press for a near fall.
Penta El Zero Miedo hit a leg drop from off the bottom rope for a two-count on Page. They traded chops again. Hangman landed a thrust kick but then they knocked each other down with clotheslines, both men having the same idea.
Penta flew over the top rope with a tope con hiro and crashed onto Hangman Page outside the ring! Page dodged a double stomp and countered with a Death Valley Driver on Penta El Zero Miedo for a near fall. Penta planted Page in the center of the ring and nearly put away the former AEW World Champion.
Hangman Page stunned Penta El Zero Miedo with a pop up powerbomb. They traded strikes on the ring apron. Hangman went for the Buckshot Lariat, but Penta blocked it and nailed Hangman with the Made in Japan for a two-count!
Hangman Page drilled Penta El Zero Miedo with a Dead Eye on the apron! Page connected with the Buckshot Lariat and pinned Penta El Zero Miedo!
“Boy, that’s a big win as far as rankings go,” said Tony Schiavone.
Page pointed at Samoa Joe and his championship and yelled, “I am taking that away from you!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW International Champion “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy!
Renee wanted to know Orange’s reaction to Roderick Strong’s challenge.
Orange: “My reaction to that is okay. I will wrestle you for my International Championship at Revolution on March 3rd. If you want to wait that long, fine, but I’m not going to wait. I’m going to keep wrestling because that’s what I do. I told Tony to put some of my friends and enemies in a match on Rampage and the winner of that will face me for my championship on Collision. So, I guess Tony is going to do it.”
The Young Bucks—Nicholas and Matthew Jackson, were walking backstage when Alex Marvez approached them, hoping to get a word with them!
Nicholas: “Our first plan of action as executives? Let’s talk about your first plan of action. By showing a little more respect to us. By calling us by our passport names of Nicholas and Matthew Jackson.”
Matthew: “Alex, as the last two remaining, surviving, EVPs, backstage chatter and buzz is through the roof. We fixed the catering problem. Did you have lunch? You’re welcome. Most importantly we’re just here to make sure the show runs smoothly. Let’s have a killer show.”
Top Flight—Dante and Darius Martin were walking down the hall past the Young Bucks.
Nicholas: “Look who’s showing up so late tonight.”
Matthew: “Did you guys just get here?”
Darius: “No, we’ve been here since one.”
Matthew: “Why aren’t you in your gear and where’s your dang credentials?”
Dante: “Credentials? You guys hired us.”
Nicholas: “Next time it’s going to be a fine, but we love you guys.”
Matthew: “Hey, we’re just kidding.”
The Undisputed Kingdom’s Wardlow (with Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, and ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
vs.
Best Friend’s Trent Beretta (with Rocky Romero, Chuck Taylor, & AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy)!
Wardlow sent Trent for a loop with a big shoulder tackle right out of the gate! Wardlow hurled Trent halfway across the ring. Wardlow was looking for the Powerbomb Symphony, but Trent cradled him with a small package for a near fall.
Wardlow charged at Trent, but Trent ducked him and then dropkicked Wardlow through the ring ropes. Trent went over the top rope, but Wardlow countered with a beautiful anti air forearm. Wardlow whipped Trent into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Wardlow headbutted Trent in the chest. Trent countered a lariat with a jumping knee strike. Trent connected with a tope suicida. Trent walloped Wardlow with a steel chair. Trent rocked Wardlow with a half and half suplex in the ring, followed by a DDT. Trent spiked Wardlow with a piledriver for a near fall!
Trent climbed to the top rope and went for a crossbody, but Wardlow caught him and powerslammed Trent! Wardlow power bombed a limp Trent and pinned him! After the match, Wardlow tried to grab Trent again, but the Best Friends saw enough and entered the ring. The Undisputed Kingdom called off the “War Dog”.
Excalibur announced that this Saturday on Collision it’ll be the “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs Yuji Nagata!
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm went face-to-face with “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo during an interview on the stage with Renee Paquette!
Luther the Butler and Mariah May joined Toni on the stage.
Toni: “I will speak first. Deonna, I believe you were recently body shamed. Which I think is ridiculous because there is so much more to shame about you. Yes, we do have history, but that doesn’t mean you can just waltz in here to get yourself a title shot! I have had many friends and all of them less talented than me. You may be the greatest technical wrestler in the world today but let me make one thing clear. If you step into that ring with me, I will twist your lips so hard you will need an epidural!”
Deonna: “This is insane. I didn’t come to AEW to make friends. I came to become the AEW Women’s World Champion. It just so happens, Toni, that the champion used to be my friend. But I have no problem earning a title opportunity and winning arm by arm. This isn’t the Toni Storm that I want to wrestle, this delusional sham.
“I want to wrestle the Toni Storm that lived on dojo floors with me, that moved to America and lived in my house. That Toni Storm was arguably one of the best in the world. And that Toni Storm is the one I want to beat for the AEW Women’s World Championship. So, I’m begging you, dig down deep inside yourself and find that version of yourself. And if you need a reminder, take a look at your ankle, because I’m sure it looks a lot like mine.”
Deonna revealed she and Toni had matching ankle tattoos.
Deonna: “You might have everyone here fooled, Toni, but not me.”
Toni: “You know what, Deonna You can take your little tattoo and blow it right out of your bumhole!”
Toni whipped a shoe at Deonna and Deonna threw a shoe right back at Toni! Deonna attempted to put Toni in the Venus De Milo but Mariah May grabbed Toni by the leg and yanked her away from Deonna’s grasp! Deonna pump kicked Luther in the face! Mariah May and Toni Storm were fleeing when Deonna took Toni’s World championship and hoisted it into the air!
“Could this be a vision of the future?” wondered Excalibur.
Jon Moxley was backstage!
Mox: “Since you first heard the words ‘Blackpool Combat Club’, do you know how many matches we’ve won. I don’t keep track, but trust me, it’s a lot. Do you know how many victory parties we’ve had? Zero. We don’t spend a lot of time patting each other on the back because we don’t have the time. There’s always another match around the corner. And that’s what it takes to be the best, to be elite.
“A lot of people come here, and they don’t know what elite means. In 2024 I will maim and torture anyone that can’t keep up in the ring! I’m going to do it every single time!”
Excalibur announced this Friday on Rampage it’ll be Jon Moxley against Shane Taylor Promotions’ Lee Moriarty!
Taya Valkyrie and Johnny TV requested a moment of our time!
Taya: “Let me reintroduce ourselves. I am Taya Valkyrie, and this is Johnny TV. The most TV-ready couple in AEW. Now I’ve been watching, and some things are really starting to piss me off. That girl that’s trying to jump to the head of the line? Deonna Listen, I’m not one of those girlies that don’t know who ‘the virtuosa’ is. I know her very well. So, I challenge you to a little match next week on Dynamite. And then after that you can get to the back of the line.”
Up next: Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. Jeff Hardy (with Matt Hardy)!
Swerve used a side headlock takeover, looking to make a quick end to this, but Jeff escaped. Hardy rolled up Swerve, grabbing a handful of tights, but Swerve kicked out. Swerve nailed Jeff with a nasty back breaker. Swerve was going for an arm breaker, but Matt jumped on the apron and pointed at Swerve. As Swerve was distracted by Matt, Jeff kicked upwards at Swerve.
Jeff dropkicked Swerve in the back. Jeff used a Russian Leg Sweep. Jeff rammed Swerve into the top turnbuckle. Swerve swept out Jeff’s legs and then kicked him in the jaw. Swerve blasted Jeff with a neck breaker from the apron, as Jeff’s legs were hung up in the ropes. Swerve set up a folding chair and put Jeff on it. But Jeff got up and swept out Swerve’s legs. Jeff ran and leaped off the steel ring steps, crashing onto Swerve who was on the barricade!
Jeff knocked Swerve off the turnbuckles with a headbutt. Swerve climbed back up and clubbed Jeff with forearms. Jeff fought back, took flight and landed on Swerve! Jeff connected with a sling blade and then a Manhattan Drop. Jeff dropped an elbow, but Swerve kicked out at the two-count.
Swerve shoved Jeff Hardy over the top rope. Swerve pulled Jeff into the steel ring post! Swerve pulled Jeff onto the steel ring steps but Jeff countered with a Twist of Fate, driving Swerve’s forehead into the steps! Jeff climbed to the top turnbuckle and went for the Swanton, but Swerve rolled out of the way. Swerve blasted Jeff with the House Call for a near fall!
“What a kick out! I thought he had Hardy dead right there,” said Taz.
Swerve was looking for a Twits of Fate of his own, but Jeff reversed it with a cradle for a near fall. Jeff stunned Swerve with a series of jawbreakers. Swerve lured Jeff in and planted him with a flatliner. Swerve nailed Jeff with a delayed vertical suplex. Swerve crushed Jeff with the Swerve Stomp and pinned Jeff Hardy!
After a commercial break, Renee Paquette interviewed “Hangman” Adam Page backstage!
Renee congratulated Hangman on being 3-0 in 2024, which, in her opinion, should be putting him pretty close to the top of the rankings once they drop at the end of the month.
Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland interrupted Renee.
Swerve: “Why are you interviewing this man? Did you see what I just did out there to Jeff Hardy? I’m undefeated in 2024 as well. Another fun fact. Who is the last person that beat you, Hangman?”
Hangman: “It’s New Year, New Me, dumbass. So, I’m 3-0, and if I were a betting man, I would bet that someone is going to come along and knock you down these rankings before you get a whiff of the World title.”
Renee had some breaking news! “Next week on Dynamite both of you will be in Dealer’s Choice matches, choosing each other’s match,” Renee said.
“Well, they choose each other’s opponent,” added Tony Schiavone on commentary.
Thunder Rosa used a gator roll on Red Velvet until they reached the ropes. They got to their feet and traded arm drags. Red Velvet swept out Thunder Rosa’s legs on the ring apron. Red Velvet rocked Rosa with stiff chops.
A slug fest broke out in the ring. Thunder Rosa connected with a running clothesline in the corner, and they drove her knees into Red Velvet. Thunder Rosa hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall. Red Velvet stomped on Thunder Rosa’s midsection. Red Velvet followed up with a knee strike to the back of Thunder Rosa’s head.
Thunder Rosa blasted Red Velvet with a shotgun dropkick. Thunder Rosa finished off Red Velvet with the Tijuana Bomb and pinned her!
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview Darby Allin and Sting!
Darby Allin: “I want to take a few seconds to talk about a few things. Everyone always asks me what it’s like to tag with “the Icon” Sting. I want to talk about the impact that Sting has had on my career. It started back in 2015 in my first year in professional wrestling, when I saw this man’s career essentially end early from a neck injury. I thought to myself, ‘What if that was me? What if my life’s work was cut short?’
“And then all these years later I hear that Sting is coming to AEW. And I don’t know exactly what for because I heard he’d never wrestle again. And you remember this part, Sting. I flew to your house in Texas, you had a wrestling ring in your garage, and we were rolling around in the ring. And within five minutes I looked at you and what did I say to you? I looked you right in the eyes and I said, ‘You’ve still got it.’ And I’m not lying to you.”
The Young Bucks—Matthew and Nicholas Jackson were showing backstage, wearing headsets and watching monitors!
Darby: “And I told you to get back in this ring and finish the career on your own terms! And now look at us, 27-0, undefeated. And the rankings are back so I think that puts us in the top spot as number one contenders against Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team Championships. And we’d be kind of dumb asses not to take the opportunity. So, I’m going to look you in the eyes and say this one more time: ‘You’ve still got it.’ But I’m not alone this time. I think the fans agree that you’ve still got it!”
The fans chanted “You still got it! You still got it!”
Darby: “So what do you say, Sting? Do you want to end your career as AEW World Tag Team Champions? It’s all you, man.”
Sting: “Alright, I’m all in.”
After a commercial break, AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill responded to Sting and Darby Allin backstage!
Big Bill: “Sting and Darby Allin, thank you for finally having the respect to address us by name. Thank you for having the respect to address us as the AEW World Tag Champions. And as far as your challenge goes, we accept your challenge.”
Starks: “It’s kind of fitting, Sting, that you started your career with me and a partner of mine in your very first match back after six years. And it’s very fitting that now and the best partner I have will be the end of you. You are not making it to Revolution, so you might as well pay us the proper respect that we deserve. Lay down so we can walk right over you and Darby Allin.”
AEW World Trios Championship Match!
The Acclaimed—Anthony Bowens & Max Caster and Daddy Ass (c.) (with ROH World Six-Man Champions Bullet Club Gold)
vs.
The Mogul Embassy—Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona, & “The Machine” Brian Cage!
Brian Cage rammed Caster in the corner with his shoulder. Caster dropkicked Cage. Bowens grabbed a tag and chopped Brian Cage. Bowens pounded Cage with elbows to the back of the head.
Toa and Kaun doubled teamed Bowens in the Mogul Embassy’s corner, utilizing rapid tags. Bowens tried for a tag, but Kaun and Toa pulled Daddy Ass and Max Caster off the apron. Toa ate an elbow strike from Bowens. Daddy Ass finally got a tag and cleaned house on the Mogul Embassy!
Daddy Ass got pounced by Toa. Bowens rocked Toa with a thrust kick. Caster struck Brian Cage with a backhand. Kaun nailed Caster with a shotgun dropkick. Prince Nana slid a steel chair into the ring. The ref was distracted by Prince Nana. Bishop Kaun was about to whack Billy with the chair, but “Switchblade” Jay White yanked the chair out of Kaun’s hand!
“The Bang Bang Scissor Gang, they’ve got each other’s backs,” said Excalibur.
The Gunns power bombed Prince Nana through the timekeeper’s table!
“They were right, perhaps there is strength in numbers. Bullet Club Gold the difference makers tonight,” said Excalibur.
Billy Gunn rocked Bishop Kaun with the Fame-Asser! Bowens blasted Bishop with the Arrival! Caster hit the Mic Drop and finished off Bishop Kaun for the pinfall victory!
Main Event Time!
“The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland vs. Minoru Suzuki!
Copeland and Suzuki slugged it out in the center of the ring. Copeland got his bell rung and collapsed to the mat. Copeland got back up and Suzuki crumbled him again with a solid forearm on the jaw. Copeland backdropped his way out of an attempted piledriver.
Copeland booted Suzuki through the ropes. Suzuki pulled Copeland onto the floor, but Copeland shoved Suzuki through the barricade. Copeland and Suzuki barely made it back into the ring, but they were able to break the ref’s count just in the nick of time.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Suzuki and Copeland were on their knees but exchanged stinging elbows. They got to their feet and traded open hand palm strikes, both men knocking one another down.
Tony Schiavone announced breaking news from Tony Khan! Two weeks away in Phoenix on Dynamite it’ll be AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill defending their titles against Sting and Darby Allin!
Suzuki had Copeland on spaghetti legs after more open palm strikes. Copeland spiked Suzuki with the Impaler! Copeland tried for a spear, but Suzuki countered with an arm bar! Copeland reached the ropes, forcing the ref to break up the hold.
Copeland speared Suzuki but Suzuki kicked out at the two-count! Suzuki locked in a rear naked sleeper! Copeland was fading fast. Copeland got to his feet and smashed Suzuki into an exposed turnbuckle corner. Copeland cracked Suzuki with the Killswitch, sending a clear message to Christian Cage! Copeland covered Suzuki and scored the pin!
TNT Champion Christian Cage was seen watching on a monitor backstage.
“Christian Cage looks discussed seeing that,” said Taz.
Copeland asked for a microphone.
Copeland: “I’ve never been hit that hard in my life. Suzuki, respect.”
Copeland offered his hand to Suzuki. Suzuki growled and walked away, not taking the loss easy.
Copeland: “I would have been disappointed if he did shake my hand. That was a war. The kind of war that Christian Cage knows nothing about. Christian, I am still coming for you!”
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, LA!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT featuring:
-Anna Jay vs. Ruby Soho!
-Konosuke Takeshita vs. Christopher Daniels!
-Jon Moxley vs. Lee Moriary!
-Freshly Squeezed 4-Way! Kip Sabian vs. Komander vs. The Butcher vs. AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo! Winner gets a shot at the AEW International Championship this Saturday on Collision!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City, LA:
-AEW International Championship Match! Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. Winner of Freshly Squeezed 4-Way on Rampage!
-Serena Deeb’s First Match Since 2022!
– “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Yuji Nagata!
-Mariah May vs. Lady Frost!
-The Escape The Cage Elimination Match! FTR & Daniel Garcia vs. House of Black!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!
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!
Kicking off the first Dynamite of the new year… “The Devil” Adam Cole came to the ring to explain his shocking betrayal of MJF!
Cole was accompanied by Roderick Strong, Wardlow, and the ROH World Tag Team Champions—The Kingdom—Mike Bennett and Matt Taven.
Strong: “Everybody shut up and listen to my best friend Adam!”
Cole: “You guys don’t have sympathy for me? I find it ironic that so many people were shocked by what happened at Worlds End, which means you’re all stupid, and you don’t know right from wrong. You think we’re the bad guys because we betrayed MJF? The guy who has run his mouth about everyone in the locker room and all of you fans? If that makes me the devil, then buy me a first class ticket straight to hell.
“MJF is a narcissist. The only person that MJF cares about is MJF. And he’s had his claws hooked in AEW for far too long. And I think it’s a time for a change. Someday most of that locker room will thank me. Hell, someday Tony Khan will thank me because MJF is gone and he’s never coming back.
“There’s a lot of reasons why I did what I did. MJF would have done the same to me, I just beat him to the punch. Adam Cole never needed MJF. MJF needed Adam Cole. I sacrificed everything for that friendship. That’s how I broke my ankle. I’m the one that lost something! Not him!
“MJF needed Adam Cole. None of you would have been cheering for MJF without Adam Cole. Better Than You BayBay—that’s me. In the beginning this was all about the AEW World Championship. But then it turned out to be something more. This is about ripping out a man’s heart and bringing him to his knees. MJF is dead!
“I’ll tell you who is very much alive. That is the Undisputed Kingdom. And aside from our disdain for the guy who doesn’t work here anymore, that is to win championship gold. We have the ROH World Tag Team Champions The Kingdom. My real best friend Adam Cole who is going to go after the International Championship. And Wardlow, finally with a group who respects him, he will go after the AEW World Championship. And when the time is right, Wardlow will forfeit the AEW World Championship and give it to me.
“And speaking of that, congratulations to Samoa Joe. It was a real pleasure doing business with you. It was a pleasure to take out Hangman Adam Page. And by the time Wardlow is ready, I hope you are not the AEW World Champion, because it would suck to hurt you as a friend. AEW needed change and we gave it to you. The Undisputed Kingdom starts a new era, and the devil is here to stay, baybay!”
“Switchblade” Jay White walked onto the ramp!
Jay White: “My good friend Adam Cole, baybay. Or as we now know you to be, the Devil, huh? I’m glad to see you haven’t lost your edge after all. What I don’t like is being collateral for your cause and for making me the catalyst when you had your friends jump me. And I’m not alone.”
Colten and Austin Gunn came out and the Gunns and Jay White jumped into the ring and began brawling with the Undisputed Kingdom! Bullet Club Gold were outnumbered until The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass charged to the ring! The Undisputed Kingdom retreated!
“The Acclaimed came to the aid of Bullet Club Gold is not how I expected to begin this year,” said Excalibur.
AEW International Championship Match!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. Top Flight’s Dante Martin!
Dante and Orange exchanged pinning combinations at the start of the match. They continued to chain wrestle. Dante remained composed despite facing the veteran Cassidy. Dante applied a deep cradle for a near fall, and then Orange slid out of the ring to slow down Dante’s momentum.
Cassidy baited Dante to the outside and then followed up with an elbow suicida. Orange rammed Dante into the steel barricade. Cassidy ran towards Dante Martin and dropkicked him. Dante reversed a suplex attempt and nailed Orange with a snap suplex onto the arena floor. Dante flew at Cassidy with a tope suicida, pushing the pace. Dante followed up with a springboard crossbody press for a two-count.
“When Dante gets up in the air it’s almost like time stops for a moment,” said Taz.
Dante began to play mind games with the champ, brushing him with light kicks and strikes. Cassidy had enough and connected with a thrust kick. Cassidy stomped at Dante in the corner, the intensity picking up with each subsequent strike. Cassidy spiked Dante with a DDT for a near fall!
“That was a crazy landing on that DDT! Talk about an exclamation point,” said Taz.
Orange blasted Dante with a diving DDT, driving Dante’s head down into the mat, good for another near fall. Dante ducked an Orange Punch. Dante escaped the Beach Break and then rocked Orange with a knee strike to the face! Dante hit a senton to Orange’s back. Dante climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Cassidy rolled, trying to get out of the ray. Dante walked the ropes and flew across the ring, splashing Orange! The champ moved out of the way of a senton. Orange crushed Dante with the Orange Punch and then pinned Dante!
FTW Champ Hook and Danhausen came down to check on Orange Cassidy, while Action Andretti and Darius Martin came to collect Dante. Orange offered his hand to Dante and shook it, showing good sportsmanship.
Private Party—Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen made their returns!
Marq Quen: “Allow me to reintroduce ourselves! We’ve been keeping tabs on the tag division. The tag division has been missing some flavor! And most importantly the tag division has been missing Private Party!”
Isiah Kassidy: “We’re putting every tag team on notice. That means all of you, FTR, the Young Bucks, and the Hardys. We say new year, new champs!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm and Luther the Butler!
Toni: “This isn’t New York. This is New Jersey. I belong on Broadway. So, I’m going to call it a night. I’m not going to watch Mariah May’s debut. She needs to pay her dues, and what better way than wrestling in New Jersey!
Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews accepted FTR’s challenge!
The House of Black said if they beat FTR, Cash and Dax would need to disown their family and walk back with their new family—the House of Black! It’s set for this Saturday live on Collision!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland!
Prince Nana: “Daniel Garcia is a respected competitor, but does he know he’s getting into the ring with the boss of bosses?”
Swerve: “Earlier tonight Daniel was talking about big pressure. It’s not about making diamonds with us, it’s about making pain. And in 2024 I’m looking for championship gold. So, I guess it’s up to you, Samoa Joe, so be ready!
Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata!
Mariah May blasted Queen Aminata with an open palm strike. Mariah chopped at Aminata. Mariah followed up with a solid dropkick. Aminata was tied up in the ropes and Mariah May blasted her from behind with another running dropkick!
Queen Aminata fired back with a few slaps to Mariah’s face. Aminata kicked Mariah in the spine and then followed up with a running knee strike. Mariah May exploded out of the corner with a sling blade. Mariah finished off Queen Aminata with the May Day and pinned Aminata!
Renee Paquette interviewed Mariah May in the ring after the match.
Mariah May: “I can’t believe it! I won my AEW debut! I’ve wanted to be a wrestler since I was a little kid, so the fact that I’m in this ring on AEW is surreal to me. And I hope Miss Toni Storm is watching wherever she is. This is the first Dynamite of the New Year and it’s all about Mariah. But my only regret is we had to do this in New Jersey.”
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo walked down to the ring, upstaging Mariah May!
Deonna: “Renee, I’m sure you know this but I’m from New Jersey! And if Toni Storm doesn’t want to be here, then trust me, we all don’t want her here either. But Mariah, I have a message that you can pass along to Miss Storm. It doesn’t matter where she runs or hides, I will find her because Mariah I am All Elite! And we are in the Age of the Virtuosa!”
Mariah May: “Okay, well, Deonna, I’m not the messenger so tell her yourself!”
Mariah May slapped Deonna and Deonna slapped back, knocking Mariah off her feet!
2x TNT Champion Christian Cage gave his 2024 State of The Union!
Christian Cage came to the ring with Shayna Wayne, “the Prodigy” Nick Wayne, and Killswitch!
Shayna Wayne took the microphone from Tony Schiavone and addressed the fans. “You boo me? You boo a mother? How dare you? I demand you people get on your feet right now and pay respect to the greatest TNT Champion that ever lived, our father, “the Patriarch” Christian Cage.”
Christian Cage: “Tony, it has been 200 days since I won this championship on the very first episode of Collision. It has been an historic run for sure. And if you interrupt me again, I’m going to have Mother Wayne put you across her knee and discipline you.
“I went through a war at Worlds End and there are a few people I need to thank. First of all, Mother Wayne, for understanding the vision. A mother’s work is never done. Secondly, I’d like to thank my pride and joy, the apple of my eye, Nick Wayne, who put his body on the line. Adam Copeland tried to put Nick’s career to an end at the age of 18. I just want to say I love you, Nick.
“And lastly, I’d like to thank the man that sealed the victory at Worlds End, the man that put the final nail in the coffin that is Adam Copeland. I would like to thank myself!”
The fans chanted “Luchasaurus! Luchasaurus!”
Christian Cage: “I’d like to address Adam Copeland for the final time. I’ve beaten you twice. It’s to the back of the line and there’s no more title shots for you. I could make fun of you and say you grew up without a father. Or I could mention how your mother is no longer with us. But all I need to say is Christian Cage is superior to you. I’d like to think we left a little bit of our souls in the ring at Worlds End, but the difference is, one of us doesn’t have a soul. And that’s why I stand before you as the TNT Champion.
“So, this is a warning for anyone that has eyes for my TNT Championship. What happened at Worlds End is just a glimpse at what I’ll do to hold onto my title! This is the most important championship in this company. And I will remain the TNT Champion for as long as I want until I decide to hand off this title to Nick Wayne to carry on my legacy. We are the faces of AEW, now and forever!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with Harley Cameron, Saraya, and Ruby Soho!
Ruby thanked Harley for her help this past Friday.
Harley: “I’ll do anything!”
Saraya: “I said she’d do anything. I didn’t say she’d be sane.”
Saraya warned Harley to cool it. Renee wondered what was going on before the Outcasts walked off.
Darby Allin vs. The Don Callis Family’s Konosuke Takeshita!
Don Callis joined the commentary team for this match.
Takeshita grabbed Darby and planted him hard on the mat. Takeshita went for a wheelbarrow suplex, but Darby landed on his feet. Takeshita hit Darby with a big back body drop, with Darby arcing high into the air before crashing hard.
Darby rocketed out of the ring with a tope, but Takeshita countered with a wicked knee strike! Takeshita nailed Darby with a rolling German Suplex on the ramp! Darby managed to get to his feet and fly out of the ring with a tope like a human battering ram at Takeshita!
Takeshita countered the Code Red, planting Darby for a near fall. Takeshita was looking for a running knee strike in the corner, but Darby escaped the ring. Takeshita charged at Darby, but Darby dodged it, sending Takeshita crashing into the guardrail. Darby connected with a Coffin Drop on the outside!
“Darby will throw caution at the wind. He doesn’t care,” said Taz.
Darby was waiting for Takeshita as Takeshita entered the ring. Darby blasted Takeshita with a Code Red for a two-count. Darby went for another Coffin Drop but Takeshita lifted his knees, blocking the move and punishing Darby at the same time. Takeshita made Darby eat a lariat, dropping Darby. Don Callis signaled for Takeshita to finish it. Takeshita rocked Darby with a running boot in the corner. Takeshita hoisted Darby up on the top rope and followed up with an avalanche German Suplex! Takeshita connected with the power drive knee and then pinned Darby!
“A statement victory for the ‘Alpha’ to start the New Year,” said Excalibur.
After the match, Don Callis made a challenge! Callis invited Sting and Darby Allin to face Takeshita and Hobbs at Daily’s Place!
Continental Title Eliminator Match!
Trent Beretta vs. ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion Brian Cage vs. “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith vs. AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo!
The winner fights Eddie Kingston on Collision.
Danhausen was watching from ringside.
Brian Cage plowed into Trent and Bryan. Vikingo connected with a tope suicida to Cage. Keith clobbered Trent with forearms. Keith connected with a high boot to Trent’s jaw. Vikingo used a big arm drag on Bryan Keith.
Brian Cage blocked a hurracanrana from Vikingo and then Cage hurled Vikingo overhead. Trent jumped over the top rope and landed on Cage with a cross body on the arena floor. Cage stunned Trent with a brain buster on the floor!
Vikingo dropkicked “the Machine” from the top rope. Vikingo climbed to the top, but Bryan Keith stopped him with a jumping headbutt. Cage kicked Keith in the midsection. Trent threw Cage with a release German Suplex from the top and then connected with a running knee strike.
Cage power bombed Trent for a near fall. Danhausen jumped into the ring and cursed Cage. Brian Cage picked up Danhausen but Keith and Vikingo landed thrust kicks and took down Cage. Keith charged at Trent with the diving battering ram head butt for a two-count on Trent. Keith was looking for a Tiger Driver, but Trent countered, planted Keith and pinned him!
Trent has earned a shot at Kingston’s Continental Crown Championship this Saturday at Collision!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Daddy Magic to interview him when they were interrupted by “Hangman” Adam Page!
Adam Page: “A few weeks ago Samoa Joe had a bunch of goons put me through a car windshield. So, I am here tonight to beat somebody’s ass! And if I can’t find the World Champion, it’ll be Adam Cole. If it’s not Adam Cole, it’ll be you. I dare somebody to give me a reason!”
Main Event Time!
Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. Daniel Garcia!
“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard joined the broadcast team for this match.
Swerve knocked Garcia to the mat with a shoulder block. Swerve rolled up Garcia for a near fall. Garcia sent Swerve spilling to the outside with a jumping knee strike. Garcia whipped Swerve into the barricade. Garcia and Prince Nana had a dance off! Garcia heard Swerve coming up from behind, but Garcia was waiting for him and rammed him into the ring post.
Prince Nana grabbed Garcia’s boot. Swerve booted Garcia and then drilled Daniel Garcia with a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron! Swerve created distance with a European Uppercut. Garcia pounded Swerve down to the mat. Garcia dropkicked Swerve. Garcia grabbed a near fall after a stalling suplex on Swerve.
Swerve nailed Garcia with a back breaker. Swerve got into Daddy Magic’s face. Garcia bulldozed Swerve. Garcia put Swerve in the sharpshooter on the announcer’s table. Swerve managed to escape as they both rolled off the table and onto the floor.
Garcia superplexed Swerve back into the ring. Swerve hung on and served up a suplex of his own! Swerve had the upper hand, but just barely. Garcia grabbed Swerve by the wrists and yanked him right into a knee strike. Swerve lured Daniel into a flatliner! Swerve connected with the House Call, but Garcia kicked out at the two-count!
Swerve climbed to the top and crushed Garcia with the Swerve Stomp for another near fall! Garcia rolled up Swerve with a crucifix for a near fall. Swerve cracked Garcia with the House Call and finished off Garcia with the JML Driver, pinning Garcia!
“Is 2024 going to be the year of Swerve Strickland? He put AEW World Champion Samoa Joe on notice,” said Excalibur.
Swerve offered his hand to Garcia, and as Garcia went to accept, Prince Nana clocked Garcia with a low blow! Daddy Magic had enough! Daddy Magic began to bludgeon Swerve with strikes until Swerve kicked him low. “Hangman” Adam Page stormed to the ring with purpose! Page struck Swerve and they began to brawl, both men throwing bombs! Security tried to separate the two men! Page broke free and jumped on Swerve! Page was peeled off Strickland. Then Swerve broke free and lunged at Page until they were pried apart again!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE: Holiday Bash was broadcast from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK!
Your broadcast team was Excalibur, “The Ocho” Chris Jericho, and Tony Schiavone!
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
AEW International Championship Match!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) (with Trent) vs. Rocky Romero!
Cassidy hit a dropkick but Rocky came back with a step up hurracanrana. Rocky followed up with a tope suicida! Rocky jumped off the steps and connected with another hurracanrana on Orange! Rocky connected with two clotheslines, but Orange countered the third attempt with a rollup for a near fall.
Orange charged off the turnbuckles and nailed Rocky with a swinging DDT. Orange connected with a diving crossbody press off the top rope. Rocky rallied back with a vertical suplex. Rocky rocked Orange with a snap suplex on the edge of the ring!
Rocky and Orange exchanged forearms in the center of the ring. Orange clobbered Rocky with a thrust kick and then the Orange Punch out of nowhere! Both men collapsed to the mat, so Orange couldn’t capitalize.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Orange began to stomp Rocky and then knocked Rocky for a loop with a running PK kick! Rocky jumped up and landed a sliced bread on Orange Cassidy. Rocky hit a DDT and then a Strong Zero on Orange for a two-count!
“I think there’s a lot of conflict going on in Trent,” said Excalibur.
Orange avoided a knee strike from Rocky. Orange countered with the Orange Punch and then the Beach Break and pinned Rocky!
Orange, Trent, and Rocky hugged after the match! They’ve got to give the people what they want!
Tony Schiavone interviewed former TBS Champion Kris Statlander backstage!
Kris: “Willow and I have been through a lot and whatever might have slightly gone off the rails, we got them right back on track. No hard feelings. We’re a team and we’re stronger than ever. Nothing can come between us.”
Stokely Hathaway walked onto the set and interrupted Kris!
Stokely: “You know what’s crazy? The fact that Willow has been telling everyone that she carried you on Saturday. That if it wasn’t for her, you two would have lost on Collision.”
Kris: “Interesting. Is that what she said?”
Stokely: “Oh yeah. And the other thing that’s crazy about AEW is the fact that everyone feels like they need to be in a group or in a faction. Yeah, that may work temporarily, but long term, it does not. And trust me, I know. So how about tomorrow morning you look in the mirror and I want you to see the Kristen Statlander that I see, the former TBS champion, the woman who could do anything on the roster if she set her mind to it. But listen, if you want to hang out with Willow, Orange Cassidy, and Danhausen, that’s on you. What do I know?”
Tony Schiavone: “Do you believe that?”
Kris: “Did he call me Kristen?”
Tony: “Yeah.”
Kris: “That’s not even my name.”
Prince Nana was backstage with “The Machine” Brian Cage!
Nana: “This Saturday it’s the Vanilla Gorilla going up against that fool Keith Lee!”
Cage: “I’m in a hell of a mood! You know why, Nana It’s Christmas time! And I must have been an extra good Machine because Santa is bringing me a giant-sized gift—Keith Lee! And don’t worry, Keith, it’s better to give than to receive. So, I’m going to return the favor and give you a giant-sized ass-kicking in front of the world on Collision!”
The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett (with Roderick Strong)
vs.
The Hardys—Jeff & Matt!
Matt Hardy drove his shoulder into Matt Taven in the corner. Hardy backdropped Taven. Jeff tagged in and hit a leg drop and a splash on Taven for a near fall. Matt and Jeff used tandem offense on Taven. Finally, Taven kicked Matt in the back of the head and tagged out to Mike Bennett.
Mike Bennett slugged Matt Hardy, but Matt tagged Jeff. Jeff jumped off Matt’s back and splashed Bennett in the corner. Jeff climbed to the top rope, but after some interference from Taven, Bennett knocked Jeff off his perch.
Matt Hardy tagged in and began to repeatedly send Taven’s face into the turnbuckles. Matt Hardy power bombed Taven out of the corner! Bennett ran in the ring and Matt Hardy retaliated with a Twist of Fate. Matt followed Taven out of the ring and sent Taven flying over the timekeeper’s table! Matt Hardy whipped Bennett into the steel ring steps. Matt Hardy grabbed a chair, but the ref pulled it away. Matt Hardy got back into the ring and began to argue with the ref, but Taven snuck up behind him and rolled up Matt Hardy for the pin!
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Ruby Soho!
Ruby: “I haven’t had any time to speak with Saraya since her loss to Riho.”
Angelo Parker walked onto the set and began flirting with Ruby.
Parker: “Look, I’ve been trying to get some alone time with you for a really long time. It’s the Christmas season, there’s magic in the air. I know this is the time of year when you just ask for what you want, so, Renee, could you do me a big favor and ask me what I want for Christmas?”
Renee: “What do you want for Christmas?”
Parker: “I would love to take this beautiful lady out for a drink tonight.”
Ruby: “Wow, um…”
Saraya interrupted!
Saraya: “Ruby! I’m wearing my comfy sweater and I’m not here to fight right now. I just want to say I’m so sorry. I am so sorry, Ruby. You are so right. I need you. I absolutely need you. And if that comes with him, then I am all for it. I like this actually. I support this. I love what’s happening. I know you guys have some plans tonight, but I actually have some Christmas gifts for her, if that’s all right. But yeah, it’s in the locker room. And Renee, you too. There’s some gifts in there for you guys. Go ahead. I just want to have a chat with him.”
Renee and Ruby left to go get their presents, leaving Saraya with Angelo.
Parker: “It means a lot that you’re coming around…”
Saraya: “Listen here you piece of crap. She’s my friend. She’s mine entirely. I know what you’re trying to do, and you cannot have her. Do you understand me?”
Parker: “She’s yours for now.”
Saraya: “No. For always. I hate you.”
Skye Blue vs. Queen Aminata!
Skye and Aminata traded hard forearms. Aminata headbutted Blue. Aminata cracked Skye with a twisting neck breaker. Skye Blue drove Aminata face first onto the ring apron, looking at the camera with disdain.
Aminata sent Skye flying with a German Suplex. Aminata rammed into Skye with a modified hip attack and then a running boot for a two-count on Skye. Aminata was looking for the Best Moonsault Ever, but Skye avoided it and blasted Aminata with a thrust kick. Skye Blue sat out with a TKO and then forced Aminata to tap out with a dragon sleeper!
“Something more for Thunder Rosa to think about tomorrow ahead of Collision,” said Excalibur.
Main Event Time! AAA Mega Championship Match!
El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus!
Vikingo avoided a power bomb attempt early on. Black Taurus applied a side headlock, but Vikingo fought out of it. He charged at Black Taurus, but Taurus rammed Vikingo with a shoulder block.
The fans chanted “Lucha! Lucha! Lucha!”
Vikingo cracked Taurus with a pump kick. Black Taurus retaliated with a flurry of offense and then put an exclamation point on it with an elevated Samoan Drop! Vikingo hit a springboard dropkick, but Taurus shrugged it off. Taurus blocked a poison rana and followed up with a tope!
“Wow! Deceptively agile,” said Chris Jericho.
Vikingo shoved Black Taurus into the steel ring post! Vikingo flew over the top rope, but Taurus caught him! Vikingo escaped and powerslammed Taurus on the arena floor! Vikingo walloped Taurus with a sky twister press to the floor!
Vikingo performed a rope walk and then followed up with a poison rana on Black Taurus! Vikingo spiked Taurus with a crucifix bomb! Black Taurus found the strength to gore Vikingo!
Appreciative of the state of the art pro wrestling being displayed in front of them, the fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Black Taurus press slammed Vikingo off the top rope for a near fall! Taurus decimated Vikingo with a powerbomb to the knee and then a discus lariat for a two-count! And now the crowd was chanting “Fight forever!”
Vikingo charged off the ropes and flipped over Taurus and transitioned into a power bomb. Vikingo rammed into Taurus with running knees. Vikingo lowered his knee pads and cracked Taurus in the back of the head again! Vikingo splashed Taurus with the 630 senton and pinned Black Taurus!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!
Don’t miss AEW Collision: Holiday Bash on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX featuring:
-TBS Champ Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Thunder Rosa & Abadon!
– Continental Classic Blue League Match!
Andrade El Idolo vs. ROH World Champ/NJPW Openweight Champ Eddie Kingston!
-AEW World Trios Championship Match!
The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass (c.) vs. Top Flight & Action Andretti!
– Continental Classic Blue League Match!
Daniel Garcia vs. Brody King!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
The points portion of the Gold League came to a conclusion this past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, and surprisingly, the finals will be a Three Way between Jon Moxley, Jay White, and Swerve Strickland! That takes place next week in Orlando, as will the Blue League Finals once they are set in San Antonio this Saturday! We also saw Riho earn the right to face “Timeless” Toni Storm at WORLDS END for the AEW Women’s World Championship, and the mystery of The Devil’s identity continued as they issued a challenge for the ROH World Tag Titles to MJF and Samoa Joe!
This Friday night RAMPAGE is coming from Oklahoma City and gets underway at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features quite an array of bouts! AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy puts his title on the line against CHAOS ally Rocky Romero, The Kingdom clash with The Hardys, Skye Blue will be in action, and AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo clashes with Black Taurus in a rematch of their amazing FINAL BATTLE 2023 title bout! Before the show starts, swing by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Rocky Romero
Well it certainly did not seem like Rocky Romero intended to challenge his own friend for a title, but his innocent usage of the world “international” seemed to indicate otherwise to reigning AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, and now we have ourselves a championship fight this Friday night on RAMPAGE!
For two years now, Rocky Romero has been both friend and ally to OC, their mutual connection in Trent Beretta effectively making Cassidy and Chuck Taylor members of CHAOS, and as partners in several trios and multi-man matches, they’ve been quite successful together! But this is the first time the two men have ever stood on opposite sides of the ring, and though Romero may not have intended to end up in this situation, that doesn’t mean he’s going to let a championship opportunity slip away! Having recently had his CMLL Historic Welterweight Championship reign ended by Mascara Dorada, Rocky is hungry to put gold back around his waist, it’s just unfortunate that it might have to be at the expense of his own friend’s title run. Still, it’s not the first time Orange has been in that position, he did fight Trent Beretta over the International Championship during his first reign and their relationship survived the fray, no doubt the same will be true for that of Cassidy and Romero…
TAG TEAM BOUT…
The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. The Hardys (Jeff & Matt)
2023 has been a rather frustrating year for The Hardys; the multi-time championship duo have won just one tag team bout, a non-televised Three Way with The Butcher & The Blade and Angelo Parker & Matt Menard, but have yet to get a televised victory in 2023 with just one more week to go. They’ve had some success in Trios and Multi-Man matches, but the thing that has always been their bread and butter has eluded them this year.
It what could be their last chance this year to get back on track, Matt and Jeff will go head-to-head with The Kingdom of Matt Taven and Mike Bennett this Friday night on RAMPAGE! There’s plenty of history between The Kingdom and Matt Hardy, Matt was actually one of the founding fathers of the group in Ring of Honor back in 2014, but this will be their first traditional tag team clash here in All Elite Wrestling! Back in September, as part of RAMPAGE: GRAND SLAM 2023, both teams took part in the ROH World Tag Title #1 Contender’s match won by The Righteous, but that’s been their only interaction here. May 2022 saw the two teams collide outside of AEW, a bout won by The Hardys, and until this Friday night, it’s their only fight!
So will this be the chance for The Hardys to get it together, or will The Kingdom add another win to their five consecutive victories?
AAA MEGA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus
At FINAL BATTLE 2023, El Hijo del Vikingo successfully defended his AAA Mega Championship against Black Taurus in one of the most amazing spectacles to ever take place inside a ROH ring, and given the 20+ year history of the company, that’s saying quite a lot!
This Friday night on RAMPAGE, in the main event of the evening, Black Taurus will have a second chance at dethroning Vikingo and ending this epic reign as it draws closer to breaking Kenny Omega’s 765-day record. This bout comes just 24 hours after Vikingo and Komander competed in tag team action during ROH ON HONOR CLUB, and his fourth match in just one week for AEW/ROH. For as amazing an athlete as El Hijo del Vikingo is, eventually even the greatest runs come to an end, and taking into consideration how often the man competes, it is amazing he’s continued to reign for as long as he has! Will this Friday night be the end of the road for Vikingo, or will he find another way to put down Taurus like he did at FINAL BATTLE 2023?
Much to the shock of the AEW faithful, Skye Blue has apparently sided with TBS Champion Julia Hart in opposition to “The Living Dead Girl” Abadon. Everyone knew that Skye had been somewhat changed by her previous encounters with the Princess of the Black Throne, that her exposure to Hart’s mist fundamentally shifted something within the young woman, but Skye’s previous actions seemed to indicate that she remained on the side of the angels.
Last week, as seen in the video above, that all fell to the wayside when Skye interrupted Abadon’s attack on Hart not to join in on the situation, but rather to turn the tables on Abadon at the side of the TBS Champion. This Saturday on COLLISION, Skye and Hart will have to face the wrath of Abadon and the returning Thunder Rosa, but Friday night, Skye will be in singles action as she prepares for whatever war may come to San Antonio!
RAMPAGE is coming to you from the home of the Oklahoma City Thunder this Friday night beginning at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy defending his title against Rocky Romero, El Hijo del Vikingo putting his AAA Mega Championship on the line in a FINAL BATTLE 2023 rematch with Black Taurus, Skye Blue in action, and The Kingdom taking on The Hardys! Prior to the start of the show, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
El Hijo del Vikingo Soars Into TNA Wrestling at Hard To Kill & Snake Eyes News / December 14, 2023 / by IMPACT Wrestling Staff Order Hard To Kill Get tickets As revealed on the…
Sabin, KUSHIDA & Vikingo Clash for the X-Division Title at TNA Hard To Kill News / December 15, 2023 / by IMPACT Wrestling Staff Order Hard To Kill Get tickets Chris Sabin will be one…
DYNAMITE was absolutely action-packed this past Wednesday with three Gold League bouts, one Blue League contest, and several other exciting bouts as AEW heads towards WORLDS END on December 30th! Jon Moxley took the top spot in the Gold League with 12 points after his victory over Swerve Strickland, while Rush added three more points to his total after beating Jay Lethal, and Jay White also scored another trio of points after topping Mark Briscoe. Meanwhile, in the Blue, Brody King fell to Andrade El Idolo to put the latter competitor on top of that bracket with every man now having competed in three bouts.
We also learned that The Golden Jets will take on AEW World Tag Champions Big Bill and Ricky Starks at WORLDS END, fans witnessed Adam Page have a heated confrontation with Samoa Joe and then best Roderick Strong in the opening match of the night, only to be laid out in the parking lot during the closing moments of DYNAMITE.
This Friday night RAMPAGE hails from Arlington, TX and begins at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features an intriguing collection of matches! AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy teams with The Von Erich’s to take on Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and Jaker Hager in Trios action while Anna Jay and Red Velvet go head-to-head for the first time since 2020! Plus, The Don Callis Family will be in tag team action and, in the main event, Top Flight and Action Andretti will finally lock up with Penta, Vikingo, and Komander in their much anticipated Trios bout!! Before the show begins, make a point to drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to get up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
TRIOS MATCH…
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy & The Von Erichs (Marshall & Ross) vs. Angelo Parker, Jake Hager, & Matt Menard
The history of the Von Erichs in Texas is well known to wrestling fans around the world, and the newest generation of the fabled grappling family is set to make their first in-ring appearance for All Elite Wrestling this Friday night on RAMPAGE!
The issues between AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and the former J.A.S. members have been growing for several weeks, in fact it was only a couple weeks ago that he teamed with HOOK, Danhausen, and Trent Beretta to defeat Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, and The Dark Order, and on the Thanksgiving Eve DYNAMITE that he, Shibata, and HOOK bested Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and Jake Hager.
But like a bad penny, they keep turning up in OC’s life, and this time the AEW International Champion is bringing some hometown help from Ross and Marshall Von Erich! The sons of Kevin Von Erich, Ross and Marshall have been competing for eleven years, learning from their father as well as the legendary Harley Race, and spending time in the Pro Wrestling NOAH Dojo under Naomichi Marufuji. They are multi-time tag champions over the course of their career, certainly experienced competitors, and strong partners for “Freshly Squeezed” in this Trios bout.
But not being one of OC’s regular partners like Trent Beretta, Danhausen, Chuck Taylor, or even HOOK, how will they gel on this first outing? Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, and Jake Hager have been together virtually every week of their life for the last year and a half, but their current situations have not led to a great deal of success for any of the men. Can they take advantage of the inexperience of Orange Cassidy’s trio to get back on track?
ONE-ON-ONE…
Anna Jay vs. Red Velvet
It has been over three years since the last time Anna Jay and Red Velvet locked up as foes. That night, the September 1, 2020 edition of AEW DARK, it was Anna Jay who scored the victory and the two women would not share the ring again until last year on the 2/21/22 edition of DARK: ELEVATION, only that night it would be as partners in a Trios match, scoring victory alongside Tay Melo.
This Friday night on RAMPAGE, these two women, each looking to get their career back on the right track, will lock up in a rematch of that 2020 bout! Anna Jay is trying to focus on her career while dealing with her friends problems, Red Velvet is freshly returned from a long injury layoff and trying to get back in the mix, that makes this a must-win bout for both!
TRIOS MATCH…
Action Andretti & Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) vs. El Hijo Del Vikingo, Komander, & Penta El Zero Miedo
This one stems from a challenge made by Penta El Zero Miedo, his way of welcoming Dante Martin back to the fight it seems, and perhaps a reminder that The Lucha Brothers were responsible for the gruesome injury he suffered at SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023. Top Flight and Action Andretti were more than willing to accept the challenge, and fans will be the ones lucky enough to experience it this Friday night on RAMPAGE!
Just look at the six competitors involved in this battle and one can predict the kind of insanity coming to TNT with this Trios bout! This is a “blink and you’ll miss it” kind of battle featuring six of the best high-flyers in professional wrestling today, and the kind of action you can only get with All Elite Wrestling!
ALSO FEATURING:
-The Don Callis Family of Kyle Fletcher & Powerhouse Hobbs!
RAMPAGE comes your way from Arlington, TX this Friday night starting at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and will bring the legendary Von Erich family to AEW where Ross and Marshall will united with AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy for Trios action against Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and Jaker Hager! We will also see The Don Callis Family in tag team action, Red Velvet take on Anna Jay, and, the trio of Top Flight and Action Andretti fighting with Penta El Zero Miedo, El Hijo del Vikingo, and Komander in a highly anticipated Trios bout!!
Prior to the start of the show, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live from the Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, PA!
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match!
The House of Black’s Brody King
vs.
The Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli!
Brody and Claudio, both known for their power, began the match by blasting one another with forearms. Brody hit Claudio with a lariat, not afraid to utilize the cast on his injured arm.
“I don’t know if this is for pride or what, but neither man is going down,” said Tony Schiavone.
Brody pump kicked Claudio, taking down Claudio with a big boot to the face. Claudio came back with a body slam and then knocked Brody over the top rope and to the arena floor with a clothesline. Claudio followed up with a running European Uppercut.
Claudio whipped Brody into the steel barricade. Brody charged back with a lariat and then removed the steel padding on the barricade. Brody hurled Claudio back into the exposed barricade. Back in the ring, Brody clobbered Claudio with a scoop slam and a running senton splash.
Claudio rallied back with European Uppercuts to Brody in the corner. Claudio went for the Giant Swing, but Brody pushed him away. Claudio shot back with a double foot stomp for a near fall. Claudio rocked Brody with a pop up European Uppercut!
“He lifted him a good two feet off the mat!” said Nigel.
Claudio grabbed Brody in the Giant Swing! Claudio applied a sharpshooter. Brody crawled to the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Brody managed to German Suplex Claudio and followed up with a running cannonball in the corner. He covered Claudio but Claudio kicked out at one! Claudio hit a Canadian Destroyer on Brody and covered him, but Brody kicked out at one!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Brody spiked Claudio with a piledriver for a near fall! Brody leveled Claudio with a massive lariat and pinned Claudio!
“I’m wondering if it may have been that cast on the forearm shot,” said Kevin Kelly.
Abadon vs. Kiera Hogan!
Hogan hit a shotgun dropkick on Abadon. Abadon battered Hogan in the corner. They charged at Hogan, but Hogan moved and connected with a thrust kick. Kiera Hogan followed up with a dropkick for a near fall. Abadon used a sidewalk slam on Kiera Hogan. Abadon stunned Hogan with a cutter!
Kiera Hogan nailed Abadon with a neck breaker. Abadon fired back with a knee strike. They planted Hogan hard on the mat with the Black Dahlia and pinned Hogan!
The arena lights went dark. When they came back on, TBS Champion Julia Hart was in the ring, smiling at Abadon. The lights went dark again, and this time, when the arena lights turned on, Julia had vanished!
Alex Marvez interviewed Samoa Joe backstage!
Samoa Joe was interrupted by Roderick Strong and the Kingdom!
Roderick Strong: “Joe, listen, I’m willing to forgive you for trying to end my career by trying to break my neck, not once, but twice. I know you have that World title match with Max, but this is clearly a trap. Max is the devil. But listen, my best friend Adam says he likes you, and you’re a good friend of his. So, it’s his best friend that makes you my best friend by proxy. Listen, Wednesday is just a set up. His goons are going to beat the crap out of you. He’s not even here right now. He’s probably plotting exactly how they’re going to do it. Will you listen to me?”
Samoa Joe smirked and walked off.
Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match!
Andrade El Idolo vs. Daniel Garcia!
Matt Menard joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Andrade applied a side headlock. Garcia shoved him off, but Andrade came off the ropes with a shoulder block. Andrade hit a big cross body press on Garcia. Andrade jumped over the top with a plancha to Garcia.
Garcia used a pair of dragon screw leg whips on Andrade. Garcia rammed Andrade into the barricade. Garcia climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Andrade shoved him off the perch. Garcia tumbled hard onto the arena floor.
Garcia rallied back, tying Andrade into the Tree of Woe and then hammering on Andrade’s knee. Garcia blasted Andrade with a running dropkick and then a brain buster for a near fall! Garcia missed a lariat and Andrade countered with two suplexes. Garcia escaped a third attempt from Andrade, jumping on Andrade’s back with a sleeper. Andrade climbed to the top rope with Garcia on his back. Andrade superplexed Garcia! Andrade followed up with a series of suplexes, an homage to Eddy. Andrade finished off Garcia with the flatliner and pinned him!
“Andrade cracks the scoreboard,” said Tony Schiavone.
Willie Mack was backstage with some words for Wardlow!
Willie: “See Wardlow, I know you’ve been going through a lot of things these past few weeks. But you don’t put your hands on my friends. So, I’m going to have to reach out and touch you. So next week, we’re going to have to do the damn thing in the ring. So, pack your lunch because I’m a big boy!”
Roderick Strong came to the ring with the Kingdom—Matt Taven and Mike Bennett!
Roderick Strong: “I just wanted to say something to Samoa Joe. Listen to me dude. Everything I said back there was true. Max is the devil, and you are going to find out very soon. Those three dweebs in the ring, Matt and Mike are going to beat their ass. And I want to dedicate this to my best friend, Adam, whether he wants me to or not!”
The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett
vs.
The Iron Savages— “Sauce Boss” Beefcake Boulder & “Dirty Bulk” Bronson!
Boulder knocked down both members of the Kingdom with a cross body. He choke slammed Bennett on the apron. Taven cracked Bronson with a thrust kick. Boulder tried for a moonsault, but Taven rolled out of the way.
Bennett nailed Bronson with a Death Valley Driver and Taven followed up with Just the Tip of the Knee strike! They spiked Bronson with a piledriver, and Taven scored the pin. Roderick Strong jumped into the ring after the match and wiped out the manager of the Iron Savages!
Lexy Nair was backstage with “All Ego” Ethan Page!
Ethan Page: “Ever since losing to MJF in my home nation of Canada, I have had to regroup. I have gotten into the best physical condition of my life. I’ve been in Ring of Honor racking up wins. I want to be the king of Canada. But right now, that crown is sitting on someone else’s head. I want you, Kenny Omega, next week on Collision!”
Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal
vs.
House of Black’s Malakai Black & Buddy Matthews!
Sydal jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Buddy grabbed him and nailed him with an elbow. Sydal fired back with a high kick to Buddy’s head. Daniels tagged in and they exhibited great tandem offense on Buddy.
Malakai wiped out Daniels with a moonsault to the floor! Sydal tagged in and connected with a missile dropkick on Black. Malakai cracked Sydal with an elbow to the back of the head. Buddy blasted Daniels with a meteora, and Sydal had the same idea, taking down Black with a meteora of his own!
Black swept out Daniels’ legs, and then Buddy curb stomped CD! Black ended it with a high roundhouse kick to Daniels’ head and pinned Daniels!
“That kick rocked the jaw of Christopher Daniels!” said Tony Schiavone.
The arena lights went out! They came back on and FTR’s music was playing! Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler walked to the ring!
Malakai Black: “Before you both do anything, I assume that the both of you are here because you joining the House of Black. The only people that have been here for the both of you is the House of Black. I have done a lot of things, but not once have I told a lie.”
Dax Harwood went to pick up the microphone and Buddy rushed in and kicked him. Dax was curb stomped. It was all a ruse by the House of Black. Buddy held down Dax, so he was forced to watch as Malakai Black cracked Cash with a roundhouse kick!
Malakai Black: “You see not one single person is coming for you. Boy, were my predictions right last week. No one is coming for you.”
Dax flipped off Black, and then Black rocked Dax with a devastating spin kick to the head!
Renee Paquette had an exclusive Collision interview backstage with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm!
Toni Storm: “Skye Blue, if I have any advice for you, it would be for you to walk backwards. Because the only time they have anything nice to say about you is when they are taking pictures of your bottom. You can be the first challenger for my belt!”
After a commercial break, Skye Blue responded to “Timeless” Toni Storm!
Skye Blue: “Toni, I have met you through every one of your phases, but this midlife crisis is the most pathetic one by far. But you haven’t met this Skye Blue. So, bring your little butler, bring your little blonde bimbo, and whatever 1940s crap you’ve got up that robe, because nothing is going to stop me from taking that championship.”
AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Kip Sabian!
Vikingo shocked Sabian with a kick and then an arm drag off the ropes. Vikingo went for a tope, but Sabian had an answer, drilling Vikingo with a stiff kick to the face. Kip followed up with an Arabian moonsault.
Vikingo connected with a spinning kick to Kip. He followed up with a torture rack knee lift strike to Sabian. Vikingo came off the ropes with a 360 phoenix splash from the other side for a near fall on Sabian!
Sabian climbed to the top turnbuckle and jockeyed for position with Vikingo. Sabian took down Vikingo with a hurracanrana. Vikingo rallied back with a tornillo from the top and then a running knee strike! Vikingo pinned Sabian after a 630 splash!
Lexy Nair was backstage with “Limitless” Keith Lee!
Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty interrupted Keith Lee.
Shane: “I know you’re not dumb enough to look past me. Last year’s tag match didn’t solve anything for me. So, I say this year we give the people the fight they really want to see. Shane Taylor versus Keith Lee one on one at Final Battle!”
Keith Lee: “Challenge accepted. And I’ll see you later, too, Lee Moriarty.”
Lexy Nair interviewed CJ Perry!
“The Redeemer” Miro interrupted, trying to walk past CJ and into the locker room of her client, Andrade El Idolo.
CJ Perry: “Miro, you can’t go in there. I know you think bad things will happen. I need to do this. You picked your god. And now I have to prove myself. By winning this tournament, I will start to be on that path that will help me. If you want to go in there, I can’t stop you, you’re a grown man. But please, if there’s any love that you have for me, please let me do this and find my own way. And if I mean anything to you, don’t lay a hand on my client. Can you please do that?”
Miro: “My god is gone. If he was still with me, I’d be in this tournament ripping the spine out of Andrade. But I promise you I won’t lay a hand on your client. You have my word.”
Main Event Time! Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match!
The Blackpool Combat Club’s “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson
vs.
ROH World/NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston!
Danielson fired off a chop to Kingston’s chest. Kingston retaliated, knocking Danielson off his feet! Danielson’s view was limited as he was wearing an eye patch over his injured eye. Danielson pulled back on Kingston’s arm, driving his knee into Kingston’s back.
Danielson German Suplexed Kingston. Danielson booted Kingston in the face. Danielson slid out of the ring but Kingston back suplexed Danielson on the arena floor! Danielson headbutted Kingston and dropped Kingston with a missile dropkick.
Danielson applied the Le Bell Lock. Kingston escaped, mounted Danielson, and began to ground and pound Danielson. Kingston cracked Danielson with a spinning back fist for a near fall! Kingston grabbed a two-count on Danielson after a vertical suplex. Danielson stunned Kingston with a round kick to the top of the head.
Danielson battered Kingston with a barrage of kicks. Eddie tossed Danielson with a half and half suplex. Danielson blocked a spinning backfist and then dumped Kingston on his head with a suplex!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Danielson grabbed Kingston’s wrists and began to stomp Kingston’s head! Kingston flipped off Bryan Danielson. Bryan nailed Kingston with the running knee strike and pinned Kingston!
“Beautiful in its brutality,” said Kevin Kelly.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN!
Yourbroadcast team was Excalibur and Tony Schiavone!
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
8-Man Tag Match!
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, FTW Champion HOOK,
Danhausen, & Trent Beretta
vs.
Angelo Parker & Matt Menard (with Jake Hager),
and The Dark Order—Alex Reynolds & Evil Uno!
Danhausen cleaned house on the Dark Order. Hook tagged in and suddenly things broke down into a donnybrook with both teams brawling. Menard nailed Hook with a backbreaker. Menard power bombed Trent. Cassidy came in, pushed the pace and DDT’ed Menard. Evil Uno ate a German Suplex from Danhausen. Hook sent Parker for a ride with a T-bone suplex. Hook followed up with a suplex to Evil Uno!
ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta walked onto the ramp and had a stare down with Hook. Menard blindsided Hook as Hook was looking at Yuta.
Wheeler Yuta joined the broadcast booth.
“Hook should really learn not to take his eye off the ball,” said Wheeler Yuta.
The Dark Order double teamed Hook with running lariats. Hook fought back and made a tag to Trent. Trent walloped Alex Reynolds with German Suplexes. Trent hurled Evil Uno overhead with a half and half.
Orange Cassidy tagged in and dropkicked both Dark Order members. Orange staggered Evil Uno with a Stun Dog Millionaire. Reynolds ran in and booted Orange in the face. Trent went to the aid of Orange and tossed Evil Uno with a release German Suplex from the turnbuckles!
Danhausen squared off with Matt Menard, cursing Menard. Danhausen pulled out Jake Hager’s purple hat from his trunks and began to wear it and taunt Hager! Jake Hager was livid, jumping into the ring and immediately spilling out on the opposite side as he charged (and missed) Danhausen. Hook applied Red Rum on Parker while Danhausen cradled Menard and scored the pin!
Renee Paquette was interviewing Anna Jay, Ruby Soho and Saraya backstage!
Angelo Parker ran back from his match and told Anna Jay he was ready to go, and it’d be a team effort. Anna Jay said she didn’t want him out there tonight for the match.
“This is why I love her! Isn’t she great?” said Saraya.
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview Sting and “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair!
Sting: “Lots of great memories here. Thank you for the memories, thank you Tony Khan, thank you Tony Schiavone, and the Nature Boy, Ric Flair!”
Ric Flair: “Wow! From 1972 to today and believe it or not, I’m still alive. And that’s saying a lot. Because I’ve covered a lot of ground and had a lot of fun. But there’s three or four people that are always going to be special in my life. Dusty Rhodes, Ricky the Dragon, and the guy I think I’ve wrestled at least 1500 times, Sting.
“To be back in my hometown and to be part of this ride. Think about the history of our business. I’ve been with him since ’88 and I’ll be with him until the end. And man, that doesn’t happen in real life, guys. And we’ve stayed as honest and as respectful with each other as the day we met, and that’s really unusual. We’re gonna dance all night and dance a little longer. Wooooo!”
The Don Callis Family—Powerhouse Hobbs, Konosuke Takeshita, & Kyle Fletcher (with Don Callis)
vs.
Three Local Wrestlers!
Hobbs, Takeshita, and Fletcher put on a total display of domination, planting their opponents hard onto the mat. Hobbs scored the pin with ease!
Don Callis: “Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, the Golden Jets! You put two of the greatest of all time in a tag team and what do you got? You’ve got a team that could be the most dominant of all time. I know that wins and losses matter here in AEW, but in the Don Callis Family, the only thing that matters is winning! The Don Callis Family will continue dominating until there is nowhere for the Golden Jets to hide in All Elite Wrestling!”
Footage played from earlier in the night of Prince Nana with “The Machine” Brian Cage and the Workhorsemen!
Prince Nana: “Hey Brian, it’s an unbelievable time for the Mogul Embassy! We have the Gates of Agony out in Japan, killing it! But tonight, I need to go ahead and hire some people to help us out. Tonight, I’m going to need the Workhorsemen’s services.
“This can be a huge opportunity for both of you guys to prove a point to Swerve Strickland and to the Mogul Embassy. I paid you guys, do the job tonight, and we’ll see if you can be a part of the team. I believe in you guys!”
Trios Bout!
Hikaru Shida, Kris Statlander, & Skye Blue
vs.
Anna Jay and The Outcasts—Ruby Soho & Saraya!
Kris powered Anna to the mat and tagged in Shida. Kris and Shida dropped a double elbow on Anna. Skye Blue tagged in and hit a spinning kick on Anna Jay. Shida and Saraya tagged in for their respective teams. Shida hoisted up Saraya in a torture rack.
Kris planted Saraya with a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Anna Jay ran in to break up the pin. Anna tried to apply the Queen Slayer on Statlander, but Statlander escaped. Shida cracked Saraya with a jumping knee strike. Anna walloped Kris with the Flatliner. Ruby Soho inadvertently kicked Anna Jay in the face. Statlander picked up Ruby Soho and planted her. Skye Blue pinned Soho with the Code Blue!
“At the end of the night it was Skye Blue and Kris Statlander working together,” said Excalibur.
Saraya grabbed Ruby by the hair and dragged her away.
Main Event Time! Trios Bout!
ROH World Six-Man Champion Brian Cage & The Workhorsemen—Anthony Henry & JD Drake (with Prince Nana)
vs.
El Hijo del Vikingo, Komander, & Penta El Zero Miedo (with Alex Abrahantes)!
Brian Cage suplexed Komander. Penta tagged in and hit a cross body on Cage from the top rope. Anthony Henry grabbed a tag and ate a missile dropkick from El Hijo del Vikingo.
El Hijo del Vikingo wiped out Henry with an implosion dragon rana. JD Drake grabbed a tag and invited Vikingo to chop him. Vikingo chopped Drake and left a handprint on Drake’s chest. Drake fired back and leveled Vikingo!
Penta and Komander dropped Henry and Cage with stereo thrust kicks. Komander dropkicked Cage out of the ring with a boost from Penta. Cage was taken down with a series of sling blades from Penta. He followed up with a DDT to the Workhorsemen!
Komander used a springboard lung blower on Cage, held him, and allowed Vikingo to drop down with a double foot stomp. Penta followed up with a foot stomp of his own onto Cage for a near fall!
“That’s an amazing escape by Cage because he was hit by all three men,” said Schiavone.
Komander jumped in but got shoulder blocked by Cage in mid-air. Cage monkey flipped Komander into the waiting arms of Drake, who power bombed Komander. Drake catapulted Komander into a thrust kick from Henry! Drake held onto Komander so Henry could drop a double foot stomp from the top rope on Komander. Henry covered Komander for the pin, but Vikingo broke it up!
Henry spiked Vikingo with a piledriver. Penta was there and grabbed Henry and drilled him with the Made in Japan! Drake ran in and wiped out Penta. Cage held onto Komander, and Henry tried to boot Komander in the head, but Komander ducked. Henry inadvertently hit Cage instead!
“A miscommunication there,” said Excalibur.
Cage was furious and rocked Henry with a discus lariat! Prince Nana and Brian Cage walked away from the ring, abandoning the Workhorsemen!
Penta smashed Henry with the Fear Factor! Komander flipped onto Henry with a splash. Vikingo finished off Henry with a 630 senton and pinned Anthony Henry!
“The short fuse of Brian Cage would ultimately lead to the win,” said Excalibur.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, PA!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Wednesday night was a wild on at the Target Center as the Gold League in the Continental Classic resumed action with three huge matches! Opening the night, Jon Moxley defeated Jay Lethal to mark himself the first competitor with six points in the league while Lethal continued without a point to his name. Then, fighting through tremendous pain, “El Toro Blanco” Rush managed to score his first 3 points over Mark Briscoe, leaving “The Sussex County Chicken” in the same boat as Jay Lethal. Finally, in the main event, Jay White and Swerve Strickland battled it out to see who would join Moxley with six point status, with the head of The Mogul Embassy notching the victory!
In addition, fans witnessed a tense confrontation between TNT Champion Christian Cage and Adam Copeland that has led to a championship bout next week in Montreal, saw Julia Hart retain her TBS Championship over Emi Sakura, and heard AEW World Champion MJF, whether Samoa Joe likes it or not, accept a challenge from The Devil!
Things are back to normal this Friday night as RAMPAGE begins at its regularly scheduled 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans. Drop by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, before showtime to up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this latest CONTROL CENTER!
EIGHT MAN ACTION…
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, FTW Champion HOOK, Danhausen, & Trent Beretta vs. The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & Evil Uno), Angelo Parker, & Matt Menard
This one is stacked! Last week we saw Danhausen return to the AEW stage to lend a hand to his friends and now he’s jumping right into the fray this Friday night on RAMPAGE alongside them! Orange Cassidy, HOOK, and Trent Beretta welcome Danhausen to the fight as they take on a very unlikely quartet in The Dark Order’s Evil Uno and Alex Reynolds who are joined by Angelo Parker and Matt Menard!
The Dark Order have had issues with Parker and Menard dating back at least two years so it will be quite intriguing to see how they work together despite those past problems, just as it will be interesting to see if the tensions between Parker and Menard swirling around the former’s…interest…in Ruby Soho interfere in their ability to function as a team. Oh, and what about that hat?
TRIOS BOUT…
Hikaru Shida, Kris Statlander, & Skye Blue vs. Anna Jay and The Outcasts (Ruby Soho & Saraya)
Just last week, on the Thanksgiving Eve edition of DYNAMITE, we witnessed Skye Blue take advantage of the Angelo Parker distraction and pin Anna Jay while Ruby Soho was otherwise occupied. To say all of this has been a major annoyance to Saraya and Matt Menard would be an understatement, and it has certainly cost all parties victories since it first began some weeks ago. The fact that Saraya is now going to play nice with Anna Jay, perhaps because Anna’s also the one for her group trying to keep focused, is not going to sit well with Ruby either, but that’s a bit of the case for both sides of this Trios contest.
Ever since Skye Blue was misted by Julia Hart, with the subsequent transformation that has stemmed from it, she and Kris Statlander have been at odds. They haven’t come to blows, save for the TBS Championship victory Stat holds over Skye, but they are certainly not the friends they were six months ago. That leaves Hikaru Shida as the woman whose responsibility it will be to keep her partners on the same page, and not let their personal issues get in the way of winning this fight. For at least five of the six women involved this is about getting back into championship contention, for Ruby Soho, well one can only speculate if her head is on business or more personal matters, but both trios are capable of great things if they can stay on a unified front. Will that be the case this Friday night on RAMPAGE, or will one teams problems sink this opportunity?
A MOGUL TRYOUT…
ROH World Six-Man Champion Brian Cage & The Workhorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake) vs. El Hijo del Vikingo, Komander, & Penta El Zero Miedo
With The Gates of Agony embroiled in New Japan Pro Wrestling’s 2023 World Tag League that lasts until December 10th, The Mogul Embassy is down a few soldiers, and Brian Cage is out his ROH World Six-Man Championship partners. For Prince Nana that means recruitment season is upon us, and it begins (possibly also ends) with The Workhorsemen of JD Drake and Anthony Henry getting their opportunity to impress!
Unfortunately for this newborn trio, they’ve got their handful with another rather nascent unit in the form of Lucha Libre’s finest: former ROH World Tag & AEW World Tag Champion Penta El Zero Miedo, AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo, and AAA World Cruiserweight Champion Komander! Now these three men have worked together before, but as a quartet with Rey Fenix on several ROH ON HONOR CLUB events, and they’ve also fought as foes on several occasions, though always for the competition rather than any animosity.
With the Lucha contingent clearly looking ahead towards Top Flight and Action Andretti, will they be focused on the task at hand? Or will fans see two new men join The Mogul Embassy should JD Drake and Anthony Henry impress the Prince?
ALSO FEATURING:
-The Don Callis Family in action!
-“The Icon” Sting & “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair!!
-And more!!!
RAMPAGE returns to its regularly scheduled 10pm ET/9pm CT time slot on TNT this Friday night, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and it is loaded with multi-man action all night long! Eight man tags, a huge Women’s Trios bout, The Mogul Embassy giving The Workhorsemen a tryout, and unfortunately Don Callis leading his “Family” into action! Be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, before showtime to up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this latest CONTROL CENTER!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN!
Excalibur and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event. They were joined by “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson as a guest commentator.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley vs. Jay Lethal!
Lethal and Moxley exchanged side headlock takeovers. Lethal slugged Moxley with a right fist. Lethal applied a figure four but Moxley rolled under the ropes and both men tumbled to the arena floor.
Jay Lethal rocketed outside with a tope suicida to Moxley. Jon Moxley fired back with a tope suicida of his own. Moxley was wrestling with a sense of urgency, while Lethal was showboating early on. Lethal retaliated with a knee breaker and a dragon screw leg whip, sensing Moxley tweaked his knee on the tope suicida landing.
Moxley scouted the Lethal Injection, but Lethal countered Moxley’s attempt at a jawbreaker with a knee breaker. Jay Lethal dropped an elbow off the top for a near fall.
“This is the Jay Lethal I want to see,” said Danielson.
Moxley nailed Lethal with a cutter. Moxley tried for a piledriver but Lethal pushed Mox into the turnbuckles. Lethal wrenched Moxley’s knee with a dragon screw off the ropes!
“This is a different Jay Lethal than we saw last week,” added Danielson.
Lethal and Moxley traded forearms. Moxley nearly decapitated Lethal with a King Kong lariat! Lethal blocked the Death Rider with the Lethal Combination. Lethal went to apply the figure four but Mox countered with a small package for a near fall.
Lethal locked on the figure four again. Moxley grabbed the ropes to force the ref to break the hold. Lethal swiped at Moxley’s knee with a kick. Moxley baited Lethal in and spiked him with a Paradigm Shift! Moxley hit the King Kong lariat and then a stuffed piledriver, but Lethal kicked out. Moxley transitioned into a rear naked choke and Jay Lethal tapped out! Moxley is the first man with six points in the tournament.
Tony Schiavone was backstage and announced Sting’s final match will be Sunday, March 3rd at the Greensboro Coliseum!
“Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Sting walked onto the set!
Sting: “March 1988, my very first World title match against Ric Flair, and I never would have guessed all these years later, I’d be standing here with Ric. The memories, that night, 45 minutes, draw, commercial free on TV. The big deal to me was I was in the ring with the Nature Boy Ric Flair. Thank you, Ric. He put me on the map. What a fitting place for me to end my career all these years later.”
Ric Flair: “Tony, just like before, the words cannot be spoken to the volume and the emphasis of what’s about to take place in Greensboro. Make no mistake. Sting made himself. I’m 74 years old, I’m lucky. I’m working for Tony Khan. I’m standing next to Sting. I’m honored to be there at your side. This will be one for the ages. Sting and the Nature Boy, and AEW, are coming to Greensboro. Wooooo!”
Sting: “It’s showtime!”
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Mark Briscoe vs. LFI’s Rush!
Both men charged at one another and began to fight. Rush landed a big strike. Mark followed up with a running dropkick. Mark unleashed rapid fire chops. Rush returned the favor to his opponent.
Rush kicked Mark in the spine. Mark jumped through the ropes with a dropkick, as Rush was playing to the crowd. Rush whipped Rush into the steel barricade. Mark back dropped Rush onto the top of the barricade. Mark dropped the Cactus elbow off the edge of the ring.
Back in the ring, Rush sent Mark flying with a release German Suplex. Mark threw his whole body into a vicious lariat. Briscoe baited Rush in and caught him with an exploder suplex. Rush rallied back with a belly to belly suplex.
Mark speared Rush for a two-count! Mark followed up with a neck breaker. Rush slipped free from the Jay Driller. Mark dropped Rush with a kick to the back of the head. Rush suplexed Mark off the apron and onto the arena floor!
Mark Briscoe smashed Rush with the Froggy Bow for a near fall. Rush fought out of the Jay Driller, backdropping Mark. Rush baited in Mark and suplexed Mark into the turnbuckles. Rush followed up with the Bull’s Horns, right on target, and pinned Mark!
“Rush is on the board!” said Excalibur.
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm was backstage!
Storm: “I’m feeling very fatigued after the championship celebration. I’ll be fine for my match next week!”
AEW World Champion and one half of the ROH World Tag Team Champions MJF came to the ring next!
MJF: “December 30th, World’s End, it’ll be Samoa Joe against yours truly for the AEW World Championship. When it comes to Samoa Joe as a person, I don’t like him. But professionally, I respect him. I respect what he’s done for this industry, and because he didn’t come here to line his pockets, but because he believes in AEW.
“Now back in the early 2000s, I remember getting a poster in my mailbox for TNA Wrestling. I tuned in and I couldn’t be happier. I saw the ‘Samoan Submission Machine.’ He looked unconventional, and he didn’t seem to care, and neither did we. Now unfortunately, later on in his career, his talents weren’t fully recognized, and he was not afforded the opportunity to be a world champion in WWE. But what Joe did, for this sport, was bigger than that.
“Samoa Joe proved you don’t have to be a massive, male model body builder to be a top guy in this sport. Samoa Joe broke the mold. He proved alternatives matter. And because of the roads he paved, it has allowed a man like me to stand in the ring in front of you today. Without a guy like Joe, there might not be an AEW. As much as it pains me to admit, thank you.
“I’m not too shabby myself, now am I? I managed to pave a road of my own. I’ve helped build a new alternative and I’ve helped build this place brick by brick. And I did that by defeating some of the biggest names in this industry. Guys like Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega, but of all the names I have had to face in this squared circle, the one name I look back on and say, not only was I lucky to be victorious, but I was also lucky to survive, that’d be you, Joe. Samoa Joe you are a wrestling legend. But December 30th is not about your wrestling legacy. December 30th is about my mine!
“December 30th is about can Max outlast the final boss of this sport one more time. So now, I’m going to make a promise. I’m going to make a promise to everyone watching at home and everyone in this arena. Joe, on December 30th, I don’t care if you beat me within an inch of my life, because I promise I am going to show the world it is not about the size of the dog in the fight, it is about the size of the fight in the dog! At World’s End, you are going to have to put me down!”
The arena went dark! Lights in the ring began to flicker. Men dressed all in black, their faces in black masks, with the devil logo on their backs, grabbed MJF and held him down. One of the men had a baseball bat and was about to use it on MJF!
Samoa Joe’s music hit! Samoa Joe sprinted to the ring and the men retreated!
A message on the screen read:
“In the shadows, our game begins. Next week, MJF & Samoa Joe…will you face the unknown in a tag match? Are you a hero, Max?”
MJF grabbed a microphone: “I’m so sick of your Scooby Doo BS! Let me explain something to you! I am not dealing with your crap when I’ve got Samoa Joe breathing down my back at World’s End. I am going to take out all of your men one by one. I am going to unmask you, you coward. And next week, you want a tag match? You’re one!”
Samoa Joe tried to calm down MJF and was upset when MJF accepted the challenge for next week.
Up next: Wardlow vs. AR Fox!
Fox jumped over the top rope and landed on Wardlow, but Wardlow seemed to shrug him off. Wardlow caught Fox and slammed him on the ring apron. Wardlow suplexed AR Fox back into the ring. Fox was sent flying from pillar to post!
Wardlow stalked his prey outside the ring. Wardlow threw AR Fox back into the ring. Wardlow tried to press slam Fox, but Fox escaped. Fox hit a 450 splash, but Wardlow kicked out right away! Fox booted Wardlow in the face. Wardlow absorbed it and then walloped Fox with a lariat.
Wardlow powerbombed AR Fox! Wardlow powerbombed Fox a second time! Wardlow climbed to the top and hit a huge senton on Fox! Wardlow powerbombed Fox again, and the ref stopped the match! Wardlow won via ref stoppage!
Trios Match!
Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin, and Action Andretti
vs.
The Hardys—Matt & Jeff, and Brother Zay!
Jeff and Matt used tandem offense on Action. Darius and Brother Zay tagged in. Zay crashed into Dante with a shoulder tackle. Darius dropkicked Zay. Dante tagged in and Dante splashed Zay with a stalling senton!
Matt Hardy drilled Action with a Side Effect for a near fall. Action countered a Twist of Fate and clipped Matt with a combo of moves, including a kick to the back of Matt’s head. Dante tagged in and springboarded onto Zay for a near fall. Top Flight had a flurry of offense on the Hardys.
The Hardys hoisted up Dante on their shoulders and Zay dropkicked Dante for a two-count. Dante pinned Zay after a German Suplex! Dante is back and better than ever!
After a commercial break, Renee Paquette interviewed Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti!
Penta El Zero Miedo, Komander, and El Hijo del Vikingo interrupted! It appeared Penta challenged Top Flight and Action Andretti to a trios match!
TBS Championship House Rules Match!
House of Black’s Julia Hart (c.) vs. Emi Sakura!
Emi Sakura picked the stipulation: the match cannot be won by submission.
Julia bashed Emi’s head into the turnbuckles, battering her in the corner. Julia charged into the corner with a lariat to Emi Sakura. Emi chopped at Julia.
Julia rocked Emi with a spinning kick to the head. Outside the ring, Emi reversed an Irish whip and sent Julia crashing hard into the ring steps. Emi followed up with a splash, sandwiching Julia against the ring steps!
Emi stunned Julia with a stalling back breaker! Emi applied the surfboard to Julia and then dropped her hard. Julia dodged a moonsault. Julia locked in the Heartless, but there is no victory via submission tonight. Julia clubbed Emi in the back of the head with a lariat. Julia moonsaulted Emi and pinned her!
RJ City interviewed Mariah May backstage!
Mariah May: “I know I’m the new girl, but I just came here from Stardom in Japan. I’m dying to show AEW what I can do.”
Mariah knocked on Tony Khan’s door and walked into his office.
TNT Champion “The Patriarch” Christian Cage responded to Adam Copeland’s challenge for next week’s Dynamite!
Christian Cage was flanked by AEW security in the ring.
Christian Cage: “What I’d like to do right now is go ahead and invite the Rated R Superstar Adam Copeland to this ring right now. Adam, I know you’re back there. I just want to speak to you about a few things about what you said last week. If you don’t mind making your presence felt, it’d be very much appreciated.
“Adam, I would like to speak to you in the ring, if you wouldn’t mind. If the truck can hit his music, something. Maybe I should come back there and speak to him then.”
Adam Copeland’s music hit, and Copeland stormed to the ring!
Christian: “Management wanted me to have this security. It wasn’t my idea. We don’t need security here tonight. So, I’m going to ask you gentlemen to vacate the ring.
“Last week you challenged me to a match to the TNT Championship December 6th on Dynamite. I’m here to tell you that we’re not going to make it to Montreal next week. We’re not going to make it because I’m sorry. Now look, I know what you’re thinking, that I’m only sorry because I’m on an island by myself. Last week you took out the Kill Switch. You took out the “Prodigy” Nick Wayne.
“I was so mad when you hit Kill Switch with two con-chair-tos, I ran out of my house and drove with the windows down. I just needed to think. It turned into a road trip of soul searching, digging down deep, trying to figure out how I became this guy who does and says such unsavory things. And then on that drive, it started to remind me of those times we borrowed my mom’s car.
“We didn’t care where we went. We were broke. We were having the times of our lives on the road, and we were going to make it. And did we ever make it! We went on to become multiple times tag team champions. The greatest tag team that ever lived. We both became multi time World champions. Take the wrestling part of our relationship away and it runs even deeper.
“Everyone knows you grew up with a single mom, Adam. Everyone knows you didn’t have a father figure. Yes, I’m the patriarch of AEW, but I am your brother. You might not have had a father, but in turn, my father became your father. To this day, he’s still your biggest fan. I’m just going to say, we weren’t just two random guys that were thrown together. I love you, man. We are family.
“And listen to me, when your mom passed away a few years ago, that was the hardest time of your life. But sometime before she passed, she said, ‘What I wouldn’t give to see you guys in that ring tagging one last time.’ And on my drive, I thought, let’s do it for her, let’s go on this journey again. For your mom! Let’s do it for her, man.”
Adam Copeland turned around to contemplate what he just heard from Christian Cage. Christian charged at Copeland, trying to strike with a cheap shot. But Copeland saw it coming and kicked Christian with a low blow!
Adam Copeland: “Nice try, dumb ass. Sit up when I’m talking to you. Shine this belt up real nice, because next week, she’s coming home with me! Oh, by the way, I almost forgot, go f—k yourself!”
Main Event Time!
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Swerve Strickland vs. Bullet Club Gold’s “Switchblade” Jay White!
Jay White went right after Swerve. White whipped Swerve into the steel barricade. Back in the ring, Jay White went after Swerve’s taped out shoulder. Swerve chopped Jay White. Swerve suplexed Jay right onto the top of the barricade.
Swerve jumped off the apron and stomped on Jay White’s spine. As Swerve was entering the ring, Jay White grabbed him and planted him with a DDT. Swerve got dropped on his head after a suplex from Jay White.
Swerve intercepted a chop and countered with a suplex to Switchblade. Swerve blasted Jay with a flatliner and followed up with a vertical suplex for a near fall. Jay White retaliated with a German Suplex. Swerve rallied back with a discus lariat!
“These two men! How incredible are these two men?!” said Danielson.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Jay White chop blocked Swerve’s knee. Jay White nailed Swerve with a uranage. Jay White applied an arm bar. Swerve escaped and blasted Jay with a kill shot to White’s arm. Jay White almost inadvertently collided with the ref. As the ref had his back turned, Jay White went for a low blow, but Swerve had it scouted! Swerve rocked White with a back breaker. Swerve hit the House Call on Jay White. Swerve connected with the Swerve Stomp, but Jay White kicked out at the two-count!
“You have to be impressed with Jay White’s resiliency here,” said Danielson.
Jay White shocked Swerve with the Blade Runner. Swerve was knocked out of the ring, perhaps a saving grace. Back in the ring, Jay chopped at Swerve, and Swerve fired back with his own shots. Jay White planted Swerve with a sleeper suplex! Swerve countered the Blade Runner, rolling up Jay White and pinned him!
“Impressive roll counter right there,” said Taz.
“Cerebral wrestling from Swerve,” replied Excalibur.
“That got him another three points to put him at six,” added Danielson.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, PA!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
After an impactful RAMPAGE Friday night in Oakland, All Elite Wrestling is right back at it this Saturday with a tremendous edition of COLLISION also emanating from The Oakland Arena! Friday we saw AEW World Tag Champ Ricky Starks conquer Preston Vance, albeit with a little help from his partner Big Bill, which brought Rush to the rescue. Plus, Ruby Soho got a surprise gift during the midst of her match with Red Velvet, a gift that very well may have cost her the match, and is clearly creating some issue within The Outcast members and the former J.A.S. To top it all off, FTR were victorious in a must-see classic against two of AAA’s finest champions in El Hijo Del Vikingo and Komander!
Now on Saturday night, we’ve got a huge Trios match pitting two nascent units against one another: The Righteous and Lance Archer clash with Adam Copeland, Darby Allin, and Sting as the latter trio prepare for their FULL GEAR 2023 battle! COLLISION is coming to you this Saturday night on TNT, beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT, so before the night begins swing over to the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
TRIOS BOUT…
Adam Copeland, Darby Allin, & Sting vs.
The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent) and “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer
In a week’s time, the trio of Darby Allin, Sting, and Adam Copeland will lock horns at FULL GEAR 2023 with TNT Champion Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and young Nick Wayne. Though that bout is rife with history, some of it dating back decades, this trios match taking place on Saturday night has history just over a week old.
Last Saturday night, after Darby found a way to best “The Murderhawk Monster”, Jake “The Snake” Roberts brought out The Righteous of Dutch and Vincent as his newest pieces of “artillery”, leaving Darby distracted and vulnerable for Archer to drop him with a Blackout. Still, ever resilient, Darby bounced back on Wednesday night to team with Sting for a victory over The Outrunners, looking battered and bruised but still quite game.
Still, between everything he’s gone through since Christian Cage’s merciless assault at WRESTLEDREAM 2003, particularly the fight with Lance Archer last week, Darby has to be feeling perpetual pain throughout his body. That doesn’t mean he’s going to stop the fight, after all Darby has friends to rely on, friends to count on, and friends to fight alongside both this Saturday night on COLLISION and next Saturday at FULL GEAR 2023 as well!
This Saturday will give everyone a taste of what this Copeland/Allin/Sting trio looks like in action, but so too will it give the world a look at the devastation that the Dutch/Vincent/Archer/Roberts quartet can unleash upon the world! Come to think of it, given the Jake Roberts and Sting dynamic involved here as well, this is a battle with roots thirty-plus years old, roots that ironically first grew in the Jacksonville Coliseum down in Florida…
ONE-ON-ONE…
Daniel Garcia vs. Andrade El Idolo
He’s been frustrated by the last several months of not getting to demonstrate his full potential, but last Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, when Daniel Garcia had the opportunity to fight MJF for the AEW World Championship, he finally got a chance to be the professional wrestler that fans have wanted to see for quite some time. The sports entertainer died, making way for one of the best technical wrestlers in the game today, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to bring Garcia the AEW World Title.
But Garcia isn’t crying over spilled milk; he allowed himself that privilege in the immediate aftermath of the loss to MJF, but clearly Daniel is ready to get right back on the horse and ride it straight into the toughest fights he can find.
So for this first foray back into the fray Garcia has picked himself quite the challenge; one of the hardest-hitting men in AEW, one of the most complete professional wrestlers competing today, none other than Andrade El Idolo! Andrade is coming off a classic fight with Bryan Danielson, albeit one he lost, and certainly looking to redeem himself from that defeat, but so too is he coming into the fight with the specter of CJ Perry hanging over his head.
Andrade has promised to answer Perry’s offer of managerial services, but will that pull the attention of “The Redeemer” Miro as it did when Ryan Nemeth and Action Andretti tried to acquire CJ’s services over the last few weeks?
IS HE CLEARED?
Roderick Strong vs. Darius Martin
Lexy Nair asked a perfectly reasonable question; is Roderick Strong even cleared to compete in All Elite Wrestling?After all, he’s been wearing this neck brace for a ridiculous amount of time and though the last nights have seen Roddy miraculously rip off the brace to do some damage to The Kingdom’s foes, he still wants to claim injury as much as possible.
Yet, when The Kingdom were confronted by Darius Martin and Action Andretti, it wasn’t Matt Taven and Mike Bennett who jumped up to fight foes who’d previously bested The Kingdom, but rather Roddy Strong who put himself out there for the fight!
Apparently, neck brace or not, this fight is going to take place on Saturday night’s COLLISION, Strong’s first bit of combat since his September 13th fight with Samoa Joe! Is Roderick Strong up for the task, or will Darius rise up and prove himself the better man?
The future of the TBS Championship hangs in the balance of this of this rematch from the September 27th edition of DYNAMITE! Their last fight took place just a few days after Julia assaulted, and misted, Willow prior to COLLISION on the 24th, and then when Willow Nightingale and Julia Hart collided on AEW’s flagship, it was The House of Black member who scored the victory with her impressive moonsault.
Unlike Skye Blue, Willow Nightingale was not changed by her exposure to Julia’s poison, but that doesn’t mean the former NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion doesn’t want revenge for all that’s been done to her and her friends. The fact that a future TBS Championship match hangs in the balance is icing on the cake, the cherry on the sundae, the prize awaiting the winner of this one-on-one fight!
Will Julia Hart get her rematch with Kris Statlander and put the fight with Willow to rest on Saturday night? Or will it be Nightingale who gets another shot at the TBS Championship, another opportunity to finally score that AEW championship victory that’s alluded her thus far?
TAG TEAM ACTION…
LFI (Dralistico & Rush) vs. The Workhorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)
It’s very clear that many forces are amassing to challenge Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team Championships, and despite the loss Preston Vance sustained at the hands of “Absolute” Ricky Starks on Friday night’s RAMPAGE, La Faccion Ingobernable are chief among those potential challengers. Whether it’s Rush and Vance, Rush and Dralistico, or Dralistico and Vance, LFI has designs on the titles, and nothing is going to stop these paragons of violence from getting what they desire.
With that in mind, the Dralistico/Rush pairing will be in tag team action against The Workhorsemen, a duo who had their brush with greatness several months ago the night they almost eked out a World Tag Team Championship victory over FTR. JD Drake and Anthony Henry have been craving that feeling ever since, and hope to get near to it once again by scoring a victory over LFI this Saturday night on COLLISION!
ALSO FEATURING:
-POWERHOUSE HOBBS IN ACTION!
-DALTON CASTLE VS. NICK WAYNE!!
-AND MORE!!!
Before the evening gets underway, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast live from the Oakland Arena in Oakland, CA!
Yourbroadcast team was Nigel McGuinness and Tony Schiavone!
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
AEW World Tag Team Champion “Absolute” Ricky Starks (with Big Bill)
vs.
LFI’s Preston Vance (with Jose the Assistant)!
Big Bill joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Vance pushed Starks into the corner turnbuckles. Preston Vance stomped on Starks. Preston Vance followed up with a big pump kick to Ricky Starks. Preston whipped Starks into the steel guardrail. Starks reversed things, ramming Preston into the steel ring post!
Starks suplexed Preston onto the entrance ramp! Back in the ring, Vance regained momentum by planting Starks with a massive spinebuster! Starks fired back with discus lariat. Preston tried for this full nelson, but Ricky countered with a cradle for a near fall.
Big Bill jumped up onto the apron and distracted Preston Vance. Starks seized the opportunity to spear Preston Vance and pin him! The AEW World Tag Champs double teamed Preston until Rush and Dralistico ran to the ring to even up the odds for their LFI partner Preston Vance. Big Bill and Ricky Starks quicky retreated out of the ring!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Chris Jericho!
Jericho: “Takeshita has been on a roll lately. He’s one of the best pro wrestlers in the world today. But you’re facing one of the best pro wrestlers in the history of the business. Takeshita, this Sunday, in Tokyo, I am going to get my revenge on you. I’m going to teach you a lesson at DDT in Tokyo. You’re facing Chris Jericho. I’ve done it all. And Takeshita, as good as you are, I am better. And I’m going to show you what it’s like to be in the ring with an angry and pissed off Chris Jericho. This Sunday in Tokyo, Japan, Takeshita, I am going to get my revenge on you!”
Lexy Nair was backstage with Don Callis and Prince Nana!
Nana: “Lexi, I’m doing my due diligence. When you dig deep into your pockets, Don, what happens?”
Callis: “Sammy is on the shelf. Jericho is going to get taken care of by Takeshita. And I have made a deal with Prince Nana to rent the services of “the Machine” Brian Cage to team up with my family this Wednesday in the Man Who Erased His Name Street Fight!
Lexy Nair was backstage with Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett, Satnam Singh, and Sonjay Dutt.
Jay Lethal: “I’m going to prove to the world that I outclass ROH World Champion Eddie Kingston in every way.”
Ortiz walked onto the scene!
Ortiz: “You had a lot to say about me last week. How about you say it to my face?”
Karen Jarrett: “If I were you, I’d watch what you say.”
Jay Lethal: “You might get jumped.”
Ortiz: “See, Jay, you need all these people to fight for you.”
Ortiz swung at Jay Lethal. Satnam Singh grabbed Ortiz and planted him hard on a cargo case!
Red Velvet vs. Ruby Soho (with Saraya)!
Tony Schiavone reminded us that Ruby said she wanted to do this alone, so Saraya went to the back.
Ruby got right in the face of Red Velvet. Ruby stomped on Red Velvet’s foot and then rammed her with a shoulder block. Red Velvet retaliated with a big leg lariat, staggering Ruby into the corner. Red Velvet worked over Ruby with body shots.
Red Velvet rammed Ruby with double knees and followed up with a standing moonsault for a near fall. Ruby hoisted Red Velvet on the top rope and then rocked her with a running kick. Ruby nailed Red Velvet with two consecutive back drop drivers!
“Ruby is relentless!” said Tony Schiavone.
An AEW production assistant delivered flowers to Ruby Soho during the middle of the match.
“Apparently she’s got a secret admirer,” said Tony Schiavone.
Red Velvet ducked punches from Ruby. Red Velvet cracked Ruby with a kick and pinned her!
“Clearly the distraction from the bouquet of flowers played into this match,” said Nigel.
“Wow! What a win for Red Velvet!” replied Tony Schiavone.
The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett (with Roderick Strong)
vs.
Two Local Wrestlers!
The Kingdom made short order of the competition, finishing them off with the Neck Check and grabbing a decisive victory. After the match, Roderick Strong ripped off his neck brace, jumped in the ring, hit a back breaker on one of the Kingdom’s downed opponents, and then ran back to his wheelchair!
Lexy Nair was backstage with Daniel Garcia, Matt Menard and Angelo Parker!
Garcia: “I am really sick of being sad. I went through the AEW roster page. I found Andrade El Idolo. This Saturday on Collision, let’s get it on!”
Ruby Soho and Saraya walked by. Saraya was clearly upset with the bouquet of flowers that Ruby was sent. Saraya looked at Matt Menard and said, “We’ve got big problems.” Menard agreed!
After a commercial break, Lexy Nair was backstage with The Kingdom and Roderick Strong!
Action Andretti and Darius Martin interrupted. Action said last time the four of them wrestled, he and Darius beat the Kingdom. Roderick Strong said he found his first victim. “Darius!” he shouted, and pointed at Darius Martin.
Main Event Time!
AAA Cruiserweight Champion Komander (with Alex Abrahantes)
& AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo
vs.
FTR—Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood!
Komander swiped at Dax’s thigh with a stiff kick. Dax fired back with a snap mare and a shoulder block. Komander dropkicked Dax Harwood. El Hijo del Vikingo and Cash Wheeler tagged in for their respective teams.
Vikingo, unabated, flipped off the top rope into a hurracanrana on Cash. Vikingo rocketed out of the ring with a tope suicida straight at Cash. Vikingo’s momentum sent him crashing headfirst into the commentary team’s table!
FTR used tandem offense in the ring to double team Vikingo. Komander and Vikingo utilized their own tandem offense with a fiery flurry. Vikingo dropkicked Dax from the top rope. Komander took down Dax with a hurracanrana for a near fall!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Dax Harwood superplexed Vikingo, but Vikingo countered midflight and landed on top of Dax. Vikingo and Komander hit stereo 630 splashes on FTR for a near fall! Dax countered a shooting star press from Vikingo with a piledriver for a near fall!
Dax used a slingshot powerbomb on Vikingo, but Komander was there to break up the pin attempt. Komander walked the ropes, but Dax dodged it and FTR smashed Komander with the Big Rig, scoring the pin on Komander!
All four competitors embraced after the match.
“Pro wrestling at its best,” said Nigel.
After the match, the House of Black were seen watching the match backstage.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA!
Don’t miss AEW Collision tomorrow on TNT at 8/7c from the Oakland Arena in Oakland, CA!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
For the first time, All Elite Wrestling is coming to Oakland, CAand bringing a live edition of RAMPAGE with it! With a week to go until FULL GEAR 2023, The Oakland Arena will be rocking with all the athletes of AEW jockeying for superiority before that pay-per-view extravaganza, including a huge tag match pitting former 2-Time AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR against AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo and AAA World Cruiserweight/World Tag Champion Komander! Plus those in attendance on Friday night will get to see COLLISION one day early, featuring another big tag team bout with La Faccion Ingobernable’s RUSH and Dralistico, as well as Edge, Sting, and Darby Allin putting in Trios work against The Righteous and Lance Archer!
Live action begins at at 10pm ET/9pm CT live on TNT, and at AEWPlus.com for international fans, but if you’ll be in attendance in Oakland, the party begins at 6:30pm PT! Before the night begins, make sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER, and much more!
TAG TEAM BATTLE…
FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo & AAA World Cruiserweight/World Tag Champion Komander
It was just over a month ago that FTR were enjoying their second reign as AEW World Tag Team Champions, a goal finally accomplished after fighting since FULL GEAR 2020 to reclaim the titles they lost to The Young Bucks. Over the span of 185 days, Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood had toppled The Gunns, BULLET CLUB GOLD in an epic 2/3 Falls Match, Jarrett and Lethal, Better Than You BayBay, Big Bill and Brian Cage, The Young Bucks at ALL IN: LONDON, Aussie Open at WRESTLEDREAM, all en route to matching the record of nine successful title defenses held by both The Young Bucks in their first reign, as well as by Kenny Omega/Hangman Page during theirs.
The along came Big Bill and Ricky Starks, in just their second match as a team, to smash their way through FTR and end that run in just under five minutes. It was a beating unlike any Cash and Dax had taken since coming to AEW in 2020, one that kept them out of action for a few weeks as they recovered, only to be waylaid in their return to competition by The House of Black. FTR would however be back in the ring last week as part of a wild eight-man tag pitting Cash, Dax, Preston Vance and Rush against The Gates of Agony and the AEW World Tag Champions. Despite the rather uneasy alliance of FTR and LFI, that foursome did manage to secure the victory, only for LFI to bail and for FTR to get attacked by The House once more. The surprising arrival of Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta brought that to an abrupt end though, creating another rather unusual alliance between FTR and the BCC in the face of that common enemy.
But this week FTR will be right back in the mix as they take on two of Lucha Libre’s finest athletes, both champions in their own right with the AAA promotion, the team of Komander and El Hijo Del Vikingo! Now as a result of their rivalry with The Lucha Brothers, Dax and Cash have had some experience fighting competitors versed in the Lucha style, but as superb as Penta and Fenix are, they’re approach is quite different than Vikingo and Komander, and FTR is going to be in for a wild ride this Friday night!
Can Dax and Cash overcome? Will they need eyes in the back of their heads where The House of Black is concerned? Or will we see the two AAA champions reign supreme over the former 2-Time AEW Tag Champs?
JERICHO TALKS DRAGON GAIDEN…
Ahead of the LIKE A DRAGON GAIDEN STREET FIGHT going down on Wednesday night’s DYNAMITE, we will hear from Chris Jericho on RAMPAGE on Friday night! What will “The Ocho” have to say before he goes to war with The Don Callis Family? Tune into TNT to find out!
RAMPAGE begins at at 10pm ET/9pm CT live on TNT, and at AEWPlus.com for international fans, but if you plan to be at the Oakland Arenafor the action, the night gets underway at 6:30pm PT! Prior to the fights, drop into the official AEW YouTube channel to catch highlights from Wednesday’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, this week’s CONTROL CENTER, and much more!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY!
Yourbroadcast team was Excalibur, Paul Wight, and Tony Schiavone!
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo
vs.
Penta El Zero Miedo
vs.
AAA World Cruiserweight Champion Komander!
Penta hit the Made in Japan on Vikingo, but Komander broke up the pin attempt. Vikingo flew out of the ring with a tope suicida crashing into Komander. Penta served up sling blades to Komander and El Hijo del Vikingo!
Vikingo connected with a phoenix splash onto Komander for a near fall. Penta ran in with a foot stomp to Vikingo. Penta El Zero Miedo flipped over the top rope and wiped out Vikingo and Komander. The QTV crew were watching the match on a monitor backstage.
Penta El Zero Miedo chopped Komander on the chest. Penta cracked Vikingo with a kick in the corner. Vikingo was looking for a dropkick off the ropes, but Komander countered with a powerbomb. Komander attempted a shooting star press, but Penta anticipated it and blocked it with a lung blower.
Vikingo smashed Penta with a poison rana on the ring apron! Penta rocked Komander with the Fear Factor on the edge of the ring. Penta planted Vikingo for a near fall. Vikingo fired back with a kick to Penta’s jaw. Vikingo stunned Penta with a 630 senton but Komander broke up Vikingo’s pin attempt.
Komander used an implosion phoenix splash on Vikingo. Penta grabbed Komander and nailed him with the Fear Factor on top of El Hijo del Vikingo. Penta covered Komander and grabbed the pinfall victory!
Alex Marvez was backstage with Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh!
Sonjay: “Last week I saw that Ortiz was a man down on his luck, defeated by his former best friend. So, I extended an invitation to him to the hottest group in pro wrestling today. And can you believe he said no to me! And there’s no man that knows Eddie Kingston better than Ortiz. He could have ben a big help for us guys.”
Karen Jarrett: “We don’t need him! We never needed him!”
Jeff Jarrett: “Sonjay does everything he can for this group, but the fact of the matter is you’re looking at the greatest faction in all of AEW. And we don’t need any help. And Jay Lethal is the next ROH World Champion.”
Jay Lethal: “You’re damn straight. Ortiz isn’t even a factor. Because when I cash in my ROH champion shot, it’s a one on one, it’s me against Eddie. I will be the next Ring of Honor World Champion. You can bet on that!”
They walked away and then Ortiz walked onto the set!
Ortiz: “Damn, my ears are burning. Somebody was definitely talking about me. I’ll deal with them next week, though.”
The Gunns—Austin & Colten Gunn (with Bullet Club Gold)
vs.
“Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal!
Daniels and Sydal used tandem offense on Austin Gunn. Daniels chopped at Austin. Colten clocked Daniels with a sucker punch.
Colten tagged in and grounded and pounded Daniels. Colten dropkicked Daniels. CD German Suplexed the Gunns and tagged into Sydal. Matt Sydal smashed Austin with the meteora but Colten was there to break up the pin. The Gunns hit the 3:10 to Yuma on Sydal and Austin pinned him!
Austin: “MJF, Dynamite belongs to the Bang Bang Gang. Collision belongs to the Bang Bang Gang. And now Rampage belongs to the Bang Bang Gang. And at Full Gear, November 18th, we take the ROH Tag Team Championships!”
RJ City was backstage with Danhausen!
Danhausen: “No, no, no. I made a mistake. The return is actually next week. Sorry!”
RJ City: “Well, there you have it. Next week, the return of Danhausen.”
Danhausen: “Thank you!”
Alex Marvez was backstage with Ruby Soho and Saraya!
Ruby: “Yeah, I’d say I’ve been having a rough go at it in the ring as of late. I mean, ever since Toni Storm left the Outcasts, we’ve been in a downward spiral. Saraya lost the title. And I lost my opportunity at the title. I really wish you were there for that, Saraya, I’m not going to lie to you.”
Saraya: “Ruby, shut up. Be quiet. You keep talking about Toni like she’s a big star and without her we’d be nothing, when actually it’s the other way around. And without me, you wouldn’t be on TV. I’m sorry, I feel like I’m taking this whole thing out on you. And I just want the best for you. Stick with me and you are going to be a star, kid.”
Angelo Parker walked onto the set and offered to comb Ruby’s hair. “Don’t even think about it,” she said.
Matt Menard walked onto the scene and asked Parker what happened last Wednesday night. “All you had to do was take the bat and take two years of frustration out on Chris Jericho. Smash him in the face and win the match, but you couldn’t do it. You don’t have the dog in you, that’s why you couldn’t do it. I don’t think you have the dog in you. How about it?”
Parker: “Did you ever think that maybe not everyone is as frustrated as you are? I’m gonna go be a friend to Garcia. He’s got a big match tonight.”
Marina Shafir (with Nyla Rose) vs. Skye Blue!
Skye Blue stomped on Marina’s feet, but Marina didn’t even flinch. Marina kicked Skye away. Skye Blue spiked Shafir with a DDT on the apron! Skye Blue clubbed Marina with aggressive forearm shots on the floor.
Marina planted Skye with a Judo throw for a near fall. Skye Blue fired back with a dropkick. Blue blasted Marina with a boot. Marina applied a neck crank on Blue. Skye Blue bit Marina to escape. As Marina was telling the ref, Skye Blue rolled her up for a near fall.
Skye Blue crumbled Marina with a thrust kick and then pinned her after the Code Blue!
Main Event Time!
Daniel Garcia vs. Trent Beretta!
Garcia chopped Trent. Trent charged at Daniel Garcia. Trent hit Garcia with a moonsault off the middle turnbuckle. Trent spiked Garcia on the arena floor with a brainbuster!
Trent superplexed Garcia for a near fall. Trent knocked Garcia down with a short arm lariat. Garcia backdropped Trent. Garcia punched and stomped down Beretta. Garcia charged at Trent with a double knee strike in the corner. Garcia followed up with a brainbuster for a near fall.
Trent rocked Garcia with a half and half suplex and then the Death Valley Driver for a two-count. Garcia came back with German Suplexes of his own. Trent and Garcia battered one another with elbow strikes. Trent spiked Garcia with a piledriver for a two-count!
Garcia did his dance and the blasted Trent with a piledriver. Garcia applied the cross face and Trent tapped out!
Garcia: “Man, I don’t know about y’all, but Daniel Garcia has a very good track of time. And I’ve been keeping score, alright. So, because I’m so good at keeping time, it has been six months since Daniel Garcia has had a singles match at AEW. I feel like there’s one way to jump in the line at AEW. And that is winning a title.
“I have a fetish for greed. I have a fetish for gold. That’s why I’m calling out the biggest dog…MJF! I know you got a lot of targets on your back. But I promise you there’s not a person in the back that wants that belt more than I do. So, Max if you’re up for the test to step in the ring with one of the best professional wre—, sports entertainers in the world, you know where to find me!”
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Moda Center in Portland, OR!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, KS featuring:
-AEW World Trios Champs The Acclaimed’s 69 Day Championship Celebration!
-Swerve Strickland vs. AR Fox!
-Willow Nightingale vs. Emi Sakura!
-Darby Allin vs. The “MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer!
-8-Man Tag Match: FTR, Rush, & Preston Vance
vs. AEW World Tag Champs Ricky Starks & Big Bill, & ROH 6-Man Champs Gates of Agony!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Last Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, fans were witness to a must-see clash between Orange Cassidy and Claudio Castagnoli over the AEW International Championship, and in the aftermath, with OC still standing as champ, we all witnessed Jon Moxley’s response to the win. In addition, while AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida bested Willow Nightingale, AEW World Champion MJF and The Acclaimed fell to BULLET CLUB GOLD with Maxwell himself getting pinned by “Switchblade” Jay White. Plus, Adam Copeland agreed to side with Sting and Darby against TNT Champion Christian Cage and company, Julia Hart returned only to be surprised by Skye Blue, and The Elite lost their ROH World Six-Man Championship back to The Mogul Embassy!
AEW RAMPAGE get underway this Friday beginning at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international audiences, just be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel before the show begins to catch highlights from last Wednesday’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, THE CONTROL CENTER, and a great deal more!
Lucha del Día de los Muertos…
AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo vs. AAA World Cruiserweight Champion Komander vs. Penta El Zero Miedo
What a match this will be when three of the world’s premier Luchadores collide in a Three Way bout this Friday night on RAMPAGE! All three of these individuals are quite familiar with one another, particularly Penta El Zero Miedo and El Hijo del Vikingo whose relationship dates back to 2019 bouts in AAA, and they even teamed up a pair of times on episodes of ROH ON HONOR CLUB (www.watchroh.com) during the summer, but this will be the first time they’ve competed against one another in this format! Penta and Vikingo clashed in singles competition for AAA in April 2020, Komander won the ROH World Title #1 Contender’s match on RAMPAGE a month ago that also featured Penta, while Vikingo holds seven singles victories over Komander as well as an additional six in multi-man matches that featured both men, including a AAA Mega Championship match on RAMPAGE back on June 2nd.
Suffice to say there is a great deal of history between Vikingo and Komander, and with both reigning as champions in AAA, there are a great many eyes on this contest, and given the skill sets of both men, it is quite the unpredictable bout! Now add in Penta El Zero Miedo, himself a former champion in AAA, and this is going to be one of the wildest fights could hope for! They can all fly, they can all hit, and Penta especially has a sadistic streak when it comes to inflicting pain; one can’t help but wonder, with two AAA champions involved, if this outcome could have an impact on those title pictures, but even if not, this match honoring Dia de los Muertos will be a showstealing affair!
Click here for detailed information on just what Dia de los Muertos means, and to read about its history.
As seen in the above embedded clip, this past Wednesday night fans finally got a clearer idea of where Skye Blue’s head has been since being misted by Julia Hart. Though we’ve all seen her adopt a darker look, bend the rules a bit, and repeatedly refuse the handshake/help of Kris Statlander, she hadn’t gone full-Julia in this descent from the bright, shiny disposition the AEW faithful had grown to know and love. There was certainly a fear that was Skye’s trajectory, but on Wednesday night, when she misted Julie with her own blue-tinted variation on the theme, it became clear that while Skye had been changed by her experience, she was not signing on with Julia and The House!
So with that in mind, this Friday night on RAMPAGE Skye will back in action against a familiar foe! Marina Shafir and Skye Blue have gone into battle eight previous times against one another since 2022, three of those in singles competition, with “The Problem” holding a 5-3 edge overall, and a 2-1 in their singles matches. Their most recent bout went down on September 13th in Cincinnati and was won by Skye, leaving Shafir hungry to get one back.
With the skies looking a little more clear, and fans seeing what Blue meant when she said she’d handle Julia, it will be interesting to see how she approaches this next fight with Marina Shafir! Though Skye Blue will likely never be the same woman she was when 2023 began, will she continue forward with a bent towards the shadows, or will the light of friends like Willow Nightingale shine through the darkness?
Tag Team Action…
The Gunns (Austin & Colten Gunn) vs. Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal
Coming off The Bang Bang Gang’s major victory on DYNAMITE, and with their ROH World Tag Team Championship opportunity pending during FULL GEAR 2023: ZERO HOUR, Austin and Colten Gunn will be in tag team action this Friday on RAMPAGE! Looking to build greater momentum before they get to L.A., the Gunns will take on two men who held the ROH World Tag Team Championship over 15 years ago, and who now want to add the phrase “2-Time” to their resume!
Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal reigned from November 25, 2006 until February 24, 2006, dethroning The Kings of Wrestling (Claudio Castagnoli & Chris Hero) before being bested by Jay & Mark Briscoe, and netted themselves three successful championship defenses during that time. Though the partnership was short-lived, the bond remained strong, and in the new era of honor Daniels and Sydal have reunited to once again pursue ROH championship success.
So to see The Gunns jump the line and basically corner MJF into a championship shot at FULL GEAR 2023: ZERO HOUR has not sat well with the two veterans of the squared circle, and this Friday on RAMPGE they mean to teach The Gunns about repercussions for their actions! Austin and Colten are riding high after Wednesday night’s victory, as are the rest of BC GOLD, so you know they won’t be traveling alone to this shindig. Can the former ROH Tag Champions contend with the BC GOLD numbers and put a damper on the Bang Bang Gang party?
Singles Match…
Daniel Garcia vs. Trent Beretta
It’s been awhile since the AEW fans have seen Daniel Garcia in a singles match on TV, since May 24th to be exact when Roderick Strong defeated him, with his last one overall taking place at FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023 when he was part of the AEW International Championship Four Way with Shibata, Zack Sabre Jr., and defending champion Orange Cassidy. That’s quite a long time for the self-proclaimed “greatest technical sports entertainer in the world” to go competing in only tags, trios, and battle royals, but this Friday night Garcia is back at it!
His opponent for this return to singles action is none other than Trent Beretta who, while certainly versed in singles competition, has spent a great deal of his AEW career embroiled in tag team action with Chuck Taylor, or Trios situations with Orange Cassidy. With Chuck on the injury list and Cassidy engaged in his work as a 2-Time International Champion, Beretta is going it solo once again!
Both are hungry for competition, and to prove their skills once more, but who’s will to win will prove stronger this Friday night on RAMPAGE?
RAMPAGE begins at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international audiences, so be sure to drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel before to the show for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, plus previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, THE CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more! This Friday night, with the Lucha del Dia de Los Muertos Three Way, Skye versus Shafir, Garcia taking on Beretta, and The Gunns in tag team action, is going to be action-packed!
