Simon Kinberg & Audrey Chon Interview by Big Gold Belt Media-Synopsis:”Sugar” is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture, and television history: the private detective story….

Philadelphia! See a Generational Clash and These Incredible Matches LIVE This Friday & Saturday News / March 20, 2024 / by TNA Wrestling Staff Get tickets Experience the road to Rebellion this Friday, March 22

Continue reading →

Philadelphia! See These Incredible Matches LIVE on March 22 & 23 News / March 15, 2024 / by TNA Wrestling Staff Get tickets Experience the road to Rebellion on Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March

Continue reading →

https://www.youtube.com/embed/1nbo3DvZQHY?si=9BF8yRTUfRChQnnN

After weeks of anticipation, DYNAMITE: BIG BU$INESS is upon us, and the TD Garden is going to be rocking on Wednesday night! AEW World Champion Samoa Joe will defend his title against a familiar foe in Wardlow, the man who earned this opportunity in REVOLUTION 2024’s All-Star Scramble, and we will witness the first-time clash between Darby Allin and ROH World Six-Man Champion “Switchblade” Jay White! But that’s not all; The New Elite of The Young Bucks and “Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada will battle Death Triangle and Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston in Trios action, Willow Nightingale takes on former AEW Women’s World Champion Riho, and FTW Champion HOOK unites with Chris Jericho to battle The Gates of Agony!! All that, and so much more, is on tap for the AEW faithful this Wednesday night for DYNAMITE: BIG BU$INESS!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ze9OkyhQsuM?si=v5fKD10frwJUhvwf

The show begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then join us Saturday night in Ottawa, ON, Canada (https://www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-event/aew-collision-ottawa) for our debut at the Canadian Tire Centre for an all-new COLLISION!

AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Samoa Joe(c) vs. Wardlow 

The history between AEW World Champion Samoa Joe and Wardlow runs a bit further back than just “The War Dog” winning the All-Star 8-Man Scramble at REVOLUTION 2024 to earn a World Title match. Back in the fall of 2022, for the better part of two months Joe and Wardlow operated as something of a tag team, even being dubbed WarJoe for their battles against The Varsity Athletes, Gates of Agony, and The Factory. It wasn’t the most stable of partnerships, but it seemed function enough until November 11, 2022 when all came crashing down after then-TNT Champion Wardlow told Powerhouse Hobbs he was going to take all the championships in the company while standing before then-ROH World TV Champion Samoa Joe.

Joe did not take kindly to that sentiment, cracked Wardlow with his ROH title belt, and slapped a Choke on the TNT Champion. This led to Joe becoming the TNT Champion at FULL GEAR 2022 in a Three Way with Wardlow and Powerhouse Hobbs, and then beating Wardlow in a singles match at NEW YEARS SMASH 2022 to close out the year. Darby Allin would beat Joe a week later to end that reign, but Joe regained the TNT Championship in short order, only to have Wardlow snatch it away at REVOLUTION 2023 in Joe’s first defense of that second reign. 

The two parted ways after that, Wardlow getting wrapped up with Powerhouse Hobbs while Joe continued his epic ROH World TV Title run as well as began his pursuit of MJF’s AEW World Championship. For Wardlow that path led to triumph and tragedy, losing the title to Hobbs just three days later, before regaining it for a third time, only to have it ripped away by Christian Cage and Luchas…Killswitch. After that, it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that Wardlow floundered. He disappeared from television for four months, came back and resumed decimating one individual after another while sporting MJF’s initials on his wrist tape, but it wasn’t until the masks were ripped away, and he was revealed as member of the Undisputed Kingdom that things came into focus.

Wardlow, along with Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett, accomplished their larger goal of destroying MJF’s life by helping to weaken him for Samoa Joe to take the AEW World Championship at WORLDS END. Following that, each man declared their individual goals, and for Wardlow that meant taking what he felt he’d deserved since destroying MJF at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2022: the AEW World Championship. All Wardlow had to do was find his angle to a championship opportunity, and that came in Greensboro when he won the All-Star Scramble and earned a future title match, a result that occurred just a couple hours before Samoa Joe survived both Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland to retain the AEW World Championship.

With the title match in place, all that was needed was setting the date in stone, and that happened last Wednesday night on DYNAMITE following Joe and Swerve’s tag team victory over Wardlow’s partners in the Undisputed Kingdom, your ROH World Tag Team Champions Taven and Bennett. This Wednesday night, when AEW returns to TD Garden for the first time since BLOOD & GUTS 2023, it will be BIG BU$INESS, and there isn’t much that’s bigger business than the AEW World Championship! In this rubber match, Wardlow gets his very first crack at the most coveted championship in professional wrestling, and he does it knowing that the last time he met Samoa Joe one-on-one, he was the won who walked away with a championship title around his waist!

What’s rather frightening though is the difference between Samoa Joe circa March 2023 and Samoa Joe in March 2024; though he has always been one of the most intimidating men in wrestling today, the last 75 days have seen Joe unleash an intensity unfamiliar to AEW audiences. It was as if his pursuit of the AEW World Championship began to open a door he’d left closed for many years, and the first night he walked onto DYNAMITE as the AEW World Champion, said door swung wide open and the landscape of AEW quaked in fear. This is Joe unleashed, this is Joe with everything he’s wanted from the moment he came to All Elite Wrestling, and this is a Samoa Joe who will stop at nothing to make sure it remains his forevermore. It may sound trite to say that the person who beats Joe may have to kill him, but with one look at the way Joe carries that AEW World Title, it’s hard to not take that as his truth. 

This Wednesday night in Boston, Wardlow is going to have to find a way to break Joe like no one ever has before in order to become the AEW World Champion, but if he can maintain that fury, if he can keep that righteous anger burning, then Wardlow may be able to do just that. All eyes will be on the TD Garden this Wednesday night, can Wardlow become the champion he’s longed to be in front of their gaze?

TRIOS BATTLE…

The Elite (Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson, & Nicholas Jackson)

vs.

Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston & Death Triangle (PAC & Penta El Zero Miedo)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/9GYxUuhNhcw?si=10AOPXDXEGZcN2xV&start=230

Last week on DYNAMITE, “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada made his first appearance for All Elite Wrestling as a certified member of AEW locker room, and while that should’ve been a joyous occasion, it was marred by the former multi-time IWPG Heavyweight Champion signing on with The Elite following The EVPs official dismissal of Kenny Omega and Hangman Page. As if that wasn’t disappointing enough, Okada made that choice at the expense of Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston, and when Kingston tried for a measure of revenge on COLLISION a few days later, he paid for it then as well; at least until “The Bastard” PAC made his return to AEW

https://www.youtube.com/embed/xg2DmLSr7uU?si=NjzVTw_mXBjnOrxY

Now we come to BIG BU$INESS this Wednesday night at the TD Garden, and the challenge laid out by Kingston Saturday night. A Trios bout between this new Elite and the rather wild combination of the Continental Crown Champion, Penta El Zero Miedo, and “The Bastard”! One would have to go back nearly three years, to one of the finals events of AEW’s extended stay at Daily’s Place, to find the last time those three men stood together on the same side, coincidentally enough it was also in opposition to The Young Bucks, albeit with Brandon Cutler as their third. Kingston and Penta are close, though it hasn’t always been the easiest of roads, but PAC and Eddie aren’t exactly best friends. Still, they’ve proven they can function as a unit when driven by mutual goals, and eradicating this version of The Elite right out of the gate is certainly a goal worth fighting for.

Make no mistake, this is a pivotal fight in the careers of all men involved; it’s the first big match of Okada’s new endeavor as Elite, it’s PAC’s return to the fold for the first time since July 26th, and it’s AEW’s return to TD Garden! Who will rise in the face of the increased heat of the spotlight that’ll be shone on this match, as well as the entire BIG BU$INESS event?

ONE-ON-ONE…

“Switchblade” Jay White vs. Darby Allin

https://www.youtube.com/embed/EqDOJRtLQCw?si=4xLfEkSvaQjJs5B-&start=326

Before the dust had even settled in Greensboro, before the crew had even finished tearing down the REVOLUTION 2024 set, AEW GM Tony Khan had announced that Darby Allin would fight ROH World Six-Man Champion “Switchblade” Jay White at DYNAMITE: BIG BUSINESS! At the moment Darby was informed of this, during the Media Scrum following the pay-per-view, he certainly didn’t look to be in any condition for a fight of this caliber, but anyone who’s paid attention to the career of the former World Tag Team Champion knows that he won’t let anything stop him from entering the fight, not even an impending trip to Mt. Everest on March 27th. 

But will Darby Allin be in any condition to make that trip after this Wednesday night’s fight with “Switchblade” Jay White? After the words exchanged last week between Darby and “King Switch”, this bout has heated up quite quickly, and is a huge part of AEW’s return to TD Garden! 

Given that Jay White is perpetually supported by The Gunns, Austin and Colten, the question has to be asked if they will get themselves involved in the bout? Or will the influence of The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass actually sway The Bang Bang Gang to fight on the up-and-up? As for Darby, what does his future look like in the post-Sting landscape of All Elite Wrestling? With so much of his last three years spent at Sting’s side, how will the former 2-Time TNT Champion move forward in his career standing by himself? This Wednesday night, as part of BIG BU$INESS, we will all see what the future entails!

SINGLES MATCH…

Willow Nightingale vs. Riho

A week ago former TBS Champion Kris Statlander stepped into the ring for a fight with original AEW Women’s World Champion Riho for the first time in four years, and though it was a hard-fought battle from Stat, it was Riho who took home the victory, moving herself one step closer to a potential championship bout.

But Riho and Kris Statlander aren’t the only women looking for a title opportunity, former NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion Willow Nightingale is also on the hunt for the TBS Championship around Julia Hart’s waist, and just like her tag partner, the road also goes through Riho! Prior to this, the only engagement between the two women took place on the November 14, 2022 edition of DARK: ELEVATION when they teamed up to defeat Emi Sakura and Mei Suruga, a match that coincidentally also took place in Boston, just four miles away at Agganis Arena.

Will Willow win out where Kris Statlander came up short one week ago? And how will Stokely Hathaway play a role in this bout because, let’s face it, he can’t help but find a way to insert himself into any match…

TAG TEAM BOUT…

FTW Champion HOOK & Chris Jericho vs. Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/s_qmxbdjnho?si=sjSuJ4snp-iOR7_-&start=326

It’s an unlikely alliance yet here we are; Chris Jericho and FTW Champion HOOK are set to stand on the same side of the ring with The Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) standing in opposition. All of this stems from the All-Star 8-man at REVOLUTION 2024, Jericho and HOOK’s participation in the match, HOOK’s rivalry with Brian Cage, and his victory over “The Machine” last week on DYNAMITE! It all coalesced into Jericho assisting HOOK, HOOK assisting the OG AEW World Champion, and now this tag team bout between The Gates of Agony and HOOK/Jericho. Jericho has some experience with The Gates after defeating them with Kenny Omega as his partner, but HOOK has never set foot in the ring with either Toa Liona or Bishop Kaun, and given that he and Jericho are entering into this unity for the first time, it’s going to be quite interesting to see how they function as a unit.

The Gates ended their 2023 as participants in the NJPW World Tag League, scoring four points overall, but in 2024 they’ve taken a step back from Mogul Embassy business as Swerve Strickland made it a point to pursue his AEW World Championship dreams without Embassy involvement. That’s done now; Kaun and Toa are back in business this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, and they aim to deliver a message to everyone in the AEW locker room by decimating the original AEW World Champ and the current FTW Champion! 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/4nNZN0oqdmU?si=uIMNQAcLpifMo9oX

DYNAMITE: BIG BU$INESS is finally here and the TD Garden better be ready for an epic night! The AEW World Championship will be at stake when Samoa Joe and Wardlow rekindle their rivalry, we will see Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston unite with PAC and Penta El Zero Miedo to take on The Elite, and FTW Champion HOOK tags up with Chris Jericho to battle The Mogul Embassy’s Gates of Agony!  In addition, Darby Allin and Jay White lock horn, Willow Nightingale battles the original AEW Women’s World Champion Riho, and there is plenty more coming your way from Boston this Wednesday night!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/iweidRmLn4U?si=lYTRuKYeFau7Q-UI&start=326

DYNAMITE begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans, so drop by AEW’s official YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch highlights from last week’s editions of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then on Saturday night we head to Ottawa, ON, Canada for our debut at the Canadian Tire Centre with an all-new COLLISION!

Windsor! The Action Continues This Saturday as TNA Wrestling Presents iMPACT! News / March 7, 2024 / by TNA Wrestling Staff Get tickets When Sacrifice is over, the battle has just begun! This Saturday, March

Continue reading →

https://www.youtube.com/embed/27PVPUHvDPU?si=_kM-23PTbrzl09OB

After a tremendous night of action on RAMPAGE, All Elite Wrestling continues on a hot streak this Saturday night with an all-new COLLISION! Emanating from Gas South Arena in Gwinnett County, AEW presents two hours of hard-hitting professional wrestling action with Bryan Danielson taking on Shane Taylor, the new Elite of The Young Bucks and “Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada in action, Chris Jericho taking on AAA’s Titan, and Toni Storm’s 1st ever Toni Awards! Plus Mark Briscoe will team up with Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett for an Atlanta Street Fight against The House of Black, and Mariah May will step back into competition after her performance as Toni Storm last Sunday night!

The night gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and the AEW faithful can get prepped for it 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! Then join us next Wednesday evening in Boston for DYNAMITE: BIG BUSINESS coming to you from the TD Garden, and already looking to be another of the biggest nights in AEW’s television history!

ATLANTA STREET FIGHT…

Mark Briscoe, Jay Lethal, & Jeff Jarrett vs. 

The House of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews, & Malakai Black)

Well, a week ago we all watched as Mark Briscoe attempted to use pyro to set fire to Buddy Matthews, and this week it looks like the situation is about to get even hotter because The House of Black is looking to burn Mark Briscoe’s world down around him! Yet in situations such as these, though he may seem like a fraying rope, Mark Briscoe is actually in his happy place…

Though will he be happy with Jeff Jarrett standing by his side? Can he put aside his distrust of Double J long enough to focus on the fight with The House? Can Mark take the trust he has in Jay Lethal, a man he has called one of his best friends, and apply it to Jarrett? If he can’t, then Mark’s trio is doomed for failure against the onslaught of Brody King, Buddy Matthews, and Malakai Black, but if Mark, Lethal, and Double J can get it together, they just might be able to burn The House down to its foundation!

THE NEW ELITE IN ACTION!

There had been a buzz around the wrestling landscape that “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada could be making his way to All Elite Wrestling on a more permanent basis. Sure he’d dipped his toes in the elite waters with the FORBIDDEN DOOR events, and even stepped into the DYNAMITE ring to team up with Orange Cassidy, but it wasn’t until this past Wednesday night that the world learned that Okada was indeed All Elite!

Unfortunately, as Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston learned the hard way, Okada wasn’t just All Elite, he was now also one of The Elite. That’s right, Okada came to AEW from NJPW and immediately signed on the dotted line with The EVP’s, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson! Now there’s a great deal of history between the three men dating back to 2010 with Okada’s first forays into the United States, as well as their engagements in NJPW several years later, but it was still quite a shock to see “The Rainmaker” standing over the fallen Kingston with those two individuals rather than fighting them at Kingston’s side.

Well this Saturday night on COLLISION it won’t be a sneak attack putting The Young Bucks and Okada together, it will be the first Trios match together for this new iteration of The Elite, and whoever steps into the ring across from them best be wary. Matthew and Nicholas are none too happy after the events of REVOLUTION 2024, and though the addition of Okada may have boosted their spirits, they are still looking for some poor unfortunate souls to take out their frustration.

ONE-ON-ONE…

“Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. Titan

He has been the CMLL World Welterweight Champion for over 1,500 days, he is a member of Los Ingobernables de Japon in NJPW, and is one of the most exciting high-flyers in Lucha Libre today! He is Titan (pronounced Tee-tan), and this Saturday night he makes his AEW debut on COLLISION against “Lionheart” Chris Jericho!

As the original AEW World Champion, Jericho is one of the standard bearers, but his career has deep roots in Mexico with CMLL, including fighting a different man competing under the Titan name in his very first match. It’s where “Lionheart” was born as “Corazon de Leon”, and where Jericho learned much of the skills that bolstered him to international stardom in the first place. 

As was witnessed recently when Jericho took on Atlantis Jr., the involvement of CMLL in All Elite Wrestling has given “The Ocho” a new fire, a new outlet to focus his energies towards, though he is being pulled in multiple directions given his engagement with HOOK, and his perpetual issues with The Don Callis Family. If Jericho wants to have the same success with Titan that he had with Atlantis Jr, he better have his head in this particular game on COLLISION, or the CMLL World Welterweight Champion is going to add “Corazon de Leon” to the list of his fallen opponents!

SINGLES MATCH…

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Shane Taylor

This past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, the professional wrestling world witnessed a moment they’d been longing to see for years when “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson stood in the ring with “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay. It was a moment that seemingly would never happen, but then Ospreay officially signed on with All Elite Wrestling and it became a distinct possibility, though not one fans expected to see come together so quickly! Bryan’s intent in spoiling Ospreay’s moment at the end of DYNAMITE was clear, he wants a fight, but until we hear from the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion we can only assume he feels the same.

But that’s not the issue at hand, at least not for Bryan Danielson, his issue is the fight looming on Saturday night with Shane Taylor! Hopefully Bryan was paying attention when his BCC mate Jon Moxley went to war with Taylor several weeks ago, hopefully Bryan uses Moxley as a resource to learn what Shane T brings to the table, because what Danielson is going to get is a hellacious fight. Danielson has been hit by the hardest strikers in the world throughout his career, but he’s never been hit by the former ROH World TV Champion, and there are few men who can compare. After the war Bryan went through at REVOLUTION 2024 with Eddie Kingston, is he up to the task?

LUCHA LIBRE!

Mistico vs. Angelico

AEW fans have gotten familiar with Mistico since his epic clash with Rocky Romero last October first introduced CMLL to All Elite Wrestling while his bout with Matt Sydal, as well as the 8-Man tag that preceded it, helped further showcase his skills. This Saturday night on COLLISION, the current World Historic Middleweight Champion will return to AEW for a bout with a man with whom he shared the AAA ring a handful of times between 2014 and 2015: Angelico!

Between two Three Way tags, one being a AAA World Tag Title bout, and a Trios bout, Angelico’s teams hold one victory over Mistico’s, while Mistico’s hold none over Angelico’s, but this is a solo affair, and in that vein of professional wrestling Mistico has excelled. He is one of the best professional wrestlers on the planet, the most famous Luchador in modern wrestling, a man who changed the game for man, and now he’s back in All Elite Wrestling to give Angelico the toughest test of his AEW career! If Angelico can pull out a victory, it will be the biggest one of his career, the biggest moment of his professional wrestling career, and it will put Angelico on the map worldwide!

ONE-ON-ONE…

Mariah May vs. Trish Adora

She finally got it! After months of desperately searching for the approval of AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm, Mariah May finally got a bit of approval from her idol, she just had to cosplay as Toni Storm in order to get what she craved. Clearly the how of it all was of no matter to Mariah, all that mattered is it happened, and that just leaves one to wonder if this Saturday night on COLLISION, when Mariah is back in action against The Infantry’s Trish Adora, will she continue to dress the part of old Toni Storm, or if May will return to her own style? Whichever it may be, her head best be in the game otherwise the hard-hitting Adora is going to knock it off Mariah’s shoulders first chance she gets!

And speaking of “Timeless” Toni Storm…

1ST EVER TONI AWARDS…

After her victory at REVOLUTION 2024, it seems like AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm is intending to present herself with a Toni (with an “I” for legal purposes) Award for her performance! Mind you, it was clear as day to the viewing audience that Toni tapped out to Deonna Purrazzo during the course of the match, but the official missed the moment and thus it was not “The Virtuosa” who left Greensboro as new champion. So is Toni Storm actually deserving of an award? She certainly seems to believe so, and we will see if she actually celebrates herself this Saturday night on COLLISION!

COLLISION begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT this Saturday night on TNT, featuring Danielson versus Taylor, an Atlanta Street Fight, Mariah May, The Toni Awards, and more, so before the first bell, visit the official AEW YouTube channel, plus AEW’s other social media sites, to catch up on highlights from Wednesday’s DYNAMITE, Friday’s RAMPAGE, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then meet us in Beantown next Wednesday for DYNAMITE: BIG BUSINESS at the TD Garden with Wardlow challenging Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship, Willow Nightingale versus Riho, and so much more!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/3gp22yN_8xU?si=Eg4FUO6aP98pz68-

The official announcement of an AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament! The arrival of “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada as both an official member of All Elite Wrestling and as the newest addition to The Elite! Ospreay versus Fletcher! And that’s just a sampling of what DYNAMITE brought to the AEW faithful this past Wednesday night at the Gas South Arena! With a new set design and a new season underway, All Elite Wrestling moved forward into the post-Sting era in explosive fashion, and it continues this Friday night on TNT with RAMPAGE!

Before the action starts, drop by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media sites, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, the latest CONTROL CENTER, and let’s not forget REVOLUTION 2024! Then be sure to join AEW next Wednesday night for DYNAMITE: BIG BUSINESS coming your way from the TD Garden in Boston, an event already shaping up to be one of the most unforgettable in AEW’s television history!

TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT WARM-UP…

Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta vs. Kip Sabian & The Butcher

We know there’s a tournament coming up this month to fill the AEW World Tag Team Championship vacancy created by Sting’s retirement and Darby Allin’s unwillingness to continue on without “The Icon” as his partner, and while the locker room awaits the bracketing, teams are already throwing their names in the hat.

As we heard on Wednesday night in the interview embedded above, Chuck Taylor still isn’t cleared for action, meaning The Best Friends will have to continue never having held a championship together, but that doesn’t mean Trent Beretta and Orange Cassidy can’t give the tournament a try as a team! With that in mind, the former 2-Time International Champion will tag up with Beretta this Friday night on RAMPAGE to do battle with some familiar foes making their first appearance as a tandem.

Kip Sabian and The Butcher have been united for quite some time, competing in Trios matches with The Blade, and just generally supporting each other’s careers, but this Friday will mark the first time the two have fought as a tag team! Best Friends have had their far share of interaction with Butcher & Blade over the last four years, while Cassidy defended the International Championship against both Kip Sabian and The Butcher over the course of his two title runs. In short, all four of these men know each other quite well, which should make for quite the intriguing match-up as both duos hope to earn their way into the World Tag Title Tournament when the brackets are set!

TBS CHAMPIONSHIP OPEN CHALLENGE…

Julia Hart(c) vs. Robyn Renegade

After losing in tag team action during the REVOLUTION 2024: ZERO HOUR, TBS Champion Julia Hart is hearing challenges coming her way from Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander, and though Stat’s loss to Riho on Wednesday night may not have done her any favors in getting the rematch she’s thus far been denied, Willow remains in the hunt with a fight of her own against Riho set for DYNAMITE: BIG BUSINESS.

In response to the challenges laid before her, Julia Hart put out an Open Challenge of her own with the intention to remind the other women in All Elite Wrestling just who is holding the TBS Championship. Situations like this are the perfect opportunity for the unlikeliest of challengers to step up and try to shock the world, and that is exactly what we have this Friday night with Robyn Renegade stepping up to plate! Renegade is no stranger to a TBS Title Open Challenge, she actually answered the call when Kris Statlander did the same on the 9/9/23 edition of COLLISION, though obviously coming up short in that challenge.

Still, that’s the sort of thing that can either bolster a competitor’s hunger or discourage them from continuing the fight, and clearly Robyn Renegade has chosen the former! Can she upset the TBS Champion and throw a massive monkey wrench into the works, or will Renegade end up as an example to Willow, Statlander, and any other woman with designs on Julia Hart’s TBS Championship?

THREE WAY TAG BATTLE…

Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) vs. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) vs. “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith & Komander

As is the case with the other tag team battle taking place on RAMPAGE, this Three Way fight is absolutely an opportunity for all six men to make a statement as to why they should be included in the brackets. Ever since Private Party returned to tag team competition, they’ve looked better than ever, but have made enemies out of Top Flight over the course of their two outings this year. 

As for Bryan Kieth and Komander, this will mark just their second outing as a tag team, the first taking place two months ago when the met ROH World Tag Team Champions The Kingdom in a Proving Ground match to try and earn a title opportunity but came up short. Now they are looking for another path to greatness, perhaps through a bid in that impending World Tag Title Tournament, and a victory here over two well-established teams could get the eyes on them required for consideration.

If the tensions between Private Party and Top Flight get in the way, then Bryan Keith and Komander could find themselves with an upset victory Friday night, but even that is going to come with a fight, because best believe all three duos are bringing their A-game as the tag teams in AEW jockey for position!

ALSO FEATURING…

Action Andretti vs. Penta El Zero Miedo

After clashing in a Three Way tag team bout two weeks ago on RAMPAGE, this Friday night will see Action Andretti and Penta El Zero Miedo go one-on-one for the very first time! In their two televised matches, Action’s team holds one victory and Penta’s holds one, but this being the first time they’ve ventured into the realm of singles competition, it is anyone’s ball game. Penta clearly has more experience that Andretti, but Action has proven himself capable of shocking the world in the past (just ask Chris Jericho) so don’t count him out either.

Which of these two amazing athletes will get their hand raised on RAMPAGE? Tune in Friday night to TNT to find out!!

RAMPAGE comes your way from the Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA and it is loaded with action! TBS Champion Julia Hart laid out an Open Challenge on Wednesday night, and it looks like Robyn Renegade has stepped up to answer, plus Orange Cassidy will be in tag team action alongside Trent Beretta as the two take on Kip Sabian and The Butcher! In addition, we will see Top Flight, Private Party, and the Bryan Keith/Komander tandem collide in a Three Way tag, as well as Penta El Zero Miedo battling Action Andretti! That gets underway at 10pm ET/9pm CT so prior to bell time, swing on by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from Wednesday’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, the latest CONTROL CENTER, and of course REVOLUTION 2024! 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/78xj6IQ9lFo?si=pFPHQ25R03bc6zcz

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s season premiere episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA!

Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.

It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!

Tony Schiavone kicked off the show in the ring to interview Swerve Strickland!

Swerve: “What’s Swerve’s house without the keys? I couldn’t get the job done this past Sunday. You know who did? Samoa Joe did. Here I stand, no gold around my waist. Part of me think it’s karma for all the bad things I’ve done in AEW. Maybe I’m paying for it now. 

“Maybe I’m not supposed to be a champion here. Maybe I’m supposed to be a role player and be the guy that gets close enough but can’t quite grasp it, and I’ve gotta settle for this. I’m going to tell you all a little something. Something about Sunday felt different. Something about Revolution felt very different. It felt like people were truly rooting for me for the first time. It felt like y’all wanted me to win and make history. 

“The fact remains nothing changes from this point on. Samoa Joe, whether you’re still holding the World championship or not, I’m coming for you. That I promise!”

AEW World Champion Samoa Joe came down to the ring!

Samoa Joe: “You know for a man who I beat down the other day, you sure are talking funny. Making a lot of promises to these good people that you will never keep. In fact, I came out here to give us a reality check. Here we are in Swerve’s House. But unfortunately, your house exists in my world. So instead of coming out here and disappointing these people about how you’re almost the champion, I thought I’d come out here and let them gaze upon an actual World Champion.”

Swerve: “Don’t talk your back on me, Joe. You’re talking real spicy. How about you put this title on the line tonight? Actually, I don’t want to wait until tonight. How about we do this right now?”

The Undisputed Kingdom’s music interrupted Swerve, and the Undisputed Kingdom rolled out onto the ramp!

Adam Cole: “The only story coming out of Revolution worth talking about is the Undisputed Kingdom. Roderick Strong is your new AEW International Champion. Mike Bennett and Matt Taven are still the greatest ROH Tag Champions of all time. And then there’s Swerve and Samoa Joe. Joe, you’re only champion because we allowed it to happen. And Swerve, in six months, no one will give a damn about you. You’re not going to win the World championship, but I’ll tell you who is: Wardlow.”

Swerve: “It’s funny you’re telling me I need to get to the back of the line. How many times did you fail, yet you got opportunity after opportunity.”

Adam Cole: You think you’re funny? How about this? The greatest ROH Tag Champions of all time against you and Samoa Joe next week?”

Swerve: “Why wait until next week?”

Adam Cole: “The match is happening next week!”

Tony Schiavone: “Pardon me. I heard from Tony Khan. The match is happening right now.”

ROH World Tag Team Champions Mike Bennett & Matt Taven

vs.

AEW World Champion Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland!

Samoa Joe booted Taven in the head and flattened him with a senton for a near fall. Samoa Joe hit Taven with a headbutt. Bennett grabbed a blind tag and began to strike Samoa Joe after a swift kick from Matt Taven.

Strickland tagged himself in and cleaned house on Taven and Bennett. Swerve blasted Bennett with a brain buster! Swerve climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Taven cut him off. Swerve shoved Taven away and nailed Taven with the double foot stomp and followed up with the House Call! Swerve planted Taven and scored the pin!

“No help from Joe, Swerve did it on his own, pretty much,” said Taz.

Wardlow walked down the ramp. Swerve was distracted by him, and while his back was turned, Samoa Joe locked Swerve in a sleeper.

“Joe just used Strickland as an example to Wardlow,” said Taz.

And it was made official for next week on Dynamite: Big Business—it’ll be AEW World Champion Samoa Joe placing his title on the line against Wardlow!

Renee Paquette was backstage to interview FTW Champion HOOK!

Chris Jericho interrupted Renee.

Jericho: “You know Hook, the first match I worked as “Lionheart” Chris Jericho in this country was against your father. He suplexed me on my head. I’ve never forgotten that. But I’ve always felt like I had a little connection to Taz because of it, which made me feel like I have a little connection to you. But I never really respected you, Hook, until you dumped me on my head this past Sunday at Revolution. And when I was in the ring with you, I realized maybe you are the real deal. So, congrats on that.”

Jericho fist bumped Hook and smiled. 

Next: A huge announcement from AEW EVPs The Young Bucks—Matthew & Nicholas Jackson!

Nicholas: “Actually we have two huge announcements.”

Matthew: “How about we make those announcements in the ring tonight?”

FTW Championship Match!

HOOK (c.) vs. “The Machine” Brian Cage!

Cage cracked Hook with a thrust kick. Cage followed up with a suplex and then a running elbow to Hook in the corner. Cage sent Hook flying with a belly to belly suplex. Cage pulled a chair from beneath the ring and wedged it into the corner. Hook blasted Cage in the face with a fire extinguisher. Hook clocked Cage in the head with a trash can lid.

Hook jumped off the ring steps, but Cage caught Hook and powerslammed Hook on the arena floor. Cage charged at Hook, but Hook dodged him, sending Cage crashing through the barricade. 

Back in the ring, Hook countered an F5 and spiked Cage with a DDT on a steel chair! Hook nailed Cage with a T-bone suplex! Hook smashed a trash can onto Cage and then suplexed Cage onto a steel guardrail for a near fall!

Brian Cage escaped the Red Rum. Cage smacked Hook with an F5 onto a chair. Brian Cage took a bag and emptied it, spilling thumbtacks onto the ring. Hook cracked a kendo stick across Cage’s back and then suplexed Cage into the thumbtacks!

Hook clubbed Cage. Hook applied the Red Rum, but Cage sat back into the thumbtacks! Hook wouldn’t let go, despite being in the thumb tacks, and put Brian Cage to sleep! Hook won via ref stoppage!

Out of nowhere, The Gates of Agony ambushed Hook! Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona stomped Hook! 

Chris Jericho sprinted to the ring with his baseball bat, coming to the aid of Hook, and cleared the ring of the Gates of Agony!

It was announced that across the coming weeks, the AEW World Tag Team Championships will be decided in a tournament!

Renee Paquette was backstage to interview “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy, Trent, and Chuck Taylor!

Renee: “What’s next for you Orange?”

Orange: “Well, you know, it’s going to be the same thing I always do. And that’s to do what ever I can to fill up my backpack up with another championship.”

Renee: “Let’s talk about these new vacated AEW World championships. Trent and Chuck, are you guys going to be in the tournament?”

Chuck: “Renee, it is high time that the Best Friends win the big one, but unfortunately, the boys aren’t back in town. I’m not cleared, my ankle is still hurt. But I think these two should enter that dang tournament and win the whole dang thing. And guess what? Friday night on Rampage, you guys got your first match.”

Trent: “Boys, it’s time to win the big one.”

Killswitch (with the Patriarch) vs. “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard!

TNT Champion Christian Cage joined the broadcast booth for this match. 

Menard charged at Killswitch, not wasting anytime, throwing forearms at Killswitch. Menard ran into Killswitch, but Killswitch countered with a chokeslam! Killswitch clobbered Menard with a lariat to the back of the neck and then pinned him!

“Killswitch just made his father very, very proud,” said Christian Cage.

Killswitch continued his onslaught after the match, but Daniel Garcia ran to the ring to even up the odds! Garcia pummeled Killswitch in the corner! Nick Wayne jumped into the ring, but Garcia backed him off with strikes. Garcia turned around and was wiped out by a massive boot from Killswitch! Nick Wayne walloped Garcia with Wayne’s World!

“There’s nothing Nick Wayne can’t do under my guidance,” said Christian Cage.

Christian Cage and the Patriarchy celebrated on the ramp until “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland ran up from behind and attacked Killswitch with a steel chair! Copeland choked out Nick Wayne and then set his sights on Christian Cage, but Christian began to back away. Mother Wayne went to strike Copeland with a low blow, but Copeland blocked it! Copeland charged after Christian Cage, but Cage retreated! Adam Copeland chased Christian Cage through the arena and then backstage! Christian Cage jumped into someone’s SUV, highjacked it, and drove away!

Adam Copeland looked into the camera.

Copeland: “I know you’re going to see this. This has to end where it started. Toronto, March 20th, Dynamite, Copeland-Cage 3 for the TNT Championship in an I-Quit Match!”

Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Kyle O’Reilly!

Kyle: “I hate admitting this, but for awhile there, I didn’t think that I’d ever wrestle again. But to be here now, to be cleared, to feel the love from the fans, to get a second chance at the only thing I’ve ever been good at, to get a second chance to provide for my family, I’m just grateful.

“I’ve got nothing but love and respect for the Undisputed Kingdom, but you’ve got to understand that I feel like I’ve fallen so far down the mountain, I don’t know which path to take. Now that I’ve got a second chance, I’ve just got to do it on my own.”

Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview AEW EVPs The Young Bucks—Matthew & Nicholas Jackson!

The Bucks kicked Schiavone out of the ring. Nicholas said the Bucks were entering themselves into the tag tournament and getting the titles back.

Matthew said they had two huge announcements. The first item pertains to two of their dear friends. Matthew said “Hangman” Adam Page crossed the line at Revolution by putting his hands on two AEW officials, so he’d be suspended from the Elite without pay. Matthew also said Kenny was fired from the Elite. Matthew was about to make another announcement until the Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston walked down to the ring!

Kingston said he was warned that if he talked crap about the Bucks, he’d be fined, so he threw a wad of cash at Nicholas Jackson and said he might as well fine him now! Matthew told Eddie not to air their grievances on national television and put his arm around Kingston. Nicholas moved closer and grabbed Kingston, but Kingston knocked Nicholas down and then struck Matthew! As Kingston and Nicholas were tussling, Matthew connected with a low blow to Kingston and then Nicholas followed up with a thrust kick!

The Bucks were about to smash Kingston with the EVP Trigger when suddenly…

“The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada’s music began to play!

Okada came down to the ring as the arena became unglued! Okada got in the ring, and it appeared he was about to help Kingston. Instead, Okada grabbed Kingston and rocked him with the rainmaker clothesline! 

Nicholas: “One announcement we forgot to make! The newest member of the Elite…” The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada!

“Omega is out, Okada is in! I can’t believe it!” said Tony Schiavone.

“Is Okada targeting the Continental Crown, gesturing at his waist and pointing to Kingston? Kazuchika Okada is All Elite, and the newest member of the Elite. What a shocking turn of events,” added Excalibur.

Kris Statlander (with Stokely Hathaway) vs. Riho!

Riho dropkicked Statlander. Riho followed up with a drop toehold, but Kris got up and shoulder blocked Riho. Kris put Riho in a bear hug. Statlander nailed Riho with a vertical suplex. 

Statlander pressed Riho and then planted her hard on the mat! Riho connected with a dropkick and rallied back with a big hammering elbow in the corner. Riho rocked Kris with a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall.

Riho climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Kris dodged the double stomp. Kris clubbed Riho in the face with a clothesline. Kris followed up with two more forearms. Riho was playing possum, jumped off the top rope, but Statlander rolled through. Riho slipped behind and nailed Kris with a dragon suplex for a two-count!

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

Stokely Hathaway placed a chain in the ring for Kris, and then jumped onto the apron to distract the ref. Statlander picked up the chain, and it was clear she was torn, but then tossed the chain away. Riho charged at Statlander, but Statlander put on the brakes and suplexed Riho!

Statlander planted Riho with a German Suplex. Statlander picked up Riho, but Riho rolled through and pinned Statlander!

“What a win! What a comeback! Statlander is shocked, she should have used the chain,” said Taz.

Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm, Mariah May, and Luther!

Storm said this Saturday on Collision she’d be presenting the first ever “Toni” award. 

Renee Paquette was backstage with Stokely Hathaway and Willow Nightingale!

Renee asked Stokely what went wrong out there.

Stokely: “Kris Statlander wanted to do things here way. She is my favorite. I just wish she listened to those who love her the most.”

Renee: “I have good news I’ve just been informed. Next week on Dynamite: Big Business, you will be going one on one with Riho.”

Willow: “Stokely, I know what you were trying to do out there, but next week we have to do things my way. I know I can beat Riho, the former Women’s Champion. And Julia Hart, I’ve got my sights set on you and the TBS Championship. I am going to become the face of TBS, I just have to get through Riho first.”

Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview Darby Allin ahead of his match against “Switchblade” Jay White at Dynamite: Big Business!

Tony asked Darby what it would be like without Sting. 

Darby: “I’m lacerated, I’m beat up, I’m tired. Next week at Big Business I’ve got a match against Jay White. And then on March 27th, I’m flying to go climb Mount Everest. There is no guarantee that I’m going to come back alive from Mount Everest. I just want to take this moment to thank every fan and AEW for giving me this dream. And if next week is my last match, I’m going to go out fighting for my life! And as for this AEW World Tag championship, everybody asks me why I don’t just find a new partner and keep defending it. Let’s get serious here, Tony. I can’t replace Sting. So next team that wins this, congratulations.”

“Darby Allin is relinquishing the AEW World Tag Team Championship,” said Excalibur.

The Bullet Club Gold came out onto the ramp!

“Switchblade” Jay White: “Whoa, I am sorry, I didn’t want to interrupt this little sob story but Darby, you’re just such an elusive guy, I didn’t know if I’d get the chance to talk to you face to face. Congrats on an amazing night at Revolution. 

“You were willing to risk it all when you jumped off the top of the ladder. Our EVPs moved out of the way, and you went crashing through the glass all by yourself. Between you and me and Atlanta, I don’t really care that this is all people are talking about. There’s no one to watch after you now. But you don’t have to get in the ring with me. Trust me, nobody would think any less of you after what you’ve been through. Because Darby remember, if you do decide to get in the ring with me, there’s a lot worse things that can happen than a few scratches.

“So, I have a better idea. Instead of a match, why don’t you come back, and you can hang with the Bang Bang Scissor Gang. We have a nickname for you already: Darby Scissorhands.”

Darby: “Are you done? I’m going to get right to the point. You came to AEW and did what? I don’t believe the hype. If you think you’re as good as you say you are, you’d come out here alone. I’ll see you at Big Business on Dynamite next week!”

The House of Black were backstage with strong words for Mark Briscoe!

They said they’d fight fire with fire!

Brody King: “Just let us know if we need to dig one grave or three after Collision this Saturday.”

Renee Paquette was backstage with Mark Briscoe!

Briscoe: “Saturday night, let’s do it! Atlanta Street Fight, anything goes on Collision!”

Jay Lethal interrupted and said he had Mark’s back. And he’d bring Jeff Jarrett with him.

Main Event Time!

ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher vs. “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay!

Don Callis joined the commentary team for this match.

Fletcher and Ospreay hugged as the bell rang.

Fletcher hit Ospreay with a shoulder tackle. Ospreay took down Fletcher with a step up hurracanrana. Will chopped Fletcher in the chest. Fletcher reversed an Irish Whip and sent Ospreay into the turnbuckles. Will, with an injured back from Revolution, crumbled to the mat, writhing in pain.

Will rallied back and hit a tope on Fletcher. Will suplexed Fletcher for a near fall. Fletcher had the Os Cutter scouted and nailed Will with a suplex and then a brain buster! Fletcher and Ospreay exchanged chops in the center of the ring. 

Fletcher tried to block the Os Cutter with a Styles Clash, but Will countered with a DDT! Fletcher ducked the Hidden Blade and countered with Snake Eyes into the middle turnbuckle! Ospreay staggered Fletcher with a heel kick and then blasted Fletcher with an Os Cutter on the apron!

Ospreay countered a tombstone piledriver with a poison rana to Fletcher! Ospreay climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Fletcher knocked Will down. Fletcher attempted an avalanche dragon suplex, but Will landed on his feet! Will power bombed Fletcher but Fletcher kicked out at the two-count! Ospreay decimated Fletcher with an avalanche poison rana! Ospreay caught Fletcher with a Spanish Fly and then an Os Cutter, but Kyle kicked out!

“How tough is Kyle Fletcher?” asked Excalibur.

“Double tough,” replied Don Callis.

Ospreay finished off Fletcher with the Hidden Blade and pinned Fletcher!

After the match, “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson came down to the ring!

Danielson smiled at Fletcher and the two had a stare down. 

This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET!

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Big Business on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the TD Garden in Boston, MA!

Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/A3SGmQo48no?si=xVEacLinUhU3FDvG

In the aftermath of REVOLUTION 2024 and “The Icon” Sting’s amazing final match, All Elite Wrestling returns to the Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA for TWO huge nights of professional wrestling starting on March 6th with DYNAMITE! With Sting going out undefeated, and as ½ of the AEW World Tag Team Champions, what does the future of those titles look like? During the REVOLUTION Media Scrum AEW GM Tony Khan mentioned holding a tournament to crown new champions, so what shape will that take? And knowing that we are now on the road to DYNASTY 2024 on April 21st in St. Louis, how will the AEW locker room step up for that pay-per-view extravaganza coming to the Chaifetz Arena Do not miss out on this Wednesday’s DYNAMITE as the future of AEW takes shape!

DYNAMITE begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of REVOLUTION 2024, DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more! Then join us this Thursday night right back at Gas South for a night of COLLISION!

SINGLES MATCH…

ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher vs. “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay

What a fight Will Ospreay had on Sunday night at REVOLUTION 2024! He and Konosuke Takeshita, despite both being Don Callis Family members, decimated one another in hopes of achieving victory, but ultimately the decision went to “The Aerial Assassin”. So taxing was the battle that during the post-PPV media scrum AEW GM Tony Khan noted that Ospreay might not be medically cleared to compete in this contest with Kyle Fletcher that was announced during the REVOLUTION broadcast. Thankfully for all parties involved, but primarily for the health of Ospreay, he was cleared to compete and this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, we will witness two friends collide in their first singles match since October 2020! 

The in-ring relationship between Fletcher and Ospreay dates back to December 2018 and battles over the PROGRESS Tag Team Championships, including a near 45-minute Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match won by Aussie Open of Fletcher and Mark Davis. The two would also unite Melbourne City Wrestling in Australia to challenge for that company’s tag team championship, as well as go head-to-head over RevPro’s Undisputed British Heavyweight Title held by Ospreay. Their fights as foes, and their time as allies, led Ospreay to recruit Aussie Open to his United Empire group in NJPW, and that collective proved a most formidable force in New Japan, RevPro, OTT, and here in AEW where they took part in the inaugural tournament to crown the first AEW World Trios Champions. 

Though it’s been many months since Fletcher and Ospreay occupied the same space, their friendship has endured, but now that they’re both under the AEW umbrella, and in the Callis Family, the sky is the limit on what they could accomplish together! But before that possibility becomes a reality, the current ROH World Television Champion and the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion are going to go one-on-one! For Ospreay this will mark his first match on DYNAMITE since 8/31/22, and his first singles bout on AEW’s flagship since 6/15/22, so he’s going to be coming in to make a statement to the fans watching around the world as well everyone in the AEW locker room. For Fletcher this also carries the potential for a statement victory, and as ROH World TV Champion (a title Ospreay himself held for 2 days in 2016) would be a huge bolster to his profile heading towards SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2024 in Philadelphia.

One question need be asked though; how many intrafamilial fights can The Don Callis Family withstand? 

ONE-ON-ONE…

Former TBS Champion Kris Statlander vs. Former Women’s World Champion Riho

It’s been over four years since the last time Kris Statlander and Riho met inside the AEW ring for a one-on-one match, long before the creation of the TBS Championship, and just three months into Riho’s reign as the first AEW Women’s World Champion. Unfortunately for Riho, it also turned out to be her final successful title defense as Nyla Rose would bring her reign crashing to an end one month later. 

Stat and Riho would compete against one another in a Four Way in March 2020, and be partners in a pair of Trios match in 2021, but have not shared a ring since the 11/16/21 edition of DARK, but with Riho’s return to AEW competition last Friday night on RAMPAGE, and Kris’s tag team victory on the REVOLUTION 2024: ZERO HOUR, the two will meet once more this Wednesday night!

It’s clear from Stokely’s post-match comments that championships are the ultimate goal of Statlander and Willow Nightingale, and scoring a victory over the first-ever Women’s World Champion would be a huge boost for Statlander in that regards, just as a win over the former TBS Champ would be a boon to Riho’s return, after all she’s never challenged for the championship currently around the waist of Julia Hart. As for Stat, she hasn’t yet received a rematch for the TBS Championship she wasn’t actually beaten for, nor has she challenged for the AEW Women’s World Title since ALL OUT 2021 during Dr. Britt Baker’s reign, so this is going to be a hotly contested battle between two women looking to become contenders!

THE FUTURE OF THE TAG TEAM TITLES?

Though it was quite the unforgettable, emotional, historic night this past Sunday at REVOLUTION 2024 as All Elite Wrestling honored the iconic career of Sting, one thing that cannot go unmentioned is the fact that he and Darby Allin ended the night still the reigning AEW World Tag Team Champions. It was a milestone for Sting to retire undefeated in AEW, and an even greater accomplishment to do so with the championship around his waist, but with his retirement from competition, and Darby with no plans to continue on as tag team without Sting, the AEW World Tag Team Championship was declared vacant by AEW GM Tony Khan during the post-PPV Media Scrum. In addition, Tony Khan also made mention of a tournament being held to crown new champions, something akin to AEW’s own March Madness brackets, and that’s already led to several AEW tag teams throwing their names into the hats.

So what will this tournament look like? How will the future of the AEW World Tag Team Championship titles take shape? Only time will tell, but it is a question on the lips of teams around the world who love nothing more than to be the ones to claim the vacant crown as their own! Also, given their defeat in Sunday night’s World Tag Team Championship match, one can’t help but wonder if the above post from The Young Bucks has anything to do with this situation…

FTW CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

HOOK(c) vs. “The Machine” Brian Cage

It’s been building for weeks now, reaching a fever pitch during the All-Star 8-Man Scramble Sunday night, and finally on Wednesday night, “The Machine” Brian Cage will clash with FTW Champion HOOK with the title on the line! Given the history of the two men under the Team Taz banner, not to mention the sheer fact that HOOK’s father was the one who not only brought Cage to AEW but also bequeathed him the FTW Championship in the first place, this is going to be a heated affair. 

In addition to the REVOLUTION 2024 Scramble, these two competitors have been on opposing sides of a pair of multi-man matches in 2024 with Brian Cage’s side winning both bouts, but this will mark their first-ever singles match. Between his two reigns with the title, HOOK has been FTW Champion for 549 out of the last 588 days, with his first reign comprising 357 of those days, leaving him twenty days shy of surpassing Cage’s tenure as champion, and twenty-one shy of Ricky Starks’ record of 378. 

Can HOOK make it past “The Machine” this Wednesday on DYNAMITE and continue the long trek towards breaking the records set by his former Team Taz allies? Or will Brian Cage, with the support of Prince Nana and The Mogul Embassy, begin a second reign of domination as FTW Champion?

IS THE UNDISPUTED AGE UPON US?

Coming out of REVOLUTION 2024 there is one thing for certain, The Undisputed Kingdom is on top of the world! Not only did Roderick Strong dethrone 2-Time AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy to claim that title as his own, but Wardlow also dominated in the All-Star 8-Man Scramble match to earn a future AEW World Championship match with Samoa Joe. Between Strong and Taven/Bennett, The UK already has two championships in their camp, with the potential for a third down the line, and thus are clearly riding high based on the words shared in the video above. Yet an unknown variable was inserted into the mix this past Sunday night when Kyle O’Reilly made his long-awaited return to All Elite Wrestling following Strong’s victory over OC! For a moment it seemed like Kyle would fight his friends, then like he would join their ranks, but ultimately Kyle simply whispered something into Roderick’s ear before walking away from the ring with eyes full of emotion. 

While The Undisputed Kingdom has much to celebrate, there are many questions to be asked, such as what does their future hold as it pertains to Kyle O’Reilly and how long will Wardlow have to wait for his shot at AEW World Champion Samoa Joe? Tune in this Wednesday night to DYNAMITE to see how it all unfolds for O’Reilly, Adam Cole, new AEW International Champion Roderick Strong, ROH World Tag Champions Taven & Bennett, and new #1 Contender Wardlow!

Even though we are all still recovering from REVOLUTION 2024 and Sting’s farewell to in-ring competition, All Elite Wrestling has to move forward and that means a return to the Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA for DYNAMITE, and starting on the road to DYNASTY 2024 in St. Louis on April 21st!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/mkPKGzxo4Nc?si=J5WW-U0t747h1Rru

DYNAMITE comes your way at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, with ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher taking on Will Ospreay, former TBS Champion Kris Statlander battling the original Women’s World Champion Riho, and plenty more on tap! Make a point to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, for highlights from REVOLUTION 2024, as well as last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more! Then join us this Thursday night right back at Gas South for a night of COLLISION!

The American Society of Magical Negroes review by Big Gold Belt Media with @idkgravity-Synopsis:Written, directed and produced by Kobi Libii (Koe-bee Luh-BEE) alongside producers Julia Lebedev, Eddie Vaisman and Angel Lopez, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/C3rmReJVUAE?si=1Jcso0cUIPNV8Cxr

We are finally here, the moment we have all been anticipating/dreading since October 18th when “The Icon” Sting announced to the world that he would bring his historic Hall of Fame career to an end at REVOLUTION 2024. That night he said to the world “The only thing sure about Sting is my retirement, REVOLUTION 2024, is for sure.”, and it felt like a seismic shift in the foundation of professional wrestling. 

We’d learn shortly thereafter that the site for this historic night would be the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC, a site very familiar to “The Icon”, a place where he fought “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair to a 45 minute draw over the World’s Championship, where he and Lex Luger won the 1988 Jim Crockett Memorial Cup, and where he stepped inside a Steel Cage with Mick Foley. The Greensboro Coliseum is where Sting found The Great Muta to a time limit draw, where he went to a Double DQ with Abdullah The Butcher, and where he was trapped inside that enclosed Steel Cage in 1991. After Sunday night, the Greensboro Coliseum will also be known as the location where Sting fought his final professional wrestling match, and where All Elite Wrestling’s first pay-per-view of 2024 took place!

While this Sunday night will obviously be historic as the night professional wrestling bids farewell to Sting’s in-ring career, it could also go down in history as one of the most unforgettable nights in AEW history! With so many championship matches on tap, the debut of Will Ospreay as an official member of the AEW locker room, the All-Star Scramble, and so much more, REVOLUTION 2024 goes live on PPV beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT, with the ZERO HOUR kicking off at 6:30p ET on the official AEW YouTube channel!

AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP TORNADO TAG MATCH…

Darby Allin & “The Icon” Sting(c) vs. The Young Bucks (Matthew and Nicholas Jackson)

13,978 days; 38 years, 3 months, and 7 days; that is how long it has been since the first night “The Icon” Sting stepped inside a professional wrestling ring for a match. In that time he has been an inspiration to fans around the world, one of the most beloved figures the industry has seen, a true Hall of Fame talent, a master of reinvention, and a worthy of that “Icon” tag. It was not all that long ago that, due to injury, it was thought Sting’s days inside the ring were over, but since coming to All Elite Wrestling he has proven that to be so far from the truth. 

It began at WINTER IS COMING 2020 on December 2nd, when Sting arrived at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, to the delight of the limited fans inside the arena. It was a cold night in Jacksonville but the electricity for Sting’s arrival, the excitement from the fans made it red hot, and at REVOLUTION 2021, when he teamed with Darby Allin for his first match in nearly six years, “The Icon” showed he was as good as ever. That Street Fight saw the Sting/Darby tandem score victory over Brian Cage and Ricky Starks, and thus began a streak of twenty-eight victories, fifteen of them in tag matches with Darby, that has included Street Fights, No DQ situations, a trip to Pro Wrestling NOAH, and even a Coffin Match at Wembley Stadium for ALL IN: LONDON! 

In the midst of all that, on October 18th, Sting told the world that at REVOLUTION 2024 he would close the book on his legendary in-ring career after thirty-eight years, he said that was the one thing about Sting that was for certain, but between October and this Sunday, there was still a lot to accomplish. Darby and Sting made an ally out of Adam Copeland, joining him in the fight against The Patriarchy, and even signed on with Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara to fight then-AEW World Tag Champions Big Bill & Ricky Starks and The Don Callis Family. Still, there was one goal, one thing that Sting hadn’t accomplished during his AEW tenure, one thing Darby Allin was adamant about making happen before the final curtain: an AEW championship.

That ultimately came to fruition on February 7th when Sting and Darby claimed the AEW World Tag Team Championship from Starks and Big Bill in a Tornado Tag. It should have been a moment of triumph, of celebration, but instead two petulant adults ruined the moment for Sting and Darby, as well as for the fans wanting to celebrate this monumental occasion. While the extent of what The Young Bucks did to Darby, Sting, and his sons was quite shocking, it shouldn’t be a surprise that they spoiled the celebration. 

After all these are two men who, after losing their tag team title opportunity at FULL GEAR 2023 to Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho, had Brandon Cutler put out the message to “respect their privacy” as they took time away from wrestling, had Brandon Cutler tweet out that they were done with BEING THE ELITE, and on January 10th when Matthew and Nicholas finally came back to work to respond to the question of who Sting would face in his final match, also had Cutler put out that backstage morale increased tremendously due to their return.

The version of The Young Bucks that has taken up television time in 2024 can be summed up in three words: abuse of power. For the first time since AEW’s inception, the brothers Jackson are actively taking advantage of their power as EVPs in the company hierarchy, not only to threaten people with fines (as they did with Tony Schiavone) or to disrupt others moments (as they did with Eddie Kingston this past Wednesday), but also to put themselves into this position to challenge for the AEW World Tag Team Championship! The return of the rankings system was intended to provide deserving challengers with their opportunities, to have a system where individuals/teams earn their way to title shots with victories over other deserving challengers, but The Young Bucks arbitrarily decided how it would work for them. They came back, defeated a team of local hopefuls on the 2/9 RAMPAGE, cheated to beat Top Flight on the 2/14 DYNAMITE, and then declared themselves the #1 Contender’s to the tag titles. They didn’t earn that top spot through actual work, they didn’t win an Eliminator Match to get a title opportunity, nor are they answering any kind of Open Challenge to face Darby Allin and Sting; they are simply using the tools they were given as EVPs for selfish ends rather than to the boon of AEW.

The Young Bucks, as they have chosen to operate thus far in 2024, couldn’t be farther from who they were in 2019, and could not be any farther from the men they are facing on Sunday night. Since the day he set foot in AEW, Sting has been here for All Elite Wrestling, for the men and women in the locker rooms, and has been an example of how to enjoy a nearly 40 year career in this industry in a way that actually benefits all those around you. That isn’t just here in AEW though, the people who were around him long before AEW have testified to that being the way Sting has always conducted himself in the wrestling sphere, and it is also what Sting has told the world he sees in Darby Allin. Darby cares about AEW deeply, not just his own place in it, but in the entirety of All Elite Wrestling, wanting to see it grow and thrive, and thus he is utterly disappointed in the men The Young Bucks have chosen to be in 2024. They are not here for AEW, they are not here to benefit anyone else but themselves, and they obviously don’t care who they hurt in the process, and that is why this Sunday night at REVOLUTION 2024, Darby Allin and Sting have bad intentions for Matthew and Nicholas Jackson.

It’s about AEW, it’s about the Borden family, it’s about the bond Sting and Darby have built over the last several years, and for Darby especially, it’s about making sure “The Icon” gets the send-off from professional wrestling that he has earned. After thirty-eight years and a lifetime of sacrifice, of a career filled with the highest highs and lowest lows, of championships, and of blood, sweat, and tears, Sting bids professional wrestling farewell, but not before trying to teach one last lesson to The Young Bucks about humility, and the cost of their hubris.

AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Samoa Joe(c) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland

https://www.youtube.com/embed/2JiQTUOM-ac?si=W6i4ka_xZRFfPkeO&start=285

Two years ago, at REVOLUTION 2022 in Orlando, Swerve Strickland signed his name on the dotted line to became All Elite while Adam Page retained the AEW World Championship over Adam Cole. One year ago, at REVOLUTION 2023, as Adam Page beat Jon Moxley in Texas Death and Samoa Joe lost the TNT Title to Wardlow, Swerve sat in the back of San Francisco’s Chase Center stewing that he wasn’t involved with anything that night.

Now REVOLUTION is upon us again, this time hailing from the historic Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC, and Swerve Strickland is exactly where he has always wanted to be, in the AEW World Championship picture. Swerve has always felt, always known, he has the tools to be the man standing atop AEW as champion, but this is his first opportunity to become the champion, and he means to make the most of it. Over the course of his AEW career, specifically since the moment he chose to turn his back on Keith Lee, Swerve has shown a willingness to do anything, to go to any lengths, in order to accomplish his goals, and that is where Hangman Page enters into the picture.

This thing between Hangman and Swerve started innocuously enough on the September 6th DYNAMITE when Strickland interrupted Tony Schiavone’s conversation with the former AEW World Champion, but it quickly went south as Swerve ran down Hangman. Strickland swore it wasn’t personal, that it was simply a matter of wanting the spot Adam occupied, and it was that night Strickland said “if I would’ve gotten the opportunities that you’ve gotten, I’d be the first black AEW World Champion by now”. Maybe it wasn’t personal to start, but it rapidly became so as Swerve pushed every possible button he could to get under Hangman’s skin, the situation ultimately ending with Mogul Embassy member Brian Cage dropping Hangman with a Drill Claw.

Their first singles match at WRESTLEDREAM 2023 went Swerve’s way, but not without the assist of Prince Nana, while their second match at FULL GEAR 2023 produced one of the most violent, bloody, sadistic scenarios we’ve ever seen play out in All Elite Wrestling, and that too was won by the boss of The Mogul Embassy. Along the way Hangman made sure Strickland didn’t cheat his way to a TNT Championship opportunity, along the way Swerve thought it was a good idea to break into Hangman’s home, along the way everything that started as being about professional wrestling and a “spot” got very, very personal. Hangman swore he’d never let Swerve become AEW World Champion, and when the two men collided on the February 7th DYNAMITE to see who would go to REVOLUTION 2024 to fight for the title and it ended with a time limit draw, Hangman thought he’d accomplished his goal of blocking Swerve’s path to the title.

Unfortunately for Hangman, AEW GM Tony Khan had other thoughts, and it was announced just moments after the draw that both Hangman and Swerve would go on to March 3rd in Greensboro as the challengers for the AEW World Championship held by Samoa Joe. Yes, that was another thing that happened along the way; the most dominant World Champion in ROH’s 22 year history, the most dominant ROH World TV Champion in that title’s 14 year lineage, had now become the king of All Elite Wrestling after smashing through MJF at WORLDS END 2023.

Ask anyone who’s ever stood across the ring from Samoa Joe, or even stood in the ring as he made his entrance for that matter; the AEW World Champion is one of the scariest individuals to share space with inside the squared circle. There is an intensity that permeates the room when Joe walks into it, a feeling that you’re sharing space with one of the baddest men on the planet, a man willing to destroy you if you come for what’s his, and an individual to be feared. Samoa Joe’s arrival to ROH at GLORY BY HONOR 2002 changed the game for professional wrestling, his historic reign as ROH World Champion elevated ROH to that next level, and his fight with Kenta Kobashi in October 2005 elevated the entire sport. A man of Joe’s size wasn’t supposed to move like that, wasn’t supposed to be able to string together the furious combinations of offense that he did, but his presence on increasingly larger stages showed the wrestling world different, making his arrival to AEW two years ago one of the most exciting debuts in the company’s history. 

After all, there are few competitors in professional wrestling more legitimate than Samoa Joe, few men who force all those around them to be better, and that is what both Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page are going to have to be on Sunday night: better. They each need to find the best version of themselves to have a hope of dethroning Samoa Joe as the AEW World Champion, they both need to find a way to focus on that goal rather than on their hatred for each other, otherwise their mutually assured destruction will leave Samoa Joe reigning atop AEW. 

AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

“Timeless” Toni Storm(c) vs. “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo

Deonna Purrazzo first showed her face in AEW as the ROH Women’s World Champion, but at that time she was obligated elsewhere in her professional wrestling career, and with Mercedes Martinez defeating her to claim the championship, it seemed the only time the AEW faithful would get to see “The Virtuosa”. 

Then January 3rd happened, and in the aftermath of Mariah May’s in-ring debut for AEW, “The Virtuosa” arrived on the scene in Newark, upstaging Mariah’s debut, and telling her to take a message back to AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm. Mariah took umbrage with the idea that she’s Storm’s messenger, slapped AEW’s new signee across the face, but immediately received a slap of her own from Purrazzo, followed by a kick to the jaw that sent Mariah reeling.

With just those few minutes, Deonna Purrazzo let the world know why she was here in All Elite Wrestling, but it would take a few more weeks before the AEW faithful learned about the history between Deonna and Toni Storm before there was a “Virtuosa” or a “Timeless”. It turned out that the two women were friends, former roommates, who even got identical tattoos to commemorate their bond. Their friendship ran deeper than two women who’d worked in Stardom together, or had been opponents in other companies, they were true friends in their pre-AEW days, but that didn’t stop “Timeless” Toni Storm from feigning ignorance to who Deonna Purrazzo identity.

Eventually Storm let the facade drop, and both women spoke to their history, Deonna looking for some glimmer of the woman she knew before “Timeless” took over while the AEW Women’s World Champion considered her past dead. It’s almost as if, between losing the AEW Women’s World Championship twice in less than a year and having her relationship with The Outcasts disintegrate, Storm just broke, deciding that she’d always been “Timeless”, and anything before her AEW premiere as “Timeless” happened to someone else.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/fMoMQtFd47Q?si=HIlXC6OL5FVV4hml&start=74

So Deonna did what she had to do in order to get what she wanted, she got to work inside the squared circle and earned her way to a championship fight. Starting with Red Velvet on January 13th, Purrazzo has racked up five singles victories over Red, Anna Jay, Taya Valkyrie, Madison Rayne, and Kiera Hogan, and did not hesitate to throw blows with her former friend last night on COLLISION. It seems Deonna Purrazzo has had to accept that the Toni Storm she knew is gone forever, so all that’s left to do is take away the championship she holds so dear, and see if perhaps that shock to the system jolts Toni Storm back to who she was before “Timeless” took over the reins.  

TNT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

“The Patriarch” Christian Cage vs. Daniel Garcia

Daniel Garcia was at a point in his young career that many individuals could relate to regardless of their occupation; he was questioning himself, questioning his worth, and questioning if he should continue chasing his professional wrestling dreams. The frustration of one loss after another in the Continental Classic didn’t help his feelings, but when he finally got that victory over Brody King in their last match of the tournament, even if it didn’t matter by that point in terms of the standings, it mattered to Garcia and his dreams. It was a reminder of just how good he is bell-to-bell, it was a wake-up call to the rest of AEW that Garcia needs to be viewed as a threat to everyone standing across the ring from him, and a statement to the fans that the energy they’d invested in Garcia was one worth making.

It wasn’t a victory that led Garcia directly into a ripping streak where he’s stacked up W’s over everyone in front of him, but it bolstered his confidence, it led to his team scoring victory at WORLDS END 2023 when Garcia pinned Lethal, and to Garcia stepping up to aid FTR against The House of Black, notably being the deciding factor in their victory over The House in the Escape The Cage match several weeks ago.

A week later, Garcia followed that up by scoring the decision over Nick Wayne to get his trio with FTR  a win over The Patriarchy, and that moment is what brought him to this place on Sunday night’s REVOLUTION 2024 pay-per-view. That victory gave Garcia the confidence to call out Christian Cage for a TNT Championship match, it boosted Garcia when he accepted Adam Copeland’s challenge for a #1 Contender match on DYNAMITE. Sadly, though unsurprisingly, Christian Cage and The Patriarchy ruined that match, getting it thrown out as a No Contest when they interfered while Copeland had Garcia in a Crossface submission. Merely interfering wasn’t enough though, Cage and company tried to deliver a Con-Chair-To to Garcia, one Copeland stopped from happening, only to end up a victim of the devastating chair attack himself thanks to Mother Wayne hitting him in the groin.

So with Copeland on the shelf from that assault, Daniel Garcia was the man left standing, and he absolutely was not going to back down from this fight no matter what. He wants that TNT Championship, he wants revenge for what Cage did to him, Copeland, and Daddy Magic, and he will fight the entire Patriarchy by himself in order to get it! Unfortunately that just may be the scenario in Greensboro on Sunday night, Garcia versus Cage, Killswitch, and The Wayne’s, but if that’s what it takes to finally wear an AEW championship around his waist, than that is what Garcia will do.

There is one question though, if Garcia is successful in his TNT Championship bid at REVOLUTION 2024, how will Copeland handle that upon his return? It’s been his mission to be the one to take that title from Christian Cage, the entire point of the Cope Open was for Adam to play Cage’s game and earn his way back to contention with actual victories, so if Garcia is the one to swoop in and end The Patriarch’s reign as TNT Champion, how will Copeland respond?

CONTINENTAL CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Eddie Kingston(c) vs. “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson

Nearly 500 years ago the Pakistani Beggar King Hussein Nishah wrote, “Treat people the way you want to be treated. Talk to people the way you want to be talked to. Respect is earned, not given”, and those words, especially the final five, have permeated through history to this very day. Marlon Brando’s Don Corleone character in The Godfather spoke those words after a fashion, Ring of Honor even named one of its pay-per-view events RESPECT IS EARNED, it’s a mantra that many people live by, and one that Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston has taken to heart both in his wrestling career as well as in life.

He is the first man to admit that he wasn’t the most respectful of individuals as a young kid first getting into professional wrestling. He was an uncouth kid off the streets coming into a world where handshakes are an expectation, respect for those who came before you is demanded regardless of their behavior towards you, and “paying your dues” can be an arbitrary term for treating the younger generations horribly. It could be a world where respect was expected rather than earned, and that system did nothing to bolster those who struggled to find their place in it. Some were rigid in their expectations of adherence to pro wrestling’s precepts, and when an individual like Kingston, especially in his nascent years lacing up the boots, comes into that world it can bristle those who have lofty expectations. 

That is the relationship of Bryan Danielson and Eddie Kingston, one where the former gives the latter no learning curve and simply demands he be better. There’s no leeway given to the notion that Eddie, as he has owned, is his own worst enemy, that he’s guilty of walking away rather than fighting the preconceived notions of men like Bryan and Claudio Castagnoli. There are times when Eddie hasn’t pushed himself to be his best, that he’s allowed himself to be less than, but for some it just takes longer to find that self-belief, to create that self-confidence, that lends itself towards being the best version of yourself. 

Bryan and Claudio may entered into professional wrestling utterly confident about their abilities, completely sure of their choices, but that wasn’t Eddie. He was the man who took time to figure out his place in the world of wrestling, to learn who he is as a man away from the ring, and figure out why he kept handicapping his own career. It took time, it took making a lot of mistakes and creating a slew of enemies, it took losing friends and relationships, but eventually Kingston looked inward rather than outward, and began to make the changes. The reality is that this is an ongoing process for Kingston, one that will likely last his entire life, but at least it’s a process he pursues and won’t let himself give up on ever again.

Unfortunately that’s not enough for Bryan Danielson; Eddie’s desire to change, the work put in towards becoming a better version of himself, of living up to his fullest potential, none of that matters to “The American Dragon” because all he sees is who Kingston was, not who he is. He doesn’t see the hard work Kingston puts in every night, the gym hours, the diet, the mental healthcare, the pure passion Eddie has for professional wrestling; all he sees is who Eddie was fifteen, twenty years ago, a version of Kingston that Danielson has forever trapped in amber. For Bryan there is no such thing as growth, no such thing as change, no such thing as redemption; you are who you are and you’ll always be that.

So no matter what Eddie Kingston does, Bryan Danielson will never genuinely respect him, not as a wrestler or a man, it will never be earned no matter how many times “The Mad King” can best him. There’s a reason why the simple act of a shaking Eddie’s hand has to be forced upon Bryan, and it says a lot more about who Danielson is as a person than anything about Eddie Kingston. Perhaps the world can now see that no matter how good “The American Dragon” may be inside the ring, and make no mistake he is quite possibly the best to ever do it, outside of the ring he is a bully who relishes in the misery of others, and Bryan’s actions show he is the one who has not earned one ounce of respect. 

AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Roderick Strong

Adam Cole made it abundantly clear on the DYNAMITE followings WORLDS END 2023, when The Undisputed Kingdom officially introduced themselves to the world as a unit, that Roderick Strong was on a mission to claim the AEW International Championship. There was no secret plan now that Cole, Strong, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, and Wardlow had stepped out from behind their masks, every card was laid out on the table, and Roddy did not hesitate to step to Orange Cassidy’s face on the January 17th DYNAMITE after he and Trent Beretta defeated Penta and Komander. To be clear though, while Roderick had no problem getting into OC’s face to declare his championship aspirations, he had no intention of fighting Cassidy that night even though the defending champion was more than willing to go.

Instead Roderick Strong made it known he would wait until REVOLUTION 2024 to take up this title fight, giving Cassidy plenty of time to prepare for the match, but also plenty of time to possibly lose the championship as well. After all, just because Roderick was willing to wait over a month for his title opportunity didn’t mean Cassidy wasn’t going to be the defending champion he’s always been. In fact, not only has “Freshly Squeezed” defended the belt since the confrontation with Strong, he’s done so three times, including traveling to RevPro in London to put it on the line in a Seven Way bout! 

But it looks like Roderick actually had a rationale behind his decision to postpone the opportunity, an actual plan to put into motion leading up to REVOLUTION 2024, and that plan meant removing a majority of Cassidy’s allies off the playing field. Trent Beretta, Chuck Taylor, and Rocky Romero have all been put on the shelf by The Undisputed Kingdom, FTW Champion HOOK has been otherwise engaged in issues with Brian Cage and a fixation on Samoa Joe, and Danhausen, well who knows where his head is at. Suffice to say with Trent, Chuck, and Rocky off the table, the AEW International Champion is rather alone while Roderick Strong is always flanked by Taven and Bennett. 

If Cassidy had lost the championship between January 17th and March 3rd, it’s safe to say Roderick would’ve just moved his focus to whoever beat Orange, because for him this isn’t personal, it’s just about taking the International Championship. For Cassidy however, trying to take the title he’s poured his blood, his body, and his soul into for 471 out of the last 508 days is very personal, and taking down his best friends out of some misguided delusion that it will make him easier pickings is also very personal.

So while Roderick is fighting for the International Championship, Cassidy is fighting for that title as well as for those who suffered at The Undisputed Kingdom’s hands simply for the “crime” of being in Orange’s friendship circle. Taven and Bennett have already brought one championship to the UK fold, will Roderick be able to bring another on Sunday night? Or will Cassidy be able to continue chasing the records he set with his first International Championship reign?

THE FAMILY THAT FIGHTS TOGETHER…

Will Ospreay vs. “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita

https://www.youtube.com/embed/yOaijQExO6k?si=Y5jcO3un9QZlvCNU&start=285

In the twisted mind of Don Callis, pitting two of his own “family” members against one another seems to be a way for Callis to hype his own unit as the greatest group of professional wrestlers in All Elite Wrestling. It is a way for Callis to say he won regardless of if it’s Takeshita or Will Ospreay who comes out with the actual victory in the match, and it’s clear to see that Callis believes, no matter the outcome, his “family” bond will remain as strong as ever.

But will that be the case? Is The Don Callis Family on the same level as, say, The Blackpool Combat Club? Meaning can Callis’ crew fight one another with no problem, do they look at it as iron sharpening iron the way The BCC does, or is Don Callis setting himself up for disasterous consequences? 

However the aftermath of this battle plays out, there is no doubt it has the potential to be one of the greatest bouts AEW has seen its existence. Konosuke Takeshita is a true hoss in that ring, he’s powerful and fast, a hard-hitting beast who has grown to relish the pain he dishes out to his opponents. Will Ospreay, well there’s a reason many people, fans and wrestling pundits alike, consider him the greatest wrestler competing today. He can soar, he can strike, he can get on the mat and grapple, he can take punishment as well as dish it out, and the fact that this will mark his first official match as part of the AEW locker room only provides further incentive to make it a memorable evening. 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/dYA59k3M37A?si=TH7__yLkW0tUnJGb&start=449

So while Don Callis may say that no matter what happens, his family wins, the reality is that no matter happens it is the fans who will win with this match!

TAG TEAM GRUDGE MATCH…

The Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley) vs.

FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/3WPmdwHpxKE?si=d2F4xSzoY4IZDj9I&start=221

On the 2/21 edition of DYNAMITE, fans witnessed glorious combat as FTR and The BCC, represented by Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley, battled to a 20-minute draw. Though a phenomenal pro wrestling contest, it was understandably unsatisfying for either team, and they nearly came to blows in the backstage area shortly thereafter. Both teams wanted more, with the challenge laid out by FTR for a rematch, and that challenge was gladly accepted by Mox and Claudio, but not without their fair share of words denigrate Cash and Dax as clutching to the past of professional wrestling rather than creating the future.

The former 2-Time AEW World Tag Champions took umbrage with that statement, and their perspective came out after scoring a hard-earned victory over Shane Taylor Promotions last week on COLLISION, but things weren’t done yet that night. Bryan Danielson beat Jun Akiyama in a superb main event, but things went pear-shaped after “The American Dragon” kicked him right in the groin, bringing Eddie Kingston into the ring from the commentary position to pound Bryan’s skull in. Of course this brought Claudio Castagnoli into the fray, which in turn got FTR involved, sending the two BCC members scurrying away for higher ground. As COLLISION went off the air, it was announced that FTR and the Continental Crown Champion would team up to fight Mox, Bryan, and Claudio in a Trios match on DYNAMITE, a bout that got as intense as one would expect, and ended with Danielson putting Kingston down! 

So that brings us to this Sunday night on pay-per-view where FTR meet Moxley and Castagnoli in a tag team grudge match that feels as much about marking territory as it is about tag team wrestling. It’s about staking claim as not only the baddest dudes in AEW, but also taking ownership of All Elite Wrestling as the top dogs in the territory.

ALL-STAR 8-MAN SCRAMBLE MATCH…

FTW Champion HOOK vs. Brian Cage vs. Dante Martin vs. Chris Jericho vs. “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer vs. Magnus vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Wardlow

***WINNER EARNS AN AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH***

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ltpMUc0QDnQ?si=V3he_FFxDrY8fK8D&start=221

Thanks to injuries, Meat Madness had to be put on the back burner, but in its stead, this Sunday night will see AEW’s first Scramble match! We’ve got four of the biggest, toughest men in All Elite Wrestling in Lance Archer, Powerhouse Hobbs, Wardlow, and Brian Cage, a guest from CMLL in Magnus, FTW Champion HOOK, the high-flying Dante Margin, and the original AEW Champion Chris Jericho all competing for a future shot at the AEW World Championship! There’s a whole lot of history mixed up in this match, like Hobbs being the one who ended Wardlow’s second TNT Championship reign on the 3/8/23 DYNAMITE and Wardlow reclaiming it from Hobbs forty-two days later on the April 19, 2023 edition of AEW’s flagship. 

Then there’s the issues between the FTW Champion and “The Machine” Brian Cage that have been the main focus of Cage for the last several weeks, not to mention their history with Team Taz. Also, it wasn’t all that long ago that Powerhouse Hobbs decimated Chris Jericho, putting him on the shelf for several weeks, and it was just last night on COLLISION that Jericho got laid out again by the former TNT Champion!

There is a litany of intriguing situations wrapped up in this All-Star Scramble Match going down in Greensboro this Sunday night, but only one man can earn their shot at either Samoa Joe, Hangman Page, or Swerve Strickland! 

ZERO HOUR

TAG TEAM GRUDGE MATCH…

TBS Champion Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. 

Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale (w/ Stokely Hathway)

After losing to Skye Blue on Wednesday as a result of Julia Hart cracking her in the skull with the TBS Championship belt, Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale will have a chance to even the score this Sunday night during the ZERO HOUR! Stokely Hathaway’s insistence that Stat use a chain as a weapon may have provided a slight distraction to Stat, but it was Hart’s involvement that made the former TBS Champion vulnerable for Sky to hit a Code Blue for the pinfall victory. That gave Skye a 2-1 advantage over Statlander in their singles matches, but Willow beat Skye two weeks ago in their singles match, while Julia Hart holds victories over all three women, including her own partner. It was Willow that Julia beat to earn her TBS Championship match, it was Skye who Julia pinned to become the TBS Champion, and though she hasn’t beaten her directly, it was Statlander who Julia took the TBS Championship from at FULL GEAR 2023.

Ever since Hart and Skye have banded together, they’ve set their sights on taking down Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander, and between the events of Wednesday night, and this first-ever tag team meeting, they’ve certainly got their opportunity to rid themselves of Nightingale and Statlander. The presence of Stokely Hathaway may not help matters either, he hasn’t exactly been the best individual to have at ringside given his insistence on interference doesn’t quite jive with the entire oeuvre of the two women he’s allied with, but perhaps Willow and Kris believe they can bring out the best in a man who has only ever shown the wrestling world his worst. What they need from Stokely in this fight is to be on the same page, and not create another distraction that leads to defeat. Hart and Skye are obviously of one mind right now, perhaps an effect of that black mist Skye was exposed to months back, and that’s where Willow, Statlander, and Stokely need to get if they want to win this bout on ZERO HOUR!

12-MAN TAG!!!

The Bang Bang Scissor Gang (AEW World Trios Champions The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass and ROH World Six-Man Champions BULLET CLUB GOLD)

vs.

Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen), Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett, & Willie Mack

https://www.youtube.com/embed/rlfCMoj4YDM?si=_mL_LsbxB_Lgu2VR&start=449

The final match in the legendary career of “The Icon” Sting takes places this Sunday night at REVOLUTION 2024 live on pay-per-view from the historic Greensboro Coliseum! In one of six championship matches taking place on March 3rd, Sting and Darby Allin will defend their AEW World Tag Team Championship in a Tornado Tag against former 2-Time champions, The EVPs of AEW, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson, otherwise known as The Young Bucks! Plus, AEW World Champion Samoa Joe defends against both Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland, Orange Cassidy defends his International Title against The Undisputed Kingdom’s Roderick Strong, and “Timeless” Toni Storm puts her AEW Women’s World Championship on the line against former best friend Deonna Purrazzo!

But that’s not all; we’ve also got an 8-Man Scramble for an AEW World Title shot, a TNT Championship clash between Christian Cage and Daniel Garcia, FTR and BCC going at it in a tag team rematch, Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston battling Bryan Danielson, and two members of The Don Callis Family colliding when Will Ospreay meets Konosuke Takeshita!! It all begins with the ZERO HOUR, going live at 6:30p ET on the official AEW YouTube channel, and then REVOLUTION 2024 coming at you starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT! Do not miss out on one of the most historic nights in the history of our great sport as we bear witness to Sting’s final professional wrestling match!

To witness the fallout of REVOLUTION 2024, join us Wednesday night at the Gas South Arena

in Duluth, GA to see what shape All Elite Wrestling takes in the aftermath of this pay-per-view extravaganza!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/a1TrObR5mws?si=L38IRuNmTtBrU1Ix

The last stop on the road to REVOLUTION 2024 comes to the AEW faithful this Saturday night from Huntsville, AL and the Von Braun Center! This week on COLLISION, fans will witness The Bang Bang Gang in Trios competition once again, this time represented by The Acclaimed and Austin Gunn, and they will take on The Dark Order! We will also see Women’s Division action as both Thunder Rosa and Mariah May will step into the ring, three men will compete in a qualifier for Sunday night’s All-Star 8-Man Scramble match, and it call caps off with a huge 8-Man tag that serves as a preview for several matches coming your way in Greensboro on Sunday night!

The evening begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and the AEW fans can get ready for it all by stopping by 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, then we will see you Sunday night live on pay-per-view for REVOLUTION 2024 and “The Icon” Sting’s final match!

A REVOLUTION 2024 PREVIEW…

AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, FTW Champion HOOK, Daniel Garcia, & Trent Beretta vs. TNT Champion Christian Cage, Brian Cage, Killshot, & Roderick Strong

https://www.youtube.com/embed/kUp8gRnoHdA?si=xqNBgpk9mghiabhp&start=111

What a wild main event for the last episode of AEW television before REVOLUTION 2024 airs on pay-per-view Sunday night! Stemming out of Orange Cassidy’s International Championship defense on  Wednesday’s DYNAMITE, this eight-man tag team bout is pulling together so many threads that have become entangled. Obviously there’s the AEW International Championship match between OC and Roderick Strong going down on Sunday that facilitates their involvement in this bout, then there’s the issues “The Machine” Brian Cage has with FTW Champion HOOK that have preoccupied him for weeks now, and of course we have Daniel Garcia and Christian Cage on a collision course for the TNT Championship as well. 

And though they are on the periphery of these assorted fights, Trent Beretta is searching to even the score with The Undisputed Kingdom for taking him out several weeks ago, and Killshot is there to do whatever Christian Cage bids. That’s the situation for this fight on Saturday night, and with so many moving pieces involved, the obvious question is how it will affect the events of REVOLUTION 2024? It’s a chance for the competitors on one side to get an advantage before the pay-per-view, but which side will that be?

TAG TEAM BATTLE…

Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) vs. Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal

https://www.youtube.com/embed/mpxiOQ-d1Hc?si=A54Dln4rxuR3ffOg&start=151

Last week on RAMPAGE, Matt Sydal united with Private Party to take part in a Three Way Trios tag opposite Action Andretti & Top Flight and the unit of Penta El Zero Miedo, Komander, and Bryan Keith. Unfortunately Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen had to watch as Sydal lost the match for their trio, hampering Private Party’s hopes to work their way into the Trios rankings.

So this Saturday night on COLLISION, it looks like Private Party aim to pay Sydal back for blowing their opportunity, but thankfully for Matt he’s got a reliable partner in “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels! Former ROH Tag Team Champions nearly 20 years ago, last year the two men decided to try their hands at teaming once again, and though victory has eluded them thus far, they are still a threat to all those they oppose.

Will Private Party even their score with Sydal, or will bringing “The Fallen Angel” in for support be how Matt needs at his side to reach the level of success he’s been chasing since first coming to All Elite Wrestling?

ALL-STAR EIGHT-MAN SCRAMBLE QUALIFIER…

“Bounty Hunter” Bryan Kieth vs. Dante Martin vs. Penta El Zero Miedo

https://www.youtube.com/embed/RKaO2LEPwkU?si=ra0sLS4D6HueBoXR&start=145

As we first learned from AEW GM Tony Khan prior to DYNAMITE, due to several outside factors the scheduled Meat Madness bout had to be postponed, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to see some wild action at REVOLUTION 2024, only now it will come in the form of an All-Star 8-Man Scramble! Coming out of DYNAMITE we knew six of the men who would take part, and on RAMPAGE fans witnessed CMLL’s Magnus qualify for the bout as well.

Now this Saturday night, just twenty-four hours before REVOLUTION 2024 goes live on pay-per-view, one last man will qualify for the Scramble Match and get one step closer to earning a future AEW World Championship match! Bryan Kieth made such a tremendous impression on All Elite Wrestling over the last few months that he earned his way to an AEW contract, and now stands on the precipice of a championship match, but he has to find a way to survive a fight with both Top Flight’s Dante Martin and The Lucha Brothers Penta El Zero Miedo! These are three hungry competitors, all who have proven their willingness to push themselves to the limit in order to accomplish their goals, and this Saturday they share one lofty goal of heading to Greensboro, NC for REVOLUTION 2024!

Though all three could make the trip to the Coliseum, only one can do so as an actual competitor in the Scramble Match, but who will it be and what will they be willing to risk in order to get closer to a championship match?

ANOTHER MASH-UP!

The Bang Bang Scissor Gang (Anthony Bowens, Austin Gunn, & Max Caster) vs.

The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, & John Silver)

Last week on COLLISION we witnessed The Bang Bang Scissor Gang mix things up, teaming AEW World Six-Man Champion Billy Gunn up with ROH World Six-Man Champions Colten Gunn and “Switchblade” Jay White to rather successful results. Sure there wasn’t perfect communication from the group, and Max Caster’s rap got screwed up, but ultimately they were victorious over the Iron Savages and Jacked Jameson.

This Saturday night they’re giving it a try once again, this time putting Austin Gunn alongside The Acclaimed, to take on one of the most experienced trios in AEW with The Dark Order. Alex Reynolds, John Silver, and Evil Uno have been together almost since the beginning of AEW, and enter into their nineteenth trios match with this fight on COLLISION. At 13-5, there are only a few active trios with better records than The Dark Order, whereas this will be the first time The Acclaimed and Austin Gunn have united as a trio.

Can this iteration of The Bang Bang Gang have the same kind of success as last week’s combination, or will the Trios experience of The Dark Order overcome the momentum the BBSG has built since coming together as a supergroup?

ALSO FEATURING:

-Mariah May in action!

-Thunder Rosa competes!!

-We will hear from AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm, Deonna Purrazzo, 

& Wardlow!!!

With just twenty-four hours to go until REVOLUTION 2024, All Elite Wrestling presents COLLISION this Saturday night from the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL! Capped off with a 8-Man tag featuring the AEW International Champion, the FTW Champion, Trent Beretta, and Daniel Garcia taking on the TNT Champion, Roderick Strong, Killswitch, and Brian Cage, it is quite the loaded night! We’ve also got Thunder Rosa and Mariah May in action, a Three Way fight to qualify for the All-Star 8-Man Scramble Match on Sunday, Private Party taking on Matt Sydal and Christopher Daniels in tag team action, and so much more!

It all 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, then join us Sunday night in Greensboro, NC for REVOLUTION 2024 as we bid farewell to “The Icon” Sting!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/rlfCMoj4YDM?si=2BWsm1M_HkdqHqRk

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK!

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!

3-Way Trios Match!

Action Andretti & Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin

vs.

“The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith, Komander, & Penta El Zero Miedo

vs.

Matt Sydal & Private Party—Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen!

Sydal used a side headlock takedown on Action Andretti. Action fired back with a dropkick, taking Sydal off his feet. Bryan Keith tagged in and booted Darius Martin in the face. Private Party utilized tandem offense on Keith.

Penta El Zero Miedo entered the fray. Dante Martin grabbed a blind tag from Kassidy and then the match broke down with all three teams brawling. Komander paired off with Dante in the ring and took him down with head scissors. Komander hit Dante with an arm drag off the ropes. Penta jumped in and connected with a Sling Blade on Dante.

Bryan Keith nailed Action with a neck breaker. Action used a handspring elbow and rocked both members of Private Party! Keith blasted Darius with a running boot, sending Darius spilling out to the arena floor. Komander locked up Sydal in a flying surfboard on the apron. Sydal escaped and crushed Komander with a meteora! Penta El Zero Miedo was right there to grab Sydal and impale him on the apron with the Fear Factor!

Private Party attempted the Gin & Juice on Penta, but Penta countered with a Destroyer on Kassidy! Keith headbutted Quen, knocking him off the top turnbuckle to the arena floor. Komander flew out of the ring with a tornillo and landed on the pile of wrestlers outside the ring! Penta El Zero Miedo spiked Sydal with the Fear Factor and pinned him!

Renee Paquette was backstage with Saraya and Harley Cameron!

Saraya: I don’t give a s—t about Ruby Soho!”

Harley: “Saraya, breathe with me. Feel better?”

Saraya: “So I have some business I have to talk to you about, Renee. You know how my family is like this big family wrestling royalty in the UK? Well, I have a special announcement I have to make. My brother, Zodiac Zack Knight has just become All Elite! Baby brother, come in here! Yeah, he’s scary, and this could have been yours, Ruby! I was going to set you up with him! You messed it up to go with someone greasy and slimy.”

Harley: “Look at him! He’s hot! Your whole family is hot!”

Saraya: “Anyway, things are about to get really spicy around here, Renee.”

AEW EVPs The Young Bucks—Matthew & Nicholas Jackson 

vs. Jonny Lyons & Cappuccino Jones!

Nick pummeled Lyons with strikes to the back. Matt tagged in and hit Lyons with a running forearm. Cappuccino grabbed a tag and ate a kick from Matt. Matt battered Cappuccino to the mat, shutting him down. Matt planted Jones with a DDT. Nick knocked Jones’ block off with a lariat. The Bucks spiked Jones with the Tony Khan Driver, then Matt pinned Jones!

After the match, the Bucks invited Tony Schiavone into the ring. 

Nick: “We’re not going to attack you, Tony. More than a week ago you interviewed us in this ring. I swear to God I tripped on my shoe and accidentally knocked you down. I just wanted to clear the air and apologize to you right here. I am so sorry.”

Matt: “And to show you how sorry we are, we went and got you this $25 Amazon gift card. We love you. We are sorry. That’s not the only thing we’re sorry about. We’re also sorry that we can’t get Darby Allin and Sting’s bloodstains out of our $5000 white suits. 

“There are a couple things we’re not going to be too sorry about, Tony. The first thing is going to be beating the hell out of Darby Allin at Revolution for all the trash he talked about us publicly on television. And the thing we’re going to be least apologetic about will be when we take Sting, and we pin him to the mat, and we say goodbye and we say farewell to one of the most legendary careers of all time.

“Stinger, you can call us Father Time. Because just like Father Time, we’re undefeated. And just like Father Time, we’re coming for you.”

In the next segment, Tony Schiavone interviewed Sammy Guevara in the ring!

Sammy: “Last week I got in the ring with my childhood hero, Jeff Hardy. But on the other hand, I’m mad, Will Hobbs put me through a table. Will Hobbs, I always said you had endless potential. But alone. You don’t need Don Callis sucking the life out of your career. But it is too late because I am mad. So enough talking. Get your ass out here now!”

Don Callis walked down the ramp!

Callis: “You’re back at work after nursing the child? The only thing you’ve done of note in the past six months is reproduce and you shouldn’t be proud of that. Dogs do it. Even these people can do it. You used to be a great athlete, Sammy. You used to be a guy I wanted in the Don Callis Family. Now you’ve become like so many. You’ve become weak.”

Powerhouse Hobbs jumped in the ring to ambush Sammy, but Sammy dodged Hobbs and drilled him with a thrust kick! Sammy flew over the top rope and wiped out Hobbs on the arena floor! Sammy smashed a steel chair into the spine of Hobbs! Sammy tried to hoist up Hobbs for the GTH, but Hobbs countered with a spinebuster! Hobbs hit a second spinebuster! Hobbs crushed Sammy with the World’s Most Dangerous Slam!

“The message has been sent and Hobbs will not rest until Sammy is done!” said Excalibur.

Skye Blue was backstage with some strong words!

Blue: “I had that match won if it wasn’t for some sad excuse of a man. I had that match won and I deserved it.”

TBS Champion Julia Hart walked up to Skye to comfort her.

Julia: “Skye, it’s okay. We shall get our comeuppance. And while getting our revenge, I shall dig three graves. One for Willow, one for Statlander, and one for Stokely. Now who do you want first?”

Skye: “I want whoever is going to step up and fight me!”

Mariah May vs. Anna Jay!

Mariah May went for a dropkick but Anna side stepped it and followed up with a neck breaker. Mariah fired back with overhand chops. Mariah rocked Anna with a knee strike! Anna countered the May Day with the Queen Slayer, but Mariah backed up into the corner, escaping the hold. 

Mariah sent Anna soaring with a handstand hurracanrana out of the corner! Anna dodged a hip attack from Mariah. Anna nailed Mariah with a back breaker for a near fall. Anna applied the Queen Slayer, but Mariah hit Anna’s arm! Mariah annihilated Anna with the May Day in the center of the ring and pinned Anna!

Renee Paquette was backstage with Ruby Soho and Angelo Parker, who just returned from their date!

Ruby: “I think the date went really well!”

Parker: “It was incredible. I had a great time with you, Ruby.”

Ruby: “Saraya, you said you didn’t care about me. Here’s the reality of the situation. For the last year, you’ve told me that I needed you. But you needed me. You are sad and unhappy without me. But when you start talking about Angelo, we have a problem. I said I needed space from you. And in that space, I think I found something real in Angelo. Why don’t we invite everyone out next week, bring the crew, and we’ll shove this done your throat.”

Parker: “You’re very hot when you’re mad, by the way. Let’s go grab a drink.”

Roderick Strong (with ROH World Tag Champs Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) 

vs. Jake Hager!

Strong booted Hager in the jaw. Hager hurled Strong halfway across the ring! Roddy dodged a charging Hager. Roddy battered Hager to the mat. Hager retaliated with a running lariat for a near fall. 

Strong planted Hager with a suplex. Taven and Bennett were about to chase Hornsby, the Drillers’ mascot, when International Champion Orange Cassidy came out to even up the odds! Orange pulled out Hager’s purple bucket hat and tossed it to him! Hager put the hat on and walloped Strong with running clotheslines. Hager followed up with a belly-to-belly suplex. Hager splashed Roddy with the Hager Bomb for a near fall. 

The numbers advantage was too much for Orange as Taven and Bennett got the upper hand on him. Back in the ring, Roddy connected with a jawbreaker on Hager. Jake Hager planted Roddy with the Doctor Bomb for a two-count. Hager applied the ankle lock, but Taven was distracted by Bennett and Taven, who jumped on the ring apron! Roderick Strong drilled Hager with a jumping knee strike right on the jaw. Hager crumbled and Strong won via pinfall! 

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, MO featuring:

-Thunder Rosa in action!

-FTR vs. Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty!

-Serena Deeb vs. Kiera Hogan

-Bang Bang Scissor Gang in Trios competition!

– “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith vs. Malakai Black!

– “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Jun Akiyama!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Propst Arena at Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL featuring:

-Sting’s Final Dynamite Appearance!

Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com

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

New Orleans! See Your Favorite TNA Stars in Action This Saturday at Bayou Blast News / February 21, 2024 / by TNA Wrestling Staff Get tickets When No Surrender ends, the battle is just getting

Continue reading →

Roger Kumble Interview by Big Gold Belt MediaRoger Kumble is an industry veteran of nearly 30 years, having directed eleven feature films and many episodes of television series such as ENTOURAGE, SUITS, PRETTY LITTLE LIARS, REVENGE,…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/wx0X0mVfha0?si=Kcz6BIyoURU1IZbK

After an exciting week in AEW action, All Elite Wrestling returns to the Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ this Wednesday night with a jam-packed episode of DYNAMITE! Beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, fans will see Ricky Starks & Big Bill defend their AEW World Tag Team Championship against the #1 Ranked duo of Darby Allin & Sting, just as the #1 Ranked Swerve Strickland and #2 Ranked Adam Page fight for a shot at Samoa Joe’s AEW World Championship at REVOLUTION 2024! Plus, Red Velvet will fight AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm in an Eliminator Bout, Konosuke Takeshita steps up to fight Chris Jericho on behalf of The Don Callis Family, and The BCC battles the CMLL unit in Trios competition!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/hxnzKrrPTeY?si=sD3HGD4vtgspKt0l

REVOLUTION 2024 is a month out, and the pieces are falling into place for what will certainly be one of the most memorable nights in professional wrestling history! Part of that history-building will take place this Wednesday on DYNAMITE starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans! Before showtime, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, as well as the newest CONTROL CENTER, and more! Then join us Saturday night in Henderson, NV where AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy will defend his title against “The Stone Pitbull” Tomohiro Ishii!

AEW World Tag Team Championship Match…

Big Bill & Ricky Starks(c) vs. Darby Allin & Sting

https://www.youtube.com/embed/gNUS7PkEu_Y?si=JtKxBJRnoU_WQd6C

Together they are 14-0 in tag team competition, a streak that first began at REVOLUTION 2021 when Darby Allin and Sting defeated Team Taz in a Street Fight. That night it was Ricky Starks and Brian Cage officially fighting under the FTW banner, but let’s be honest, every member of the group got involved in that situation to try and shut down Sting’s return to professional wrestling, but they failed. 

Fast forward almost three years, the landscape is very different for Ricky Starks, the ally standing at his side hasn’t been a Team Taz member for quite some time, nor has the championship around his waist been the FTW Title. Instead stands Big Bill, one of the most impressive specimens in professional wrestling, and man that Starks proudly says is not his friend, just his championship tag team partner, and Bill will claim the same. They don’t know much about each other’s personal lives, Starks was even shocked when he learned who Bill is involved with, but that like of a personal relationship hasn’t prevented them from gelling into quite the impressive duo. They utterly decimated FTR to win the titles in the first place, survived a wild Ladder Match to retain the belts, and put down the tandem of Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara in a Street Fight. They’ve been dominant because of their skills inside the ring, and how they compliment each other, not necessarily because they are best friends.

On the other side of this fight are Sting and Darby Allin; two men who, despite their difference in age and experience, have formed a formidable bond both personally and professionally. Ever since Sting first came to the AEW fold at WINTER IS COMING 2020, he and Darby have been thick as thieves, partners always, but giving space when needed, and quite unstoppable. No active tag team is even close  to their 14-match win streak, and no individual is even close to Sting’s 27-match win streak. There’s is a bond built on respect, built on friendship earned, something that runs deeper than that of Starks and Big Bill, but also makes them care about the other in a way the defending champions do not. 

Beyond the bond of holding titles together, it doesn’t seem likely Bill and Ricky care about the well-being of one another, whereas “The Icon” and the former 2-Time TNT Champion have that investment in one another. This Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, with the AEW World Tag Team Championship on the line, we will all see which approach to tag team competition wins out. Will Big Bill and Ricky Starks add the first loss to Sting’s AEW resume as he heads towards his last dance at REVOLUTION 2024? Or will Sting and Darby Allin, a man “The Icon” calls the best partner he’s ever had, add one last championship to Sting’s trophy case before his legendary career is over?

Winner earns REVOLUTION 2024 World Title Match: 

(#1)Swerve Strickland VS. (#2) Adam Page

https://www.youtube.com/embed/V1Tdpd-NHkE?si=eu8_gppIS8eUpVrL

It is a fact that the record books show Swerve Strickland has beaten “Hangman” Adam Page twice in the last four months; once at WRESTLEDREAM 2023 in a traditional singles contest, and then again at FULL GEAR 2023 in that infamous Texas Death match. However, what the numbers on a piece of paper don’t show is that both victories came about as a result of Prince Nana and The Mogul Embassy lending The Boss a helping hand. In the former, it was absolutely a case of cheating when Swerve used Nana’s crown to knock Hangman across the skull, but in the latter, when both Nana and Brian Cage got involved, it was at least in the purview of Texas Death Match rules. Still, neither victory came about as a result of Swerve working alone, neither win can be credited to Strickland alone, and that is the point Hangman Page aims to prove on Wednesday night!

That point of pride isn’t the only thing on the line come DYNAMITE though, with Swerve sitting atop the newest rankings, and Hangman at number two, this fight is also to see who will challenge Samoa Joe at REVOLUTION 2024 live on pay-per-view! Page is on a mission to regain the title he lost at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2022, while Swerve aims to become champions for the first time, as well as make history as the first African-American AEW World Champion!

Which of these two warriors, both deserving of the opportunity, will win this rubber match and move on to face AEW World Champion Samoa Joe next month? Can Swerve live up to the challenge to do it by himself this time around? Or will that lack of Mogul Embassy assistance be all Hangman needs to get his first AEW World Championship opportunity since Jon Moxley knocked him out back in October 2022?

Trios Battle…

Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, & Jon Moxley) vs. Hechicero, Mascara Dorada, & Volador Jr.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/t6nVrx24Nng?si=M53dpcEDr0GNJTJl

It began with Jon Moxley getting into it with the CMLL contingent during his fight with Jeff Hardy, and the assault they perpetrated on the former 3-Time AEW World Champion after his victory. It continued with Bryan Danielson’s hard-fought victory over Hechicero last Saturday night on COLLISION, a win that pushed Danielson to his limits as much as any match he’s experienced during his AEW tenure. It demonstrated to the AEW faithful the kind of threat that Hechicero is on his own, just as the CMLL contingent’s victory on RAMPAGE the night prior showed how good they are as a unit.

Well this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, they are going to be pushed to their limits as a trio when they face The Blackpool Combat Club of Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, and Jon Moxley! This will be the very first time Hechicero, Mascara Dorado, and Volador Jr. unite as a trio, just as it will be the first time Bryan, Claudio, and Mox will fight as a trio, and what a first-time outing it will be for each!

Moxley made mention about gang warfare several weeks ago in relation to his fights with Shane Taylor Promotions, and how it was avoided in that situation, but it looks like it’s upon him and The BCC now with these luchadors representing CMLL! With Danielson’s victory on Saturday, The BCC are up a victory over CMLL, will the luchadors even that score in Phoenix? 

Running The Callis Family Gauntlet…

Chris Jericho vs. Konosuke Takeshita

https://www.youtube.com/embed/smbJ1FzzlwI?si=aYvLqGvh_baNWbmR&start=120

Chris Jericho is essentially running a gauntlet match against The Don Callis Family, though he may not be battling them one after another on the same day, he is still in the midst of having to fight each one. The original AEW World Champion managed to best ROH World Television Champion Kyle Fletcher in his first battle with the Family, but the road isn’t even close to done yet because this Wednesday night Jericho will face “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita!

Back in November, at DDT Pro Wrestling’s ULTIMATE PARTY 2023, Jericho traveled to Japan to defeat Takeshita on his home turf, and in their four other meetings as foes, it has been Jericho’s team that has come out on top three of those times! The in-ring momentum is certainly on the side of Chris Jericho, but aside from Sammy Guevara, is there anyone on the side of “Le Champion”? He had the assistance, temporarily, of Sting and Darby Allin, but they’re engaged in their own battle in Phoenix, so is there anyone to counteract the supreme numbers advantage held by The Don Callis Family? Will Jericho’s quest to take down each man surrounding Don Callis be cut off at the knees this Wednesday night, or will he get one step closer with a victory over “The Alpha”?

Eliminator Match…

AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm vs. Red Velvet

***DEONNA PURRAZZO ON COMMENTARY***

https://www.youtube.com/embed/TH_paMQOF3A?si=VOickSlRSz7LlBfW

AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm is officially on the road to REVOLUTION 2024 for a championship fight with “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo! After having her state of mind questioned by Purrazzo, and her abilities inside the ring placed in doubt, Toni Storm requested what she called “a public workout” this week on DYNAMITE. The reality, whether she realizes it or not, is that Toni Storm will be entering into an Eliminator Bout against one of the most capable competitors in the AEW locker room: Red Velvet! Red has been chasing an AEW championship for almost as long as she’s been part of the company, and though she’s come up short on several occasions, as well as tangled with injury stalling her momentum, none of it has stopped Red Velvet from perpetually pursuing her goals!

If she can pull off a victory this Wednesday night in Phoenix, Red Velvet will earn herself a future championship match, but she’s got some history to overcome. Nine times the AEW Women’s World Champion has competed in an Eliminator Match, and nine times the champion has been victorious, with the champion in question being Toni Storm in four of those bouts. Can Red Velvet be the first woman to win an Eliminator bout, as well as the first challenger since Eddie Kingston & Penta El Zero Miedo to win an Eliminator contest in any division?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/dBg63mEl3Hg?si=gkxq7RasEK-uFC-R&start=120

This Wednesday night, All Elite Wrestling returns to Phoenix, AZ and the Footprint Center with one of the most stacked editions of DYNAMITE yet! Starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, Darby Allin & Sting will challenge Big Bill & Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team Championship, while Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page battle for an AEW World Championship opportunity at REVOLUTION 2024! AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm will face Red Velvet in an Eliminator Bout, Chris Jericho continues his fight against The Don Callis Family when he meets Takeshita in singles competition, and The BCC takes on the CMLL contingent in Trios battle!

All that and more comes your way this week on DYNAMITE, so before the show gets underway, make a point to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the newest edition of the CONTROL CENTER!  Then come on down to Henderson, NV and The Dollar Loan Center this Saturday for an all-new edition of COLLISION!

Steve Loter & Rodney Clouden Interview by Big Gold Belt MediaThe series is produced by Disney Television Animation, and is executive produced by Fishburne and Helen Sugland’s Cinema Gypsy Productions and Steve Loter. Rodney Clouden and…

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, LA!

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!

Jeff Hardy vs. Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley!

CMLL’s Mistico, Hechicero, Mascara Dorada 2.0, and Volador Jr. were watching from ringside.

Moxley backed Hardy into the corner and pounded him with strikes. Hardy jumped off the apron and landed on Moxley. Hardy choked Moxley with Hardy’s towel. Excalibur notified us that the rules would be relaxed for this match.

Moxley drove Hardy down with a tope suicida! Moxley dumped Hardy onto the guardrail and then knocked Hardy down with a clothesline. Moxley stomped on Hardy’s hand. Moxley walloped Hardy in the chest with round kicks. Jeff Hardy back dropped Moxley. 

Jon Moxley whipped Hardy hard into the turnbuckles. He followed up by catapulting Jeff’s throat into the bottom rope. Moxley hurled Hardy into the barricade right in front of the luchadores. Hardy reversed another throw, this time whipping Moxley into, and over, the barricade. The luchadores shoved Moxley, and Mox flipped them off.

Jeff Hardy threw a steel chair into Moxley’s face. Hardy jumped off the steel ring steps but Moxley anticipated it and slugged Hardy in the face. Moxley took Excalibur’s pen, put it threw Jeff’s earlobe, and then twisted it. Hardy had enough and hit Moxley with a dropkick.

Hardy connected with the Manhattan Drop. Moxley retaliated, spiking Hardy with a piledriver for a near fall. Hardy nailed Mox with a Twist of Fate on the apron. Hardy climbed to the top and flipped onto Moxley for a two-count. Hardy climbed up again, but Moxley met him up there, raking Hardy’s back. Moxley superplexed Hardy. 

Hardy and Moxley traded strikes in the center of the ring. Moxley escaped a Twist of Fate and countered with a cutter. Hardy escaped the Paradigm Shift and countered with a Russian Leg Sweep. Hardy hit Mox with a stunner and then a Twist of Fate! Jeff climbed to the top turnbuckle and went for the Swanton, but Mox moved out of the way. Jeff crashed and burned. Moxley applied a choke hold and put Jeff Hardy to sleep! Mox won via ref stoppage!

Moxley offered his hand to Jeff Hardy, but Jeff Hardy flipped off Moxley. 

“I did not expect that out of Jeff Hardy,” said Taz.

The CMLL wrestlers jumped the barricade and got into the ring! Moxley tried to fend them off, but the odds were too great. The BCC weren’t in the building tonight, so this was a 4-on-1 beatdown! The locker room cleared out, forcing the luchadores to exit the ring!

Dealer’s Choice Match!

“Hangman” Adam Page vs. Toa Liona!

Page was swinging with big right hands. Toa cracked Page in the ribs with a knee strike. Hangman connected with a sliding lariat on Toa, right on target. Hangman jumped off the turnbuckles and delivered two lariats to Toa, but Toa shrugged them off. Toa flattened Hangman with a diving crossbody off the apron and onto the arena floor.

Toa pounced on Page with a running shoulder block. The force sent Page over the top rope and crashing onto the floor. Toa had Page in the Tree of Woe and then followed up with a diving headbutt, smashing him like he was a human missile. Hangman smashed Toa with a tope suicida.

Hangman hit a big cross body press on Toa for a near fall. Hangman tried for the Dead Eye, but Toa was too much weight, and he smothered Page. Toa rocked Page with a thrust kick in the jaw for a near fall. Hangman blocked the Raw Mana and then swung for the fences with a lariat. Page got Toa up and drilled him with the Dead Eye! Toa got right back up and clobbered Page with a headbutt! This time Toa hit the Raw Mana, but Page kicked out at the two-count!

Toa connected with a running senton on the apron. Toa went for a moonsault off the apron, but Page dodged it. Page climbed to the top turnbuckle and hit his own moonsault on Toa! Page attempted the Buckshot Lariat, Toa ducked it and hoisted Hangman for a Samoan Drop! Page held on, cradled Toa, and scored the pin!

“I was just informed by Tony Khan that after Dynamite tonight, the rankings will be revealed!” said Excalibur. 

Toa charged at Hangman, but Hangman ducked, sending Toa spilling to the floor. 

Footage was shown from earlier in the day of EVPs Nicholas and Matthew Jackson—The Young Bucks—arriving at the arena in their chauffeured limo!

A production assistant handed them the show format, accidentally calling them Nick and Matt. Nicholas scolded the PA, and told him to refer to them as Nicholas and Matthew. Nicholas also said the PA would be fined because of that slip up!

Up next: Wardlow (with the Undisputed Kingdom) vs. Komander (with Alex Abrahantes)! 

Adam Cole joined commentary for this match.

Wardlow flung Komander to the mat as Komander tried for a collar and elbow tie up. 

“That’s raw power,” said Adam Cole.

Komander fired back with a pair of dropkicks. Wardlow popped up Wardlow and power slammed him! Wardlow threw Komander across the ring, the force spinning Komander like a propeller. 

Komander walked the ropes and dropkicked Wardlow, creating an opening for himself. Komander hit the Phoenix Splash for a near fall. Wardlow power bombed Komander and pinned him!

Roderick Strong: “Komander! You should have taken the deal that I offered you on Saturday. But now you’re going to pay the price!”

AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and the Best Friends stormed down to the ring to even up the odds!

The fans chanted “Freshly Squeezed! Freshly Squeezed!”

Roderick Strong: “Shut up! Hey, thanks for coming out here. See ya later.”

Tony Schiavone had a sit down interview with Sting and Darby Allin, and AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Bill Big ahead of their title match next week on Dynamite!

Starks: “I just thought it’d be appropriate for both of you to talk to us since this is about respect now. I wanted to take this time out to personally tell you Sting, not to forget that this journey in AEW started with me, Sting.”

Sting: “What did I do? You didn’t tell me what I did?”

Starks: “Well, you had your first win here over me. And that does not sit right.”

Darby: “You want to talk about respect? That’s what this is about, right? You’re saying you respect the Icon?”

Starks: “Absolutely.”

Darby: “That’s a load of crap. This is a stepping stone for you Ricky. You don’t respect Sting. I don’t think you respect anyone. This man’s career is not a stepping stone!”

Starks: “You’re the one who had to attach yourself to someone like Sting! The point I am making is next week, two things are going to happen, and I want you to know. I am going to retain the AEW World Tag Team Championships, me and Big Bill are going to be the AEW World Tag Team Champions. And secondly, I’m going to get my lick back on you. The chip on my shoulder? Guess what? It ends next week. I am going to make sure you don’t even make it to your retirement. Darby, you on the other hand, I have no respect for you. There is no space in my body for respect for you. Who are you?”

Big Bill: I’m hearing a lot of talking out of Sting and Darby. You two run your mouths. All you two have done is brag about how you’re going to go into Revolution without ever mentioning us. You have done what everyone else here has done, you’ve overlooked us. Next Wednesday you two represent everybody else here. And we’re going to take out all of our frustrations on you two.”

Sting: “Ricky I guess I’ll start out with you. You said I was the first one that got face to face with you. I kind of admired something about you in those days because you were the only one in those days who had balls to get in my face and talk some smack. And as far as respect goes, you have to earn that, Ricky. And you, Big Bill, I have faced many big men before in the ring. The only difference between you and them is they were killers. I’m not so sure about you yet.”

Darby: “Alright Ricky, I’m just going to end it here. Look, I respect you, I respect what you do in this ring, but every time you point the finger at somebody else, there’s only one person to blame, and that’s you.”

Starks threw his drink into Darby’s face!

Starks: “Hit me!”

Sting: “I’ve always hated talk. Darby will hit you…in Phoenix. Oh, and I will too.”

ROH World Television Champion Kyle Fletcher (with Don Callis & Powerhouse Hobbs)

vs. 

Chris Jericho!

Things broke down immediately with Jericho and Fletcher pummeling one another with stiff shots. Fletcher planted Jericho with a Michinoku Driver for a near fall! Jericho connected with a dropkick off the turnbuckles. 

Jericho charged after Don Callis outside the ring. Fletcher caught up with Jericho and blindsided Jericho. Fletcher kicked Jericho in the spine. Fletcher climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Jericho met him up there! Jericho sent Fletcher down hard with a hurracanrana!

Hobbs distracted the ref while Don Callis swept out Jericho’s leg. Fletcher stomped on Jericho. Chris Jericho was sent flying with a half and half suplex from Fletcher. Kyle Fletcher blasted Jericho with a brain buster for a near fall!

Jericho dropped a double sledge from the top. Jericho drove Fletcher face first into the mat. Jericho was looking for a lionsault, but Hobbs cracked Jericho while the ref was distracted by Callis!

“They caught Jericho right in the middle of one of his favorite moves,” said Schiavone.

Jericho countered a piledriver, sweeping out Fletcher’s legs and putting on the Walls of Jericho! Fletcher lunged for the ropes, grabbed them, and forced the ref to break the hold. Fletcher stunned Jericho with a thrust kick.

Jericho smashed Fletcher with a Code Breaker out of nowhere! Jericho climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Fletcher blasted Jericho with a kick. Fletcher planted Jericho with a brain buster on the corner for a near fall.

Fletcher kicked Jericho in the back of the head and followed up with a thrust kick. Fletcher ducked the Judas Effect! Fletcher rocked Jericho with a rolling roundhouse kick! Fletcher rocketed outside the ring with a tope suicida, but Jericho countered with the Judas Effect! Powerhouse Hobbs charged at Jericho, but Jericho side stepped him, sending Hobbs into the steel ring steps!

Jericho rolled Fletcher back into the ring. Jericho climbed to the top turnbuckle and nearly decapitated Fletcher with a Judas Effect off the top! Jericho covered Fletcher and pinned him!

“Jericho earned that win,” said Schiavone.

“Boy, did he ever. But I want to point out that it took two Judas Effects to put down Kyle Fletcher,” added Excalibur.

After the match, “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita, the man that will face Jericho on next week’s Dynamite, walked onto the ramp and stared at Jericho!

Out next: Ring of Honor World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Bullet Club Gold— “Switchblade” Jay White, and The Gunns—Austin and Colten…along with AEW World Trios Champions The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass—The Bang Bang Scissor Gang!

Jay White: “Whoa, whoa, whoa! I love your guys’ thing. I’m a big fan of scissoring. But don’t forget we have our own thing, too. Guns up!”

Max Caster: “Yo! Yo! Yo! Listen! You’re looking at the six men who have dominated trios wrestling for years. But it’s not just the six of us. There is somebody missing. Bowens, get Cardblade!”

Colten said they fired Cardblade a long time ago. “Austin, get the Juiceboard!”

Austin: “If you’re not down with the Bang Bang Scissor Gang, then we’ve got…”

Daddy Ass grabbed the microphone from Austin’s hands.

Daddy Ass: “I am literally standing right here.”

Austin: “Dad, this is kinda my thing.”

Daddy Ass: “Well it was my thing first. Shall we some him how to do it? So, if you’re not down with the Bang Bang Scissor Gang, we got two words for ya! Guns up!”

Taya Valkyrie (with Johnny TV) vs. “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo!

AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm was on commentary for this match. She was accompanied by Luther the Butler and Mariah May.

Taya grabbed a handful of Deonna hair and pushed her back into the turnbuckles. Deonna pulled Taya to the mat with a wristlock. Johnny TV distracted Deonna while Taya speared Deonna on the ramp!

Back in the ring, Deonna connected with two lariats and a knee lift. Deonna blasted Taya with a pump kick. Taya fired back with a sliding lariat. Deonna smashed Taya with a sliding dropkick. Deonna grabbed Taya and whipped her into Toni!

Deonna smacked Taya with a pump kick. Deonna put Taya into a submission while staring at Toni Storm and forced Taya to tap out!”

“For the first time all night, Toni Storm with nothing to say, but perhaps a statement victory by Deonna Purrazzo,” said Excalibur.

Renee Paquette was backstage with Darby Allin!

Renee: “I would love to talk to you about your admiration for the Young Bucks.”

Darby: “Excuse me?”

Matthew and Nicholas Jackson showed up wearing headsets. They said it was a great question and Darby should answer it. They told Renee she deserved a raise, clearly having put her up to it. 

Darby: “Did you tell her to say that?”

Matthew: “We love you Darb. You’re an AEW Original. ‘Change the world.’ You fit that quote. Young. Hot. Star. Just like us. I just have one thing I’m a little perturbed about. Why are you letting a 65-year old blood sucking leech take more money from you, out of your pocket. I mean, save some for the rest of us, am I right, Darb? Once Sting is gone, I have a really good idea for a new gimmick. Why don’t the three of us get together and become a new, hot trio?”

Nicholas: “All jokes aside, Darby, we’ve been back for a month now and you’re ducking, you’re dodging us, you’re being unprofessional. You got a problem with us or what?”

Darby: “No offense but there’s only one thing on my mind and that’s the AEW World Tag Team Championships.”

Matthew: “Is that right? I guess we’re going to have to get his attention a different way.”

Main Event Time! Dealer’s Choice Match!

Swerve Strickland vs. Rob Van Dam!

AEW World Champion Samoa Joe joined the broadcast booth for this match.

The fans chanted “RVD! RVD! RVD!”

Page appeared on the screen before the match and told Swerve that not only did Page get to pick the opponent, but he also got to pick the match. “So tonight, Swerve, you’re wrestling RVD not in a normal match but in a hardcore match. Goodluck.”

RVD hurled a steel chair at Swerve! RVD whipped Swerve into the guardrail. RVD followed up with a leg lariat! And then RVD blasted Swerve with a round kick. RVD smashed Swerve with a leg drop on the apron!

The fans chanted “You still got it! You still got it!”

RVD hoisted Swerve onto the barricade and then rocked him with a leg drop off the apron! Back in the ring, Swerve rammed RVD into a steel chair that was propped between the turnbuckles. Rob used a reversal and sent Swerve into the chair. RVD followed up with Rolling Thunder. 

RVD dropkicked a chair into Swerve’s face, crushing Swerve in the corner. Swerve countered a monkey flip and power bombed RVD onto a steel chair for a near fall. RVD deposited Swerve on the top rope. RVD climbed to the top turnbuckle. Out of nowhere, Brian Cage jumped up onto the apron and shoved RVD to the mat!

FTW Champion HOOK sprinted to the ring with a steel chair in hand!

HOOK waffled Cage in the back with a steel chair! HOOK and Cage brawled ringside as RVD watched on. Swerve snuck up behind RVD, but RVD reversed Swerve’s grasp and nailed him with a kick. Swerve dodged the Rolling Thunder and planted RVD for a near fall. 

Swerve set up a steel chair outside the ring. Swerve backed Van Dam into the chair with a kick. Swerve wrecked RVD with a stomp from the apron onto the steel chair! The back of RVD’s head hit the ring steps. Swerve climbed to the top rope, but RVD threw a chair at Swerve, sending Swerve crashing off the top rope and down through a table on the arena floor!

RVD sandwiched Swerve between two steel chairs. RVD attempted the five-star frog splash, but Swerve dodged it! Swerve smacked RVD with the House Call Kick, while RVD was holding a steel chair! The chair went right on target against RVD’s head! Swerve covered RVD but RVD kicked out at two! Swerve went to the top rope, but RVD met Swerve up there. Swerve shoved RVD’s face into the turnbuckle, knocking RVD to the mat! RVD flipped off Swerve, but nonetheless, Swerve crushed RVD with the Swerve Stomp and pinned Van Dam!

Hangman Page marched down to the ring with a microphone!

Adam Page: “Congratulations you evil bastard! Swerve later tonight the rankings for the AEW World Championship come out and despite my best efforts, we are both undefeated. So, I can only assume that we are both at the top of that list. And you said that you wanted Samoa Joe. You said you wanted the AEW World Championship. I need you to look in my eyes. I will never let that happen! Swerve I am the next World champion. Not you!”

Swerve: “You still just don’t get it. I’ve beaten you twice now! I got nothing to prove! Not to you, not to anyone else. You just can’t beat me!”

Adam Page: “You keep saying that because I think you believe if you say it enough it’ll be true. The two times we fought, you didn’t beat me. It took all of the Mogul Embassy. Swerve, I know that man to man, when it counts, you can’t lace my boots.”

Swerve: “You know what? You must want suffering or something. But I’ll give you what you want. Me and you! One more time! This is the third time and after that we are done! After I move past you, all I care about is that AEW World Championship!”

Excalibur announced that Tony Khan just made it official! Next week on Dynamite! Swerve Strickland vs. “Hangman” Adam Page. The winner gets a shot at the AEW World Championship at Revolution!

This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT featuring:

-Top Flight vs. Private Party!

-AEW World Tag Champs “Absolute” Ricky Starks & Big Bill vs. Dark Order!

-Willow Nightingale vs. Queen Aminata!

-We’ll hear from AEW International Champ Orange Cassidy & Best Friends!

– CMLL’s Mistico, Hechicero, Mascara Dorada 2.0, & Volador Jr

vs. Christopher Daniels, Matt Sydal, Angelo Parker, & Matt Menard!

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, TX featuring:

-Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston vs. “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith!

– “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Hechicero!

-And so much more!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ featuring:

-Trios Match: The Stars of CMLL vs. Blackpool Combat Club!

-Chris Jericho vs. Konosuke Takeshita!

-AEW World Tag Championship Match: Ricky Starks & Big Bill (c.) vs. Sting & Darby Allin!

-Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Adam Page: Winner Gets a Shot at the AEW World Championship at Revolution!

-Plus, Tony Khan will have a HUGE announcement!

Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/xqrN6cnRydo?si=J7gricsG0E915YYC

The landscape of All Elite Wrestling keeps getting more competitive with each passing week, and the knowledge that new rankings will drop shortly has only exacerbated the drive to victory for the members of the AEW locker room. Wins and losses matter more than ever before, AEW World Champion Samoa Joe has made that abundantly clear each time he’s spoken, and plenty of people want that next shot at his title. That means they need to win, win, win, no matter what, and the same goes for the people pursuing Toni Storm’s AEW Women’s World Championship, and all the other titles under the AEW banner! 

Those fights continue this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, when AEW returns to the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans with a loaded edition of AEW’s flagship program! Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page will engage in a Dealer’s Choice scenario where each man hand-picks the others opponent for the evening. An old rivalry will pick right back up when Deonna Purrazzo takes on Taya Valkyrie for the first time in AEW, while another rivalry rages on as Chris Jericho battles Don Callis Family member Kyle Fletcher!

REVOLUTION 2024 is coming upon us fast, and this Wednesday DYNAMITE brings us one step closer starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans! Prior to that kickoff, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, as well as the newest CONTROL CENTER, and more!  Then it’s time for the Elimination Trios Cage Match on Saturday night in Bossier City, Louisiana pitting The House of Black against FTR and Daniel Garcia!

DEALER’S CHOICE # 1…

“Hangman” Adam Page vs. Toa Liona

Last week it was laid out that “Hangman” Adam Page and Swerve Strickland would be placed in a Dealer’s Choice situation; what this meant was that each man would choose the other’s opponent for this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE. It did not take long for the boss of The Mogul Embassy to lay out Hangman’s foe for the evening, keeping choice in the family, and selecting one-half of The Gates of Agony, the monstrous Toa Liona!

In his first televised singles match on AEW programming, the behemoth of the Mogul Embassy will attempt to massacre Swerve Strickland’s greatest enemy! Hangman has fought monsters and giants before, but likely not one with the sheer unrestrained savagery of Toa Liona, certainly not one whose sole purpose may not be to win the match but simply to maim the former AEW World Champ. One can only guess under what marching orders Toa will be dispatched into this fight, but whether he’s coming to defeat Hangman, or simply to hurt Hangman on behalf of Swerve Strickland, Adam Page is going to just lay down and die. He will give Toa Liona the toughest fight that man has ever had, and that is saying something considering what The Gates of Agony just went through in New Japan with Tag League. 

DEALER’S CHOICE # 2…

Swerve Strickland vs. ?????

While Swerve Strickland had no problem laying all his cards on the table to reveal fellow Mogul Embassy member Toa Liona as Hangman Page’s foe this Wednesday, the former AEW World Champion did not offer the same. 

Instead, playing his cards close to the vest, Page told Swerve he would have to “wait the whole f’n show” to find out his opponent for this Dealer’s Choice scenario. Now for any professional wrestling fan, that seems like a dead giveaway for who Strickland’s opponent will be; after all there is but one man in the wrestling world associated with Hangman’s chosen verbiage. That being said, Hangman could be throwing out a red herring, a misdirect to keep Swerve Strickland on his toes, expecting one opponent while he will actually be facing another. It looks like the AEW faithful will be waiting right alongside the boss of The Mogul Embassy to see who walks onto that stage to fight Swerve Strickland! 

ONE-ON-ONE…

Taya Valkyrie vs. Deonna Purrazzo

***TONI STORM ON COMMENTARY***

Taya Valkyrie and Deonna Purrazzo are no strangers to one another; they’ve battled each other in singles bouts, tag team competition, in the United States, in Mexico, and in multiple promotions; Taya is even the woman who ended Purrazzo’s 252-day reign as the AAA Reina de Reinas champion! Their last interaction inside the ring was nearly a year ago as part of AAA’s LUCHA LIBRE WORLD CUP 2023 event, a match won by Deonna’s team, but in one-on-one competition it is “La Wera Loca” who holds the advantage with two victories to The Virtuosa’s one.

This Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, the two world-class competitors will renew their rivalry with their first clash under the auspices of All Elite Wrestling! Taya feels like Deonna is attempting to jump the line into a championship fight without earning her way there, somewhat ironic considering Taya’s fourth ever AEW fight was a TBS Championship match and this fight will mark Purrazzo’s third since signing with AEW, and fourth overall. 

So with both women championship contender hopefuls, can “The Virtuosa” even the tally with “La Wera Loca” and continue pushing towards a title fight with “Timeless” Toni Storm? Speaking of the champ, she will be joining the commentary team for this match and you never know what she will have to say about any subject at hand!

FIGHTING THE FAMILY…

ROH World Television Champion Kyle Fletcher vs. Chris Jericho

https://www.youtube.com/embed/sigES7qGy_w?si=AkLix1zXYq2xfXtm&start=145

Don Callis and his ilk have been that thorn in Jericho’s paw for months now, ever since Callis chose to stab the man in the back rather than take him in as part of the Family. What’s always been ironic about Callis’ choice is that all signs pointed to the original AEW World Champion signing on with his long-time friend, but the perpetually paranoid Callis assumed he’d be stabbed in the back first, and decided to get Jericho first.

It’s led us down the path of Jericho and Will Ospreay having an epic collision, Jericho being destroyed by Powerhouse Hobbs, slamming Jericho and Kenny Omega into an unintended alliance, Chris going to DDT Pro Wrestling in Japan to fight Takeshita, and these acts of betrayal inadvertently causing a reunion between Chris and Sammy Guevara. Throughout the entire ordeal, Callis has never stopped trying to make life hellish for “The Ocho”, and that continues this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE when Chris, fresh off his signature cruise, returns to AEW’s flagship to take on ROH World Television Champion Kyle Fletcher!

Now Kyle’s on a tremendous run as of late, winning five straight singles matches, including Survival of the Fittest at FINAL BATTLE 2023 and three consecutive title defenses, with his last singles loss ironically coming at the hands of Takeshita back in October. With Jericho already slotted to face Takeshita next week as part of AEW’s return to Phoenix, is this fight more about a victory for Fletcher or about hurting Jericho for the rest of the Callis Family? A victory over Jericho would be huge for the ROH World TV Champion, but is that what Don cares with this fight? Or does Callis just want Kyle to soften up his former friend for the future fights?

MAKING THE RANKINGS…

Jeff Hardy vs. Jon Moxley

In a previous life, they dance in tags and trios, they were even been partners on a couple of occasions, but never before in their careers have Jeff Hardy and Jon Moxley gone one-on-one inside the squared circle. This Wednesday night on DYNAMITE that changes; for the first time ever, with the rankings set to make their return this week, Hardy and Moxley will lock up! Moxley has won eight of his last ten fights, as well as all three of his 2024 bouts, while Hardy is struggling to get himself back on track, both as a singles competitor, and as a team with brother Matt. Of his last ten fight, Jeff has won but three, and none of this in singles competition; In fact, Hardy has not won a singles match in AEW since beating Darby Allin in the 2022 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, though he has infrequently competed under those circumstances.

As he has made quite clear to the rest of the AEW locker room, Moxley considers himself (and the rest of The BCC) the measuring stick of All Elite Wrestling, and anyone who expects to ascend up the ladder is going to have to go through them first. Can Jeff Hardy do that and score a long-awaited singles victory, or will be the former 3-Time AEW World Champion picking up his fourth consecutive victory as the rankings return to prominence?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/gNdxnPzqKLI?si=zRcpBfR-PdkbViNF&start=300

This Wednesday night, All Elite Wrestling is back in New Orleans at the UNO Lakefront Arena with a loaded-up edition of DYNAMITE, starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans! For starters, we’ve got Dealer’s Choice with Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page choosing the other man’s opponent for the evening; now we are already aware of Swerve picking Toa Liona for Hangman, but we will have to wait to see who Page chooses for Swerve until it’s time for that fight! AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm will be on commentary as Taya Valkyrie faces an old rival in Deonna Purrazzo, and Chris Jericho picks up his fight against the Don Callis Family with ROH World Television Champion Kyle Fletcher! 

All that and more comes your way this week on DYNAMITE, so before the show gets underway, make a point to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the newest edition of the CONTROL CENTER!  Then come on down to Edinburg, TX and the Bert Ogden Arena this Saturday for an all-new edition of COLLISION!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/DzoAz2CgBKg?si=8pYhePGM_w5tHzqN