Rampage
Date: December 20, 2024
Location: Entertainment & Sports Arena, Washington DC
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard, Ian Riccaboni

We’re on the second night of Holiday Bash and that should make for an interesting show. We’ll get some more of the Continental Classic, which only has a week left at this point and is starting to come into focus. Other than that, we are in for more of a build towards next weekend’s Worlds End so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Tony Schiavone bring out the Don Callis Family for a chat. Don Callis, now in a hat, brags about the team being the 1%ers of the wrestling world and brags about their recent efforts. Kyle Fletcher claims biased refereeing cost him his most recent Continental Classic match and now it is time to take out Daniel Garcia. Callis is ready to see Powerhouse Hobbs taken out at Worlds End.

Powerhouse Hobbs/Mark Davis vs. Konosuke Takeshita/Brian Cage

Don Callis is on commentary. Takeshita has to escape from an early spinebuster attempt and Hobbs isn’t pleased. Cage comes in to ram into Hobbs, who takes over. Davis comes in for a double shoulder but Takeshita breaks up a double suplex attempt. Takeshita hammers on Hobbs in the corner and gets in a bite as we slow down a bit. A suplex gets Hobbs out of trouble and it’s back to Davis to drop Cage. The backsplash hits knees though and Takeshita grabs the Blue Thunder Bomb for two as we take a break.

Back with a double tag bringing in Hobbs and Takeshita with the former cleaning house. A running powerslam plants Cage and there’s another one to Takeshita, with Callis not being pleased. The spinebuster hits Takeshita but Cage shoves Davis onto the cover for the save. Cage grabs a pumphandle faceplant for two and they all get in to trade big strikes. Hobbs Cactus Clotheslines Cage to the floor, leaving Davis to hit a running forearm to Takeshita in the corner. Takeshita is back up with a knee though and Raging Fire finishes Davis at 12:27.

Rating: B. This was a hard hitting match between four rather strong guys. Davis is still little more than a person who is there to fill in a spot but I’ll take him losing over someone with more value. Hobbs isn’t likely to win the title at Worlds End but I can go for seeing him getting a title shot to pay off his time in the Don Callis Family.

Willow Nightingale is fired up for Wrestle Dynasty. Kris Statlander comes in, almost sheepishly, and wishes her good luck.

Action Andretti/Lio Rush vs. Goldy/Myles Hawkins

Rush sends Goldy to the floor to start and Hawkins is kicked outside too. Back in and some strikes have Hawkins in trouble, setting up Andretti’s torture rack neckbreaker for the pin on Hawkins at 1:11.

Post match Private Party come out for the staredown but Top Flight makes the save.

Harley Cameron and Penelope Ford agree to watch each others’ backs, after some confusion over what is on Cameron’s back.

Willow Nightingale vs. Harley Cameron

Nightingale powers her down to start and grabs a belly to back suplex for an early two. Some corner clotheslines have Nightingale in more trouble and we take a break. Back with Nightingale missing a Cannonball, allowing Cameron to hit a Shining Wizard for two. Cameron reverses an electric chair into a victory roll for two but the Babe With The Powerbomb finishes her off at 6:45.

Rating: C. I really could go for less of Cameron losing. She has quite a few tools to be a star and the biggest of them all is that the fans care about her. That is a lot more than some stars can say and Cameron is starting to put things together in the ring to back it up. She shouldn’t be beating Nightingale or anything, but she doesn’t need to be losing as often either.

Post match Penelope Ford comes in for the save but Kris Statlander makes the save. Statlander leaves before any hugging can ensue.

Video on Thunder Rosa vs. Mariah May.

Jeff Jarrett teases doing something new in 2025.

Continental Classic Gold League: Brody King (3 points) vs. Komander (0 points)

Komander backs away to start, which is probably his best possible idea. Some strikes don’t do much to King, who drops Komander with a single shot. King slowly chops him around and hits some hard forearms to the side of the head. Back up and Komander’s very springboardy wristdrag is broken up with a chop and we take a break.

We come back with Komander still in trouble but managing something like an on the back abdominal stretch. A crucifix bomb sends King outside but he sends a diving Komander into the barricade. The running crossbody only hits barricade though and Komander is right there with a running flip dive to take King out again.

Back in and a heck of a sunset bomb sets up a 450 to give Komander two more. King misses a charge into the post and a double springboard moonsault to the floor drops him again. Cielito Lindo to the back has King in more trouble but he pulls Komander out of the air into a Ganso Bomb for the pin at 14:54.

Rating: B-. Komander has come a good way in the last few weeks and this was a good example. He was trying to bounce off a monster like King as well as he could and it went fairly well. As usual, King knows how to play a monster rather well and that was the case here. King gets a breather in the tournament and Komander continues to lose, which is just kind of expected at this point.

Gold League Standings

Darby Allin – 6 points (2 matches remaining)
Claudio Castagnoli – 6 points (2 matches remaining)
Will Ospreay – 6 points (2 matches remaining)
Ricochet – 6 points (2 matches remaining)
Brody King – 6 points (1 match remaining)
Komander – 0 points (1 match remaining)

Overall Rating: B. Rampage really has found something of a rhythm but again the biggest aspect of the whole thing is that the show feels like it matters. That is a lot more than I would have expected after such a long time of not much going on around here and it is nice to see. Good show this week and it would be nice to see it continue with what is likely the last show next week.

Results
Konosuke Takeshita/Brian Cage b. Powerhouse Hobbs/Mark Davis – Raging Fire to Davis
Action Andretti/Lio Rush b. Goldy/Myles Hawkins – Torture rack neckbreaker to Hawkins
Willow Nightingale b. Harley Cameron – The Babe With The Powerbomb
Brody King b. Komander – Ganso Bomb

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Rampage
Date: December 13, 2024
Location: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri
Commentators: Excalibur, Matt Menard, Tony Schiavone

We’re just over two weeks away from Worlds End and that means it is time to firm up the card a bit more. Oddly enough we don’t have any Continental Classic matches scheduled for this week, as instead we are getting a Final Battle preview with Matt Cardona facing Bryan Keith. Also, Toni Storm is back, as she is returning to the ring on Rampage for some reason. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Matt Cardona vs. Bryan Keith

Chris Jericho is on commentary. Cardona knocks him to the apron to start and then grabs a headlock to put Keith down. A corner clothesline sends Keith outside with Cardona hitting a dive. Keith manages to send him into the steps for a needed breather, followed by a neck crank back inside.

Cardona fights up and is quickly kicked in the head for his efforts. We take a break and come back with Cardona pulling him off the buckle, setting up a quick faceplant. The running boot in the corner gives Cardona two but Keith is back with a Rock Bottom for two of his own. Back up and a quick Radio Silence finishes for Cardona at 10:56.

Rating: C. Nothing much to see here as this was about giving Cardona a win. You know, because he didn’t have one around here in a long time before he is getting a title shot on pay per view in a week. That’s what you have to do to build up the title match, but it was just a generic Cardona match, which isn’t making me want to see Final Battle.

Toni Storm vs. Harley Cameron

Storm is no longer Timeless. They trade headlocks to start and Storm nails a running big boot to take Cameron down. Some right hands in the corner have Cameron in trouble as Excalibur ignores the match to run down the card for other shows. We take a break and come back with Storm fighting out of a chinlock and hitting some running shoulders. That means it’s time to ignore the match again to talk about upcoming shows but Storm’s chokebomb brings Excalibur back to paying attention. Storm Zero finishes Cameron at 7:28.

Rating: C+. So not only is Storm back in pretty much a nothing match on the least important of the weekly shows, but almost half of the match was spent on a commercial and a good chunk of the commentary was focusing on other things. This wasn’t exactly a big showcase for Storm, which is annoying given how big of a deal her return was on Dynamite. I could go for more of these two, but Cameron is likely going to be kept in comedy bits, which might not be a bad idea.

Previous for Brody King vs. Komander in the Continental Classic next week.

Deonna Purrazzo vs. Shazza McKenzie

McKenzie grabs a rollup to start and hits a knee to the face but takes too time going up. Purrazzo pulls her into the Tree of Woe for a running shoulder to the ribs. A powerbomb into a Fujiwara armbar finishes McKenzie at 1:25.

Kris Statlander is ready to move forward after her match with Mercedes Mone. She’s still coming for the title.

Here is the Don Callis Family, with Callis yelling about how they’re in the getting over and making money business. Callis brags about Kyle Fletcher taking out Will Ospreay and then Kazuchika Okada. And that’s that.

Don Callis Family vs. Powerhouse Hobbs/Mark Davis

Callis is on commentary as Archer and Hobbs slug it out to start. Some running clotheslines in the corner have Archer in trouble before a double shoulder takes him down. Archer gets in a running clothesline though and we take a break. Back with Davis fighting his way out of the corner but Archer cuts off the tag attempt.

Takeshita muscles Davis up for a suplex but he punches his way to freedom. Hobbs comes in to clean house, only to get dropped by the running knee. Everything breaks down and the Tower Of Doom leaves everyone down. Hobbs takes the straps down but gets kicked in the face, setting up a chokeslam to give Archer two. Hobbs drops Archer in a hurry though and hits the spinebuster for the pin at 11:58.

Rating: B-. It picked up at the end and it was nice to see Hobbs get a pin after coming back. That’s what he needs to help reestablish himself after being gone for so long. Davis is still just kind of there because he was involved with Fletcher before. I’m not sure I can see that being a good long term story, but there might be a spot for Davis elsewhere on the roster.

Hobbs holds up the International Title to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Pretty nothing show here without even as much as a Continental Classic match. That doesn’t make for the most interesting show and there wasn’t much of importance going on anyway. The opener set up the main event of an ROH show, Storm’s match was pretty much nothing, Purrazzo won a squash, and the main event likely set up a midcard title match. That’s not much of an hour, and while the show wasn’t bad, it isn’t something worth the time to see.

Results
Matt Cardona b. Bryan Keith – Radio Silence
Toni Storm b. Harley Cameron – Storm Zero
Deonna Purrazzo b. Shazza McKenzie – Fujiwara armbar
Powerhouse Hobbs/Mark Davis b. Don Callis Family – Spinebuster to Archer

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Dynamite
Date: November 20, 2024
Location: Santander Arena, Reading, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Matt Menard

It’s the last Dynamite before Full Gear and that means we’re likely getting some more matches set for the pay per view. Other than that, it’s likely the final big showdown between Orange Cassidy and Jon Moxley. That should be enough, but we might even get the November Rain video again. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

We open with a Full Gear preview, set to Guns N Roses’ November Rain.

Ricochet/Powerhouse Hobbs/Will Ospreay/Mark Davis vs. Don Callis Family

It’s a big brawl on the floor to start until Takeshita and Davis go inside to get things going. Davis’ shoulders don’t get him very far so he backdrops Takeshita down, leaving Ricochet to hit a dive. Hobbs catches Fletcher on top but Cage crushes Hobbs’ leg against the steps. Back in and Ricochet slips out of the Blackout and headscissors Archer down. The villains clear the ring though and we take a break.

Back with Ricochet rolling Takeshita up for two and it’s back to Fletcher to pick up the pace. Davis holds Takeshita up for an assisted cutter but Cage and Archer give Davis an assisted DDT. Cue the hobbling Hobbs (who was apparently taken to the back due to his leg) to clean house, including a double clothesline to Cage and Archer. Davis piledrives Takeshita for two and it’s time for the brawl with Fletcher. We hit the parade of knockdowns until Ospreay and Fletcher get to strike it out. Ospreay accidentally elbows Davis in the face though and Takeshita’s running knee finishes Davis off at 14:33.

Rating: B. Well I don’t think there was any secret as to why Davis was in there. It was billed as an All Star match and Davis being the non-All Star made him the perfect choice for the one to take the fall. The action was good and Hobbs looked good, though the villains needed to win here, especially given some of the upcoming matches.

Jon Moxley swears that Wheeler Yuta is going to destroy Orange Cassidy.

Darby Allin is ready to take out Claudio Castagnoli.

Video on the Continental Classic.

The Hurt Syndicate arrives to announce that Bobby Lashley will be wrestling tonight. Cue Swerve Strickland with to drop Lashley with a chain.

Here is a very orange Adam Cole for a chat. Cole isn’t going to get to face MJF on Saturday but he’s happy that Roderick Strong will. Cue Kyle O’Reilly to interrupt and talk about their history around here. O’Reilly knows him better than anyone and that means he needs to be the one to tell Cole to end the crusade against MJF. Cole doesn’t know how to take this but O’Reilly says MJF is manipulating everything. O’Reilly won’t shake his hand and leaves.

Orange Cassidy is ready to fight Jon Moxley on Saturday and he wants to do it alone. The Conglomeration is ready to fight with him but Cassidy gets serious and says he wants to do this on his own. The team agrees, knowing it’s going to be 5-1.

Kris Statlander vs. Hikaru Shida

They go with the grappling to start with Statlander elbowing her in the face but getting caught with a running knee in the corner. Statlander shrugs that off and cranks on both arms before being reversed into a cross arm choke. A middle rope dropkick drops Statlander and the running knee sends her to the floor as we take a break. Back with Statlander snapping off a powerslam and getting two off a Falcon Arrow. Shida is back with another knee to the face but still can’t bring herself to fire the Katana. Shida’s Falcon Arrow gets two more but another Katana is countered into the Staturday Night Fever for the win at 9:19.

Rating: C+. Shida is someeone who can put over just about anyone and make them look better, which is what we got here with Statlander. That’s a good thing with Statlander on her way to losing to Mercedes Mone in the TBS Title match. This was a nice step for Statlander and it didn’t overstay its welcome so it could have been far worse.

Post match Mercedes Mone and Kamille (in a sling) come out to mock Philadelphia and Statlander. Mone sends Kamille after Statlander, who beats her up with Shida’s help. Mone’s interference is cut off as well and Statlander drops her quick.

The Hurt Syndicate beat up someone wearing Swerve Strickland’s coat.

Video on Jay White vs. Hangman Page.

Bobby Lashley vs. Joe Keys/Cheeseburger

Dominator to Cheeseburger, spear and Hurt Lock to Keys for the win at 2:03. There’s an “I can has cheeseburgers” joke in there somewhere.

Post match here is Swerve Strickland to take out the Hurt Syndicate with the chain. Swerve bails into the crowd as the team gets up. This was an excellent way to make Swerve look like a threat to Lashley and one of the better segments he’s one in a good while.

Mariah May, with Marina Shirakawa, are ready to team together before their champagne celebration at Full Gear. They dance.

Darby Allin vs. Claudio Castagnoli

Allin’s grappling can’t get him very far to start but a springboard armdrag works a bit better. Castagnoli can’t get the Swing so Allin sends him outside, where a dive is cut off. A running uppercut sends Allin over the barricade as Tony is calling the match “phenomenal” just over two minutes in. Castagnoli grabs a suplex and walks him up the steps for the toss back inside (which Tony has somehow never seen).

We take a break and come back with Allin hitting a dive, only to get caught with a gutwrench superplex. Castagnoli unloads in the corner and takes it outside for the Swing into the steps. The announcers’ table is loaded up and Allin is launched into the timekeeper’s area for the huge crash. Allin dives back in to beat the count at nine, where is is promptly clotheslined and pinned at 13:45.

Rating: C+. This was pretty squashtastic with Castagnoli smashing his way through Allin, who only got in a few shots here and there. In theory this is knocking Allin down to rock bottom before he fights back to get a future title shot against Moxley. That’s a path that has been taken before, but I’m not sure how smart it is to have one of your bigger stars beaten up this badly.

Private Party is ready for Full Gear when the Costco guys interrupt, saying they have a big announcement. I’m sure the Costco guys have a fan base but I have no idea who they are so this isn’t exactly for me.

MJF throws money to make a homeless person leave. Then he sits on his car and talks about Roderick Strong’s poor childhood, which is why Strong and Adam Cole are friends. MJF doesn’t like either of them and he’s ready to beat Strong on Saturday to send him back to the trailer park. Then Strong will wish his mother had shot him instead of his father. That’s a story I believe I’ve heard before in a vignette, but I don’t think it was in AEW. They might want to work on that.

The Costco guys are ready for their match against QT Marshall. Apparently the bigger one is a former wrestler and Marshall insulted some cookies. The announcement: the kid’s friend the Rizzler will be guest timekeeper. I have no idea what any of that means.

Here are Roderick Strong and the Undisputed Era, with Strong ranting about MJF and the story about Strong’s parents. That story made him realize he had to earn it while MJF had to be spoon fed everything. Strong promises to hurt MJF and beat some humility into him. Unless I’ve blocked it out, this story about Strong’s parents has not been mentioned on AEW TV during the build to his match with MJF (if ever). That’s a heck of a lot to drop in our laps three days before their match.

On Collision, Daniel Garcia and Matt Menard attacked Jack Perry and tied him to the front of his Scapegoat van. We get some footage of Perry still kidnapped, with Garcia yelling at him and talking about taking power. Perry talks about right and wrong and sacrifice but Garcia cuts him off and laughs. Then Garcia beats on the van with a crowbar. Perry: “That’s it?” I have no idea who approved any of this, but they shouldn’t have a job in wrestling.

We go to the locker room for the contract signing between Chris Jericho and Tomohiro Ishii for the Ring Of Honor World Title match. Jericho takes it to his legal team before he signs, with Ishii slowly stalking him. Some obstacles in his way don’t slow things down as they go up some steps and then into the concourse, with the slow motion “chase” continuing.

They go into the arena and then in the ring, where Ishii has a pen so Jericho signs. The Learning Tree comes in to beat Ishii down but Mark Briscoe and Rocky Romero run in for the save. The Conglomeration cleans house and Ishii signs too. That chase was so dumb that it was almost funny. Almost.

Jamie Hayter isn’t sure why Julia Hart interrupted her last week…and we get another Hart vignette. She shoots arrows and we see some clips of her with an arrow in her chest. Then she hits a bull’s eye.

Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta

Yuta dropkicks him before the bell but Cassidy is back with a backslide for two. The Stundog Millionaire sends Yuta outside for the dive, where Yuta brainbusters him onto the barricade. Yuta adds a DDT onto the apron and we take a break. Back with Cassidy winning a slugout and kicking him in the head, followed by a suplex (called a brainbuster) getting two.

Yuta comes back with a clothesline and the Angle Slam before hitting the elbows to the face. Cassidy pops up with a Michinoku driver for two more but Yuta ties up his legs and hits a Tombstone for another near fall. Cattle Mutilation sends Cassidy to the ropes so Yuta grabs a chair and misses. Cassidy grabs a quick rollup for the pin at 12:14.

Rating: C+. So Cassidy is three days away from headlining a pay per view for the World Title against the monster champion and needed 12 minutes to beat the lowest member of the champion’s team. That’s not how you make a challenger strong for their title match, but I guess Yuta had to be protected. Why I’m not sure, but that’s how AEW tends to work.

Post match the Death Riders run in and duct tape Yuta down for a huge beating. The Death Riders leave and the Conglomeration come out to cut Cassidy free. Cassidy puts on his sunglasses and puts his hands into his pockets to end the show. Have your money ready for Saturday people!

Overall Rating: C. This is the most AEW show I can remember in a long time. The wrestling was fine to good, but my goodness I am so uninterested in almost every story going on. Between Kamille being treated as a stupid lackey to MJF’s latest “you’re trash” to O’Reilly and Cole having issues from 14 years ago to the Death Riders being the latest NWO monster heel stable, there was almost nothing on here I would want to see. Other than Swerve vs. the Hurt Syndicate, the storytelling is not getting anywhere for me and Full Gear is sounding like the most uninteresting pay per view AEW has presented to date.

Results
Don Callis Family b. Will Osprey/Mark Davis/Powerhouse Hobbs/Ricochet – Running knee to Davis
Kris Statlander b. Hikaru Shida – Staturday Night Fever
Bobby Lashley b. Joe Keys/Cheeseburger – Hurt Lock to Keys
Claudio Castagnoli b. Darby Allin – Clothesline
Orange Cassidy b. Wheeler Yuta – Rollup

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Dynamite
Date: November 6, 2024
Location: SNHU Arena, Manchester, New Hampshire
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

This is coming off of a pretty strong show last week and that is a good sign with a few weeks to go before we get to Full Gear. The main event is now set, with Orange Cassidy challenging Jon Moxley for the World Title. The rest of the show needs to be set up and we might get some of that this week. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Here is the Hurt Syndicate to get things going. MVP gets rid of Tony Schiavone and introduces the team. Their business card is like your golden ticket, but if you reject it, it can ruin your career. We look at the team taking out Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana last week and here they are, only to be held back. Swerve gets to the point and issues the challenge for Full Gear with MVP accepting for Lashley.

We look at Orange Cassidy standing up and challenging Jon Moxley, setting up their Full Gear title match.

Death Riders vs. Orange Cassidy/Darby Allin

The Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli/Pac in this case) are the former Blackpool Combat Club. They go after Cassidy in the aisle to start but Allin dives off the set for the save as the brawl starts. The brawl keeps going on the floor until Cassidy and Pac get inside for the opening bell. Pac kicks away, including a boot in the corner to cut Cassidy off. The top rope superplex is broken up though and Cassidy hits the top rope DDT for two. Castagnoli makes the save with some backbreakers and we take an early break.

Back with an over the shoulder backbreaker giving Castagnoli two but he misses a charge into the post. Allin comes in to clean house, including getting out of a giant swing. Instead a big backdrop puts Allin down and another backbreaker gets two as Castagnoli does his best Roderick Strong impression.

Pac’s brainbuster gets two and a super brainbuster gets the same with Cassidy making the save. That’s enough for Allin to get up and dive over for the tag as everything breaks down. Cassidy hits a tornado DDT but cue Marina Shafir to kick the referee to the floor. Jon Moxley runs in to choke Cassidy and Wheeler Yuta adds a skateboard to Allin’s back for the DQ at 13:33.

Rating: C+. This was starting to cook when the rest of the Death Riders came in. It’s almost weird to see AEW use a DQ but they have been happening more and more often lately. It still fits what they’re doing here though, as you can’t have the villains lose but you also don’t want either Cassidy or Allin taking a fall at this point.

Post match the fight is on with Allin getting the skateboard to fight back…but the Death Riders take them out again. The Conglomeration runs in for the real save. Now that’s more like it with giving the villains some actual opposition. The Conglomeration isn’t going to be the ones to stop them, but they’re a heck of a lot more interesting than the Dark Order and Top Flight.

Ricochet has a mystery partner against the Don Callis Family tonight but he’s keeping it under his hat. The Hurt Syndicate comes in and likes his suit, but seem to have their eye on him for later.

Conglomeration vs. Learning Tree

Fight Without Honor, meaning a street fight. It’s a brawl to start with Briscoe having to escape an early chokeslam attempt. Jericho escapes a Jay Driller from the apron through a table but Bill is there with the big boots. Briscoe hits a heck of a step up flip dive from the apron to the floor before O’Reilly and Keith go through a table at ringside. Bill chokeslams Briscoe through a ladder and we take an early break.

Back with Briscoe and Jericho having a chair duel with Briscoe getting the better of things. Bill breaks that up as well so O’Reilly and Ishii double team him down. Jericho’s Liontamer attempt is broken up and it’s an electric chair/superplex combination to put Jericho and Keith down. Bill and O’Reilly brawl up near an entrance, where O’Reilly grabs a guillotine choke to pull him through some tables for a big crash. Back in and the Jay Driller hits Jericho, setting up a Froggy Bow from a ladder through a table with Keith making the save. Ishii hits the sliding lariat into the brainbuster to pin Jericho at 13:29.

Rating: C+. Remember back in September when Jericho pinned the Ring Of Honor World Champion in a six man match where there were no tags and it set up a title match? One might think they might wait three months before doing the same thing again yet here we are, likely with Ishii getting a title shot. I would certainly hope they have something better than that for Final Battle, as Ishii does not feel like a top challenger.

Jon Moxley says Wheeler Yuta is not Orange Cassidy’s friend no matter how their past went. Yuta is Moxley’s soldier and it is time to show that he is not playing.

Adam Cole vs. Malakai Black

They trade takedowns to start before Black blocks Cole’s superkick attempt. Black takes him with a wristlock but an armdrag gets Cole out of trouble. Black sends him outside and tries a dive off the apron, only to have Cole hit a superkick as we take a break. Back with a Panama Sunrise connecting for Cole but Black knees him down for two.

Cole gets in another superkick and the brainbuster onto the knee, only for Black to hit the End for a rather near fall. Another Panama Sunrise and another superkick put Black down so he hits there and tells Cole to do it. That’s enough for Cole to hit the Boom for the pin at 12:42.

Rating: C+. Commentary was hyping up this being the first time that Cole had ever beaten Black and while that is a big deal, I’m more interested in the fact that Cole kicked out of the End. If anyone has ever kicked out of that, it isn’t something that happens very often and I’m not wild on having it just happen here. Cole is piling up some wins, but it’s only getting him so far. At least the fans weren’t cheering for the villain this time.

Respect is shown post match. Black leaves and that means it’s Storytime With Adam Cole (Catchphrase). Cole puts Black over and says he and Roderick Strong are going to get their three wins to get their hands on MJF. If they both get the three wins, it’s a triple threat at Full Gear, with violence being promised.

MJF calls someone and says he wants that person to pay someone a visit.

Jay White is ready for Hangman Page, showing that White was not ready for Page. The fight is on with Page crushing White’s leg in the barricade. Juice Robinson comes in with a chair for the save and White is up. Page runs into the crowd and White promises to beat him at Page, maybe even by submission.

Mercedes Mone and Kamille (driving) try to hit Kris Statlander with a car but can’t make it work. Mone yells at Kamille but Statlander slams Mone onto the hood of the car.

Here is the Patriarchy for a chat. Kip Sabian is officially part of the team because he is a fatherless person looking for some guidance. Sabian saved him from cashing in his World Title contract because Sabian knew interference would cost him the title, which is more than Cage’s other sons have ever done. Cue Hook, with Cage saying Hook has crazy eyes and Cage needs a son like him. Yes Cage attacked Taz because he wanted Hook to be a wrestler like him instead of an announcer. Cage wishes Taz was dead so Hook charges the ring and beats up security.

Video on Lance Archer/Brian Cage.

Don Callis is given an envelope and a ring, plus a phone message from MJF (from the call earlier).

Penelope Ford vs. Jamie Hayter

Hayter wastes no time in starting the beatdown but Ford is back with a handspring elbow in the corner. Ford’s kick to the ribs cuts off a charge but a moonsault misses. A brainbuster drops Ford, who is right back up with a kick to the head for two. What looks like a Go To Sleep is countered into the Hayterade to give Hayter the pin at 4:36.

Rating: C. This was short and to the point and that’s all it needed to be. There was no reason to think that this was going to be some kind of epic feud as Ford is just not on Hayter’s level. Hayter is someone who should be on the way to a title picture sooner than later and she has now cleared Ford out with no issue.

Mina Shirakawa is back next week.

Video on Kazuchika Okada, who is defending the Continental Title in the Continental Classic.

Don Callis Family vs. Ricochet/???

Ricochet says that he did some digging and found out that someone’s contract with the Don Callis Family expired in October. No one seemed to notice and that man is now upset. Cue Powerhouse Hobbs and the brawl is quickly on. Hobbs runs them over with a double shoulder and the fight heads outside in a hurry. We settle down to Hobbs suplexing Fletcher before it’s off to Ricochet, who gets caught with a hanging DDT.

We take a break and come back with Hobbs coming in to clean house off the clotheslines. A super powerslam gets two on Fletcher and the straps come down, setting up the Takeshita vs. Hobbs slugout. Fletcher is back in with a sitout powerbomb to Ricochet, who gets caught with a Doomsday Device for two. Hobbs gets caught in a German suplex but Ricochet snaps off a hurricanrana for two. The shooting star press gives Ricochet two more and the running elbow finishes Takeshita at 14:34.

Rating: B-. This was a fast paced match but it was a little messy at times, with almost nothing resembling a regular match for large portions. Ricochet’s win should continue setting up his title shot, likely at Full Gear, which should be a heck of a showdown. For now though, it was a good enough match, even if it’s the second tag match on the show that ends with the likely challenger pinning the champion.

Post match Fletcher chairs Ricochet and loads up a tiger driver 91 but Mark Davis makes the save. The Don Callis Family beats him down so here is Adam Cole to go after Takeshita. Will Ospreay makes his big return but Fletcher gets away from the Hidden Blade to end the show. Bringing out Ospreay for the superhero return is a nice feel good moment that has been lacking a lot in recent weeks.

Overall Rating: B-. The best thing about this show is that there were some hope spots. The Death Riders stuff is still not doing anything for me, but at least they have some bigger name stars coming aafter them for a change. That’s what AEW has been needing to do and while Full Gear still feels like little more than a pit stop for the big stories, it’s better than what we have been doing in recent weeks. Overall, a good enough week, with just enough bright spots to keep me interested.

Results
Orange Cassidy/Darby Allin b. Death Riders via DQ when Wheeler Yuta interfered
Conglomeration b. Learning Tree – Brainbuster to Jericho
Adam Cole b. Malakai Black – The End
Jamie Hayter b. Penelope Ford – Hayterade
Ricochet/Powerhouse Hobbs b. Don Callis Family – Running elbow to Takeshita

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Battle Of The Belts XII
Date: October 19, 2024
Location: Adventist Health Arena, Stockton, California
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It seems to be the final edition of this show and really, I’m not expecting much of a loss. As usual, the card was thrown together at the last minute and in this case we have one title match, which was set up less than a day ago. Other than that, we have a match to see if someone gets a future title shot, because that’s what this show has become. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

We open with the Blackpool Combat Club beating down Top Flight and Action Andretti after successfully defending the Trios Titles against them on Collision. Cue the Dark Order with chairs for the save, so Jon Moxley tells the Order to get in the ring and get a shot at the titles right now.

Trios Titles: Dark Order vs. Blackpool Combat Club

The Club is defending. Castagnoli stomps Silver down in the corner to start and it’s off to Yuta who keeps up the hammering. Silver’s chops just annoy Castagnoli and it’s the Fastball Special for two, with Uno making the save. Silver punches his way out of trouble and hands it off to Reynolds, with his rather taped up ribs. Castagnoli shrugs off the comeback and puts on a Sharpshooter, with a stomp from Pac being enough to make Reynolds give up at 5:08.

Rating: C-. Cool, now we can move on to anyone else but the Order or Top Flight/Action Andretti yes? The Club has smashed through both of them and there is nothing left for them to do with these challengers so find something else. It wasn’t a thrilling idea to have these guys come after the Club in the first place and there is no reason for it to continue, even though there is a good chance it keeps going on Dynamite.

Post match the beating continues with Top Flight, Action Andretti, Private Party and Daniel Garcia making the save. Orange Cassidy comes out as well but doesn’t go very far.

Continental Title: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kyle O’Reilly

Okada is defending. They go to the mat to start with Okada working on a headlock. Back up and Okada hits him in the face. O’Reilly takes him down into an ankle lock but Okada quickly escapes as we take an early break. Back with Okada cutting off a comeback with a single uppercut and mockingly kicking away.

O’Reilly strikes away again and takes him down with a DDT on the arm. We switch up the limbs with a dragon screw legwhip over the ropes before O’Reilly grabs a kneebar. Okada strikes his way to freedom and comes back with an Air Raid Crash onto the knee and we take another break.

Back again with both of them pulling themselves up at the fifteen (out of twenty) minute call. O’Reilly reverses a Tombstone attempt into the ankle lock, with Okada bailing over to the ropes. Okada misses the Rainmaker but hits the dropkick, only to get pulled into the guillotine. That’s broken up as well and the Rainmaker retains the title at 18:22.

Rating: B. This was the only advertised title match and while Okada was in the “yeah I don’t care” mode, O’Reilly was putting in the effort and trying to make something out of it. What matters the most is that it felt like someone was actually challenging for a title rather than being little more than a nuisance, putting it ahead of the opener by a mile or so.

Video on Mariah May vs. Anna Jay.

La Faccion Ingobernable attacks Hologram, with Rush promising that if you mess with the bull, you get the hearns.

Don Callis Family vs. Jack Cartwheel/Jon Cruz

Brian Cage/Lance Archer for the Family as we now have a non-title squash match on the show. Cage knocks Cartwheel into the corner to start but Cruz isn’t about to tag in. That doesn’t work for Cage, who makes Cartwheel tag him, allowing Archer to come in with a snap suplex. A powerbomb/chokeslam combination plants Cartwheel and a Blackout/powerbomb combination finishes Cruz at 2:37. Total dominance with Cage forcing the tag as a funny moment.

The Undisputed Kingdom isn’t happy with the changes the Beast Mortos has made, including wearing a polo shirt. They’re not sad, but just disappointed.

Anna Jay vs. Mariah May

Non-title. They trade wrist control to start before May’s headlocks are countered with headscissors. Back up and Jay fires off some knees to the ribs but May sends her throat first into the middle rope. Some hair tosses have Jay down again and a very spinning side slam gives May two as we take a break.

Back with May working on the arm but Jay fights up with a Sling Blade. A German suplex gives Jay two and the Queenslayer goes on, with May biting the arm for the escape. May’s hanging DDT gets two but she has to escape the Gory Bomb. Instead, Jay pulls her into a cradle for the pin at 12:07.

Rating: B-. Well Jay wins something after her return from Japan, but dang it feels like a big stretch to have May take a clean loss. Unless Jay is getting the title, this is going to be another case of Jay being on a rollercoaster around here, as she’ll go from winning to losing without getting anything of value. At the same time, May loses in a match where she has little to gain, making this a not exactly logical way to go. This would have been a good place for the ROH Proving Ground rules, where Jay would have only had to last the time limit rather than pinning May.

Overall Rating: B-. This certainly was a Battle Of The Belts, as there was very little built up, the action was just ok, and it does not feel like you missed much of anything (MAYBE the main event result and that’s about it) if you missed the show. The series comes off like the last reincarnation of Saturday Night’s Main Event: there might be some good action, but the promotion doesn’t care and doesn’t act like it matters in the slightest. I’m not going to miss this series when it’s gone and I’m not sure if AEW is going to remember that it was ever there in the first place.

Results
Blackpool Combat Club b. Dark Order – Sharpshooter to Reynolds
Kazuchika Okada b. Kyle O’Reilly – Rainmaker
Don Callis Family b. Jack Cartwheel/Jon Cruz – Blackout/powerbomb combination to Cruz
Anna Jay b. Mariah May – Cradle

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Dynamite
Date: October 16, 2024
Location: SAP Center, San Jose, California
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re done with WrestleDream and the big story is Jon Moxley is the new World Champion, having kind of retired Bryan Danielson. It seems we are going to need some saviors to fight for the company and maybe we find that out tonight. Other than that, Adam Cole and MJF are both back and don’t like each other. Let’s get to it.

Here is WrestleDream if you need a recap.

The opening video features Jon Moxley and friends in the back of a truck with Moxley talking about how there are so many wrestlers on the roster who get paid and then do nothing. He hates what AEW has become because there is no need for all of the dancing and partying. He’ll burn down the forest and do what has to be done because they can see a better future.

If you want to come with them you can, but otherwise, run while you can. The new paradigm is you work for him now. Wheeler Yuta looks off into the darkness. This included shots of wrestlers being upset at what happened to Bryan Danielson, meaning we probably have some people ready to fight back. That being said, “Wah, they’re making too much money and are too soft but we’re all tough” isn’t exactly a thrilling story.

Here is Adam Cole for a chat. He loves his friends but he has to do this on his own. Cole wants to talk about the worst person in this company, MJF. After years of seeing him be this way, the only thing that Cole can say is that MJF is fake. Just look at his hair: it took two surgeries but that fake hair is on his head. MJF will act all tough and stoic on social media when fans insult him but then he’ll cry in his hotel room.

This place has the best talent roster in the world and there are a lot of hungry people who are ready to go around someone like MJF. He’ll act like he’s something special but the reality is everyone, including Cole, hates him. Cole hates everything about him, including his stupid face, so get out here for the fight they’re going to have right now.

MJF’s music plays but he pops up on screen to say he’s a multi millionaire at 28, but he knows what it’s like to be alone. Cole tried to be his friend but then MJF took it away, but now Cole is never going to get his revenge. MJF will always dangle the carrot of revenge and Cole can thank him for everything later. Cole swears vengeance anyway. This only worked to an extent, as the feud felt like it was over and Cole didn’t have much to say other than “I really hate you”.

Chris Jericho feels vindicated after his loss to Mark Briscoe because Briscoe cheated. Jericho wants a rematch to become the two time Ring Of Honor World Champion, just like Jay Briscoe.

Mark Briscoe doesn’t like Jericho bringing up his brother’s name again, so of course they can have a rematch. Next week. In a ladder war. Tonight though, FTR is going to take out Jericho’s Learning Tree. I appreciate the logic of Briscoe wanting to avenge his brother’s memory being tarnished, but if this is continuing, Briscoe shouldn’t have beaten Jericho clean on Saturday.

FTR vs. Learning Tree

Harwood takes over on Keith to start and hammers away before handing it off to Wheeler. Keith gets in a slam and a knee drop but Wheeler fights up. Bill comes in off a surprise though and it’s a Boss Man Slam to send us to a break. Back with Harwood hitting a clothesline on Keith but getting dropped by the same thing from Bill. The Shatter Machine is broken up and Wheeler takes Bill to the floor for a tornado DDT. Back in and Keith walks into the Shatter Machine for the pin at 8:20.

Rating: C+. As usual, there is only so much that can be done with a match that only gets eight minutes and includes a commercial break. Bill continues to look like a monster and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him do something better in the future. For now though, he’s part of a tag team where Keith is taking the fall, so at least Bill is being protected. At the same time, dang FTR feels like they’ve fallen a very, very long way in the last few months.

Post match the Outrunners come out to post with FTR.

Acclaimed and Billy Gunn are ready to head to the gym, with Billy going to get the car ready. They’re ready for more, but MVP and Shelton Benjamin come in. MVP offers a business card, with Bowens saying they don’t need anything from them. Caster slips the card into his pocket.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone vs. Queen Aminata

Mone, with Kamille, is defending. Mone tries to take her down but gets some swiveling hips to the face for her efforts. A victory roll gives Mone two but Aminata gives her a fall away slam to the floor. Kamille offers a quick distraction and Mone gets in a whip to the steps as we take a break. Back with Aminata hitting an Air Raid Crash for two and they both need a breather. A sunset flip gives Aminata one and a neckbreaker gets two, followed by a snap suplex to send Mone into the corner. Mone fights her way out of said corner and hits the Statement Maker for the pin at 8:41.

Rating: C+. Same problem with the match being cut off by the break as the previous one, which is quite the recurring issue in modern wrestling. Mone continues to be good in the ring but other than Britt Baker, she hasn’t had much in the way of competition. Aminata and Emi Sakura haven’t exactly done much in AEW but have gotten recent title shots. Find someone a bit more elevated to get the shot at her.

Private Party talks to the Young Bucks and wants another title shot. The Bucks admit that Private Party took them to the limit but that was their last shot. The Bucks are gone so Stokely Hathaway comes in to say the team has been here since the Obama administration and never gotten anywhere. If they lose next time, they should split up, because Kassidy is the singles star anyway. Not that that’s any of Hathaway’s business of course. I would certainly hope that’s it for the Bucks vs. Private Party, as it wasn’t exactly a big match in the first place.

The Elite talk about how important today is to the history of AEW. Today is Kenny Omega’s birthday and even though he’s had a bunch of his intestines taken out, they have a cake for him. Then they pour a bunch of fake intestines on it. Jack Perry: “Get well soon Kenny. Or die.” Kazuchika Okada throws in a b****. Teasing Omega’s return, even if it’s a bit off in the distance, is a good thing.

Elite vs. Conglomeration

Nick gets taken own by Cassidy to start and O’Reilly strikes away before they do the same to Matt. Romero comes in for a running hurricanrana to Okada and we take a break. Back with O’Reilly making Nick clothesline Matt but Okada comes back in for the save. The Rainmaker is broken up but Matt hits an elbow to give Okada two. Romero is back up with the Forever Clotheslines, only for Okada to break it up with the tombstone. The Bucks spend their time pumping up their shoes and Cassidy starts cleaning house….but Wheeler Yuta runs in to jump O’Reilly for the DQ at 9:21.

Rating: B-. Well at least they had a way to avoid either team losing here. The Conglomeration would be fine enough as the first people to stand up to the Club and some of that was already started at WrestleDream. There’s a good chance the Elite are the real ones to fight the villains of though and….egads that is going to take some incredible efforts. Or they’ll just make the Elite good again and forget everything about what has happened in the last six months with no major repercussions.

Post match the rest of Moxley’s friends, including Moxley, come in for the beatdown, with commentary calling Cassidy “the leader of AEW” which….no. Top Flight comes in for the failed save so the Dark Order runs in, passing by the Elite on the way and asking them to help. The Order is beaten down as well (including Pac beating people up with a briefcase, which may contain the World Title) and the violence continues as Moxley says this is just the cost of doing business. Excalibur: “There’s no rhyme or reason to what these people are doing here.”

Commentary is aghast.

The Elite, minus Okada, says that wasn’t their business but Daniel Garcia and Private Party come in. Perry and Garcia….kind of nuzzle a bit before the Elite leave.

We look at Swerve Strickland picking Prince Nana at WrestleDream.

Shelton Benjamin vs. Lio Rush

MVP and Leila Grey are here too. Rush dodges around to start and can’t get anywhere, so Benjamin drops him with a hard shot. Back up and Benjamin is sent outside, where he jumps up to the apron for a knee (MVP approves) and we take a break. We come back with Benjamin knocking him down again but Rush hits his springboard Stunner.

A cutter catches Benjamin again, followed by a rather spinning tornado DDT for two. Rush goes up top so Benjamin runs the corner for a belly to belly superplex. A release German suplex sends Rush flying and another one does it again. Benjamin superkicks the heck out of him and hits the exploder for the pin at 11:01.

Rating: C+. Benjamin looked great in his first feature match in a long time, but there was no reason or this to be eleven minutes. People know who Benjamin is and he has a long resume. There was no reason for Rush to get in this much offense, as Rush on his best day is nowhere near what Benjamin has done. This should have been WAY shorter, but that’s not how AEW works.

Post match MVP says he wants to keep this going with Swerve Strickland (MVP: “HOW CAN THIS BE SWERVE’s HOUSE WHEN SWERVE’S HOUSE WAS BURNED TO THE GROUND???”) because this is Strickland’s future.

Darby Allin isn’t here tonight, but we do see him talking about Tony Hawk….who isn’t with him. They are however selling signed photos of the two of them together for charity. Sure.

Swerve Strickland is ready for Shelton Benjamin and is ready for him anytime. Benjamin set a lot of records, which have been broken, but Strickland breaks bones.

Here is Don Callis, flanked by Lance Archer and Brian Cage, for a press conference. Since there is no press in wrestling though, he’ll answer the questions himself. First up, he wants the Tag Team Titles back, so these two are going to get them. With that out of the way, Callis brings out Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher.

Callis says Takeshita is defending the title all around the world, with Takeshita saying come take it. Fletcher is given the chance to explain why he turned on Will Ospreay….but he’s not going to say anything because the fans keep chanting for Ospreay. This could have been summed up as “Brian Cage is now on the team”.

Mariah May wants competition so here is Anna Jay to charge at her. Christopher Daniels tries to break it up and Jay hits him in the face. Nigel McGuinness is thrilled.

Ricochet is ready to show that he is the best in the world and doesn’t need the lackeys to do it for him like Konosuke Takeshita. The open challenge is on for Collision.

Jon Moxley and company are still beating up the Dark Order and Top Flight. The villains leave and Evil Uno rants about how Moxley and company are taking food off their plates. Darius Martin issues the challenge for Collision. If I’m supposed to care about the Dark Order and Top Flight as AEW’s saviors, AEW has a lot more work today.

Christian Cage vs. Jay White

A bunch of their friends are here too. They start slowly until White sends him into the corner a few times. White grabs something like an Indian deathlock as commentary does their inside jokes. Nick Wayne makes the referee believe the Bang Bang Gang used a chair so they’re ejected, but Wayne gets beaten up first. We take a break and come back with White fighting out of a chinlock.

White pulls the turtleneck over Cage’s face and hammering away in the corner, followed by the chops to the exposed chest (Nigel: “You sadist!”). Cage fights back and hits a reverse DDT onto the apron but cue Kip Sabian (because of course) for a distraction. White gets a rollup for two as Hangman Page is hiding on the floor (he might have shown up too early). Cage’s Killswitch gets two but Sabian offers another distraction, allowing Page to come in with the Buckshot Lariat so Cage can get the pin at 16:03.

Rating: B-. Oh someone botched the heck out of that interference, as Sabian and Page did the exact same thing twice about five minutes apart. That feels like it’s something the producer screwed up as the wrestlers were probably given the cue early. Other than that, it was a long main event with a bit of a story behind it (Cage put White out earlier this year) and it keeps White vs. Page going, which does fit after they had a quick one off match.

Overall Rating: C+. I’m not sure what to make of this show. While it wasn’t bad, it absolutely did not feel like something coming off of what was supposedly a huge ending to a pay per view. Moxley and company are still all violent and beating people up, but now they’re beating up some of the lowest of the low around here. After everyone was so devastated by Bryan Danielson being taken out, you would think there would be bigger names than Dante Marin and Evil Uno ready to fight back.

Other than that, there was a lot of stuff that seems like it will be continuing from WrestleDream, which only felt so important coming in. That’s the theme of this show: stuff happened, but it didn’t feel like it matters that much. The big story is what people will focus on though and that’s….well it’s going to be a bit before we get to the meat of the matter. Until then, we have Battle Of The Belts, which had its first (and so far only) match announced with ten seconds left on the show: a non-title match between Anna Jay and Mariah May. That show, much like a lot of other things around here, is going to need some work.

Results
FTR b. Learning Tree – Shatter Machine to Keith
Mercedes Mone b. Queen Aminata – Statement Maker
Conglomeration b. Elite via DQ when the Blackpool Combat Club interfered
Shelton Benjamin b. Lio Rush – Exploder
Christian Cage b. Jay White – Buckshot Lariat

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Dynamite
Date: October 2, 2024
Location: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

It’s the fifth anniversary of Dynamite and the big story is a new broadcast rights deal was announced earlier today, with the show staying on TBS/TNT as well as being simulcast on Max. That is going to lead to some changes in the future, but for now, we are ten days away from WrestleDream and Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson for the World Title. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Jon Moxley and company talk about how they have plans for Wheeler Yuta, with Moxley promising to take out Bryan Danielson and take the World Title. War and casualties are promised.

Apparently Taz has been attacked and is out for tonight, with Nigel McGuinness taking his place.

International Title: Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay

Ricochet is challenging and in the back, Kyle Fletcher (in a WHITE SOX jersey, which isn’t a great look right now) and Don Callis wish him luck before leaving. Feeling out process to start before they go into their signature stereo backflips exchange into the double pose. Ricochet sends him outside, where Ospreay takes too long going onto the barricade and gets taken down with a snap hurricanrana.

Back in and Ricochet hits a springboard flip splash for two but Ospreay kicks him down. The Phenomenal Forearm gets two on Ricochet but he’s back with a kick to the head. Ospreay’s Spanish Fly gets two more but the Oscutter is broken up. They go to the apron to trade strikes to the head until Ospreay hits a superkick. The Oscutter connects this time and they crash out to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Ricochet kicking him down again but missing the 450. The Hidden Blade is countered into a backslide bomb (that was cool) and a piledriver gets two. Ospreay is back with another Hidden Blade attempt but has to roll through, setting up a Styles Clash for two on Ricochet. Now the Oscutter connects for two more but the Hidden Blade is blocked again.

Ricochet’s shooting star press gets two, only for Ospreay to counter vertigo into a poisonrana. Ricochet hits one of his own but Ospreay hits the Hidden Blade….for a double pin with all four shoulders down at 15:55. Hold on though as both of them want five more minutes and Tony Khan approves the match continuing. They trade kicks to the head until Ospreay hits the Hidden Blade….and Konosuke Takeshita runs in and decks Ospreay for the DQ at 18:59.

Rating: B. I’m guessing that’s to set up either a three way or Ospreay vs. Takeshita at WrestleDream, but it’s not exactly an exciting way to wrap up the big opener. I do get the idea of not wanting either of them to lose here, but the ending still felt flat. For now, I can go for a match with two guys doing a bunch of big moves to each other, though a better ending would have been nice.

Takeshita wipes both of them out and poses with the title.

Mercedes Mone, with Kamille, is excited over the fifth anniversary and we get a package on her time on Dynamite. Mone brags about her success and MVP comes in to offer his business card. There appears to be some interest.

The Gunns are ready to see Juice Robinson vs. Hangman Page when Page runs in to take them out with a chair.

Here is the Learning Tree for TV Time with Chris Jericho. Big Bill hypes up how much Jericho has done for him before giving him the introduction. Jericho takes credit for the new TV deal and the Learning Tree demands a THANK YOU CHRIS chant. In addition to five years of Dynamite, it is also 34 years since his debut as a pro wrestler. He went from a small town in Canada to right here in Philad….Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!

Last week he pinned Mark Briscoe and this week he’s challenging Briscoe for the Ring Of Honor World Title at WrestleDream. Briscoe, with the Conglomeration, comes to the ring and everyone stays on the floor because this is between the two of them. Papa Briscoe taught him to not make excuses, so while Big Bill helped Jericho beat Briscoe last week, he isn’t going to make that excuse because it was a tornado tag team match.

Briscoe would love to face Jericho, because the word of the day is consequentially, because he…is cut off by Jericho, who doesn’t think Briscoe can beat him. Jericho: “Maybe your brother Jay could have.” Everyone knows Mark will never be as good as Jay, which earns Jericho a shot to the face. Mark tells Jericho to keep his brother’s name out of his mouth and accepts the challenge. Briscoe sold his part really strong, but Jericho getting another title shot and everything that happens on Ring Of Honor meaning nothing when it comes to the World Title isn’t helping.

Darby Allin is in what looks to be a park and talks about riding a bus in Washington. One day three guys took turns spitting at the back of his head. Allin tried to keep calm but eventually he got in their faces and wasn’t scared of the knife the guy was holding. It was broken up, but that’s what he was thinking about when Jon Moxley said Allin wasn’t ready o be the face of AEW. Now he needs to fight back, so at WrestleDream, it’s an open challenge. That could go in a lot of directions.

Hangman Page vs. Juice Robinson

They brawl on the stage to start with Robinson sending him off the stage, only to get punched out of the air. Page whips him with a belt and they fight into the crowd, with Page being hit with a beer and a bucket of popcorn. The fight actually goes into the ring for the opening bell, with Robinson choking with the bell for a four count. Page fights back up and takes over as we take an early break.

Back with Robinson’s top rope superplex leaving them both down again. Robinson punches him out to the floor but gets sent into the barricade. A spinebuster sends Page into the apron and a running shot sends Page through the barricade. They get back in with Robinson hitting a powerbomb for two and being shocked at the kickout. The Juice Is Loose is blocked though and Page kicks him low. The Buckshot Lariat finishes for Page at 9:56.
­
Rating: B-. This is another good example of “it shouldn’t take this long for the star to win”. Page took nearly ten minutes (not counting the brawl before the bell) to beat a guy who is mainly known as part of a six man team. They could have easily done this, even with the same cheating finish, in less than half the time. Robinson can look good in defeat and get cheated out of a win without having Page take this long to beat him. That’s been an issue for AEW for a long time and it’s continuing here.­

Post match Page goes for the choking with the belt but the returning Jay White runs in for the save. White spears him through a well placed table in the crowd.

Jack Perry arrives and Katsuyori Shibata pops in to challenge him for the TNT Title at WrestleDream. Perry says he’ll think about it and jumps him before accepting. Maybe, I don’t know, show the clip from Collision that set that up so it’s not so out of nowhere?

Bryan Danielson can’t get the phrase “F*** JON MOXLEY” out of his head because this is the AEW World Title, not Moxley’s. That’s why he’s challenged Kazuchika Okada tonight, title for title, because they’re 1-1 and need to break the tie. This is for AEW.

Serena Deeb vs. Britt Baker

Baker is the hometown girl. They go with the grappling to start with Deeb going for the arm but having to escape a Lockjaw attempt. Mariah May is watching as they fight over a headlock/headscissors. Back up and Deeb hits a hard clothesline, followed by a hammerlock lariat as we take an early break.

We come back with Baker hitting some clotheslines of her own, setting up a discus forearm. Baker hits a Sling Blade into a fisherman’s neckbreaker for two, giving us a frustrated look. They trade shots to the face until an Air Raid Crash gives Baker two. Baker catches her up top with a super Air Raid Crash for two, setting up the Lockjaw for the tap at 11:12.

Rating: C. This was similar to the Page vs. Robinson match in that Baker could have put her away a lot faster and gotten the same result. Instead, the match dragged on with Deeb going move for move with Baker. That’s fine on one hand as Deeb is far more polished in the ring, but if the end game is Baker vs. May, it didn’t exactly make Baker look like a star.

Post match Deeb jumps her again until Queen Aminata makes the save.

Hook swears revenge on whomever attacked Taz.

Christian Cage promises to be the next World Champion.

Mariah May doesn’t think much of Willow Nightingale, who storms in to start the fight, which is quickly broken up.

Private Party vs. Iron Savages

It’s a brawl to start with a double dropkick….kind of connecting to put Boulder down. Bronson is sent to the floor and a messy Gin & Juice finishes at 1:13. I don’t think Private Party hit one move clean in that whole match.

Post match Private Party say they want the Tag Team Titles and call out the Young Bucks. Cue the Bucks, who say they’re not wasting their limited dates on this kind of town so it’s not happening. Jack Perry runs in to beat Private Party down but Katsuyori Shibata makes the save. Christopher Daniels comes in to make a six man tag for Rampage. The fact that Private Party has nothing else to talk about in the five years since they beat the Bucks tells you a lot about what is wrong with AEW.

MVP is about to make an announcement but Prince Nana interrupts. Nana threatens to beat up MVP, who says he doesn’t handle complaints. Instead, he introduces the head of the complaint department: Shelton Benjamin, who gets a big reaction and takes Nana’s coffee. I’ve heard worse ideas.

AEW World Title/Continental Title: Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada

This is title for title but the Continental Title is only on the line for the first twenty minutes and this was announced on two days’ notice because AEW. They fight over a lockup to start and Danielson backs him into the ropes for an early break, both for them and us. Back with Okada hitting some clotheslines but Danielson fires off some uppercuts. Danielson goes up and knocks Okada down, setting up a missed Swan Dive.

The cobra clutch has Danielson in more trouble as the neck cranking ensues. Danielson fights to his feet but misses a charge, allowing Okada to dropkick him out to the floor. Back in and Danielson knocks him to the floor for a suicide dive, followed by the YES Kicks. The big one is countered into a rollup for two but Danielson pulls him into a triangle choke with elbows to the head. The LeBell Lock goes on and Danielson cranks back, only for Okada to make the ropes. Danielson hits the running knee to send Okada outside as we hit the 20:00 mark, meaning the match continues, but ONLY Danielson’s title is on the line.

AEW World Title: Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada

Danielson is defending and hits a top rope flip dive to hit Okada on the floor. A running charge is cut off though and Okada hits a Tombstone onto a chair on the floor as we take another break. Back again with Danielson (who was on his feet 1:42 after the Tombstone, with a hanging DDT onto the floor in between) getting dropkicked before they grab hands to trade strikes.

Danielson gets the better of it and loads up the running knee, only to charge into the Rainmaker for the double knockdown. They strike it out again until Danielson takes over, only to get caught with a running knee for two. Danielson hits his own Rainmaker for two and it’s time to fire off the elbows. Okada strikes away but here are Claudio Castagnoli and Pac to glare menacingly. Danielson gets a backslide for the pin out of nowhere at 31:42.

Rating: B. I guess the thinking was Okada wanted to burn the clock in the first twenty minutes to protect his own title and then get to the second half where he had nothing to lose. That makes sense from a planning standpoint but it made for a pretty dry first…is the term match or fall? Either way, it picked up in the second half and you knew this was going to be at least good based on the people involved. I still could have gone for building this up more than two days in advance, but that’s another issue entirely.

Post match Okada Rainmakers Danielson and leaves, with Castagnoli and Pac coming in to pick the pieces. Jon Moxley gets in the ring (with Marina Shafir choking Danielson) and talks about how this isn’t about him because no one will fight for AEW like he will. If this was about Danielson, he would have done this a long time ago.

Wheeler Yuta runs in with a hammer for the save. Moxley dares Yuta to hit him with the hammer but Danielson is up to go after Moxley. The fight is on with Yuta and Danielson clearing the ring. Yuta says if Pac and Castagnoli want Danielson, they’ll have to go through Yuta too. Danielson issues the challenge for the tag match (Yuta might have slipped up with the wording and Danielson had to save it), which is officially on to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I liked the show, but I’m not sure how well it came off as a major milestone event. There was nothing on here that really felt big or majorly important (remember that the TV deal was announced before the show went on the air). The big matches went well enough, but it was coming after Grand Slam (which felt bigger) and is right before WrestleDream (which will feel bigger) and comes just before Title Tuesday and eventually Battle Of The Belts. AEW might want to cool it on the big shows and just have some regular stuff, but this did still work well enough.

Results
Will Ospreay b. Ricochet via DQ when Konosuke Takeshita interfered
Hangman Page b. Juice Robinson – Buckshot Lariat
Britt Baker b. Serena Deeb – Lockjaw
Private Party b. Iron Savages – Gin & Juice to Boulder
Bryan Danielson b. Kazuchika Okada – Backslide

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Rampage
Date: July 26, 2024
Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Matt Menard

It’s the Rampage after Dynamite, meaning we are in for the traditional Royal Rampage followup. That means a double ring battle royal with the winner getting a World Title shot at Grand Slam. In this case it means we have a different enough kind of show and that is often nice to see. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Royal Rampage

There are two rings with ten total entrants, last man standing gets a World Title shot at Grand Slam. Ring #1 starts with Orange Cassidy in at #1 and Brody King in at #2 while Ring #2 starts with Claudio Castagnoli in at #1 and Komander in at #2. Cassidy and Komander grab an arm each to start and walk the ropes but the wristdrags are both blocked. Tomohiro Ishii is in at #3 (Ring #1) and goes after King, with Cassidy offering a low bridge. Brian Cage is in at #3 (Ring #2) and plants Komander with a half nelson slam as Cassidy and King slug it out.

The Butcher is in at #4 (Ring #1) and teams up with Cage for a double elbow to Cassidy. Matt Menard jumps off commentary to be in at #4 (Ring #2) and that goes nowhere until Roderick Strong is in at #5 (Ring #1). Strong and Butcher beat up King and it’s Kip Sabian in at #5 (Ring #2). Sabian gets to clean house, including a gordbuster to Komander. Brandon Cutler is in at #6 (Ring #1) because when Excalibur said “TEN TOTAL ENTRANTS” he meant “TEN TOTAL ENTRANTS PER RING”, further proving that Excalibur is not very good at his job.

Cutler talks a lot and is immediately eliminated by Ishii. Nick Wayne is in at #6 (Ring #2) and Menard is eliminated to make room for him. Kyle O’Reilly is in at #7 (Ring #1) and starts striking away, as is his custom. Jeff Jarrett is in at #7 (Ring #2) as Menard is back on commentary. We take a break and come back with Butcher being eliminated and Matt Taven in at #8 (Ring #1). A DDT plants Cassidy and Komander is knocked out as well. Jay Lethal is in at #8 (Ring #2) and teams up with Jarrett to go after Wayne, who is tossed by Sabian.

Mike Bennett is in at #9 (Ring #1) and it’s a Backpack Stunner to Cassidy. The Beast Mortos is in at #9 (Ring #2) and gets to clean house until Jarrett clotheslines him down. Sabian is knocked out and it’s Darby All in at #10 (Ring #1), only to be knocked outside (not eliminated) by King. Lethal and Jarrett stop to strut as Lio Rush is in at #10 (Ring #2) to complete the field.

King and Allin fight up into the crowd despite not being eliminated. We take another break and come back with Mortos having been eliminated as King and Allin come back to ringside. Ishii and Bennett are both out, with Cassidy, Taven and O’Reilly following them out in short order. That leaves Strong, King and Allin in Ring #1 as Rush and Castagnoli fight in Ring #2.

They both wind up on the apron and Castagnoli swings Rush out. Strong is tossed out as well and Castagnoli eliminates Lethal to keep clearing the ring. King chokes Allin on the apron as he did in a previous edition but this time Allin slips out and hits a running body block to get rid of King and win Ring #1. Jarrett fights back on Cage and hammers away in the corner but here is Hangman Page to jump Jarrett and yell a lot.

That leaves Castagnoli and Cage in Ring #2 as we take another break. Back again with Castagnoli slugging at Cage, who pulls him out to the apron as well. A Neutralizer on the apron gets rid of Cage to win #Ring 2. Castagnoli goes after Allin and sends him to the floor (not out) before swinging him into the steps (geez). Back in and a nasty German suplex drops Allin again as Menard wants Allin to give up. They go to the apron with Castagnoli stomping away but Allin drapes him over the top and hits the Coffin Drop for the win at 36:44.

Rating: B. This is one of the more unique matches that AEW runs every year and it worked again here. Allin winning should make for a good World Title match when they get back to New York for Grand Slam and that is something they should have set up this far in advance. They’ve got a cool concept here and kept it moving to get all of the entrants in. Nice job and a good bit of fun.

Post match Castagnoli won’t shake hands.

Following an attack at the hands of Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale agrees to give Statlander a match in South Carolina. No word on which show that will be.

Kris Statlander vs. Leila Grey

Statlander backdrops her down to start and hits a kick to the face, setting up Friday Night Fever for the pin at 54 seconds.

Lance Archer vs. Alejandro

Archer has jumped Alejandro in the back and carries him to the ring for the opening bell. Two chokeslams and the Blackout finish Alejandro at 1:06.

Saraya is ready to show what she can do on Dynamite.

Outrunners vs. Private Party vs. Righteous vs. Don Callis Family

Vincent headlocks Floyd to start but it’s quickly off to Magnum for the big pose. That’s broken up as well and it’s Dutch coming in to clean house. Floyd is sent hard into the corner and we take a break. Back with Quen busting out a big running flip dive but Floyd dives him a Stunner over the ropes. Fletcher comes in to hammer on Floyd in the corner and Rush adds the running slap. Fletcher’s piledriver finishes at 8:50.

Rating: C+. This didn’t have time to get going and they had to rush to the end. It was going to be tricky to make this work with the amount of time they had and they had a break to make it worse. The Family getting the win is a fine way to go, though winning a match like this is only going to have so much value.

Overall Rating: B. This was a unique show as most of it was spent on one match, which went well. The rest of the show was made up of a pair of squashes and a rather quick four way. I can go for a Rampage where the majority goes to a fun match as that’s about all you can ask for here. Nice stuff this week, though it’s not something you’ll see again for a good while.

Results
Darby Allin won Royal Rampage last eliminating Claudio Castagnoli
Kris Statlander b. Leila Grey – Friday Night Fever
Lance Archer b. Alejandro – Blackout
Don Callis Family b. Outrunners, Private Party and Righteous – Piledriver to Floyd

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Collision
Date: June 29, 2024
Location: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, New York
Commentators: Excalibur, Nigel McGuinness

We’re a day away from Forbidden Door and that means it is time for the big final push towards the show. That could go in a variety of ways but with most of the show already set, this is likely going to be about pushing things that have already been set up. That could still make for a good show so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Orange Cassidy/Tomohiro Ishii vs. TMDK

Haste wants to check on Cassidy’s pockets to start but with nothing happening, it’s off to Ishii instead. They go head to head to no avail so we’ll try Eagles vs. Cassidy instead. Cassidy takes him down without much trouble and sends Eagles into the corner so many times that Eagles has to grab the referee. Tis but a ruse though, as Haste drops Cassidy onto the apron, allowing Eagles to hit a bit flip dive as we take a break.

Back with Cassidy kicking Haste into Eagles, allowing the tag off to Ishii to clean house. Haste’s kick to the face is shrugged off and Ishii grabs a Saito suplex for two. Ishii and Cassidy hit the alternating strikes in the corner and Cassidy’s top rope elbow gets two. Back up and a Falcon Arrow plants Cassidy but he’s back with Stundog Millionaire. Eagles plants him again but Ishii makes the save. Cassidy kicks Haste into the corner though and grabs the Beach Break for the pin at 10:46.

Rating: C+. This was about getting Cassidy in the ring with Zack Sabre Jr.’s teammates and little more, which made for kind of a weird match. Cassidy is working rather hard as of late and might be more than a bit worn down for Sabre, which tends to be exactly what he tends to do most of the time. Not bad at all here, but it feels a bit off from the matches Cassidy and Ishii have tomorrow.

We get a Hangman Page vignette as he sits and drinks in his empty house. That very well could be the wildcard from the Elite. Or he’s just a loner drunk again.

The Learning Tree is in the back and walks into the trainer’s area to complain about faulty wrist taping. Chris Jericho also advocates stealing tape.

Stephanie Vaquer vs. Lady Frost

Non-title and here is Mercedes Mone to watch. Vaquer puts her down to start and then spins out of a wristlock. An STF sends Frost over to the ropes and they head outside, where Frost snaps off a hurricanrana. Frost tries a handstand on the apron but gets superkicked, leaving us with a Mone/Vaquer staredown as we take a break.

Back with Frost hitting some faceplants to send Frost into the mat but Frost kicks her in the head. A twisting high crossbody gives Frost two, with Mone approving at ringside. Vaquer is back with a spinning DDT for two and some headbutts in the corner have Frost in more trouble. A package backbreaker finishes Frost at 7:58.

Rating: C+. Well at least they finally got Vaquer in the ring for once before her title match against Mone. That’s what we’ve been needing since the match was announced as Vaquer hasn’t wrestled in AEW prior to this, which doesn’t give fans much to go on. This was better than nothing, but the story is only going to be so interesting going into tomorrow.

Post match Mone comes in for the staredown but Vaquer leaves. Vaquer’s partner, Zeuxis, comes in to jump Mone, allowing Vaquer to lay Mone out.

The Lucha Bros are ready for Forbidden Door when Los Ingobernables de Japon come in to challenge Death Triangle. The Bros are going to pass because Pac is in the Owen Hart Cup, but they’ll team with Mistico instead. Los Ingobernables are cool with that. Well Takahashi isn’t, as he’s kind of panicking over the Mistico idea.

Serena Deeb vs. Kelly Madan

Deeb chops away to start and hits a neckbreaker over the middle rope. A hammerlock lariat into Deebtox finishes Madan at 1:15.

Post match Deeb says she isn’t going into wrestling purgatory and wants some competition. And cue Riho for the staredown, because it’s time to pretend she’s amazing again.

The Learning Tree critiques hand washing techniques.

Post match the Learning Tree tries to ride a Zamboni machine but get beaten up by Samoa Joe and pals. The fight heads into the arena, where Jeff Cobb runs in to even things out so the Learning Tree can stand tall.

Video on Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Orange Cassidy.

Cassidy says his world is falling apart but he’s here, unlike Sabre. Cue Sabre to say he knows what Cassidy is going to do, so Cassidy offers to pin him with his hands in his pockets. Cassidy grabs him by the shirt, with Sabre saying he’s already won.

Hechicero vs. Kevin Blackwood

Hechicero takes him down and ties up the leg before switching to an ankle lock. Some elbows to the face and a flapjack set up a Mad Scientist Bomb to rock Blackwood again. The Rings of Saturn with the legs makes Blackwood tap at 2:22.

The Patriarchy wants the Trios Titles so here is the Bang Bang Gang for the argument. Jay White mocks the team but gets why Christian Cage wants to latch onto him.

Daniel Garcia vs. The Butcher

They’re both from Buffalo. They fight over a lockup to start until Butcher powers him into the corner for some stomping. Garcia fights back but gets taken outside for a ram into the barricade. Garcia’s running boot is countered into a backdrop onto the barricade and we take a break. Back with the fans declaring this awesome as Butcher keeps Garcia in trouble. Garcia fights back and grabs a swinging neckbreaker for the breather. Back up and Garcia shrugs off a big boot before dropping Butcher with a clothesline. The piledriver finishes for Garcia at 9:00.

Rating: C+. The fans were into it, but I’m really not sure what the point is in having the fans split between two hometown stars before Garcia gets his big title match next week. Garcia isn’t likely to win, but this wasn’t the best way to get the fans behind him on the way there. Then again there have always been some rather odd choices for Garcia in AEW.

Post match dancing ensues and respect is shown.

The Don Callis Family interrupts Will Ospreay, who still says he can win the World Title on his own. That works for Callis and we pan out to show Rush standing with the Family.

Brodie Lee is getting his own custom shoe.

Jack Perry wants the TNT Title but doesn’t want to wrestle tonight. Christopher Daniels pops in to say Perry wrestles tonight or he’s out of the title match. Fans chant for CM Punk.

Women’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Hikaru Shida vs. Deonna Purrazzo

They fight over wrist control to start before switching to an exchange of forearms. Purrazzo gets knocked into the corner with an enziguri and then out to the floor, with Shida hitting a big dive. Back up and Purrazzo kicks her down and we take a break. We come back with Shida hitting some running knees for two but Purrazzo legsweeps her down. The Fujiwara armbar goes on but Shida slips out again. A step up kick to the head drops Purrazzo and the Falcon Arrow connects. The Katana finishes Purrazzo at 9:09.

Rating: B-. I’m a bit surprised that Purrazzo lost here as she was on something of a roll. That being said, Shida is possibly the most successful star in the history of AEW’s women’s division so losing to her is hardly some career killer. They did well here with Shida getting another win, and while I can’t imagine her winning the whole thing, someone will get a nice boost from beating her.

Post match Purrazzo jumps Shida again but Thunder Rosa runs in for the save.

We get another rather serious video from Jeff Jarrett, talking about what it means to honor Owen Hart’s legacy. The rest of Jarrett’s friends are ready to have his back, though he wants to go to the ring on his own. They all seem ok with this and will be with him in spirit.

We get a very slow pan up Toni Storm as she talks about how she is ready to beat Mina Shirakawa. As you might expect, this is rather over the top, as only Storm can do.

Mark Briscoe/Dante Martin/Lio Rush vs. Konosuke Takeshita/Jack Perry/El Phantasmo

Rush and Perry start things off but let’s try Takeshita instead. Rush gets two off a quick rollup before getting kicked in the face for his efforts. Phantasm comes in and all three opponents send him into the corner for some running clotheslines. We settle down to Rush’s suplex getting two on Phantasmo but he fights back up for a breather. Hold on though as Perry drops to the floor instead of tagging. Briscoe dropkicks Perry through the ropes and we take a break.

Back with Martin hurricanranaing Phantasm and Takeshita at the same time, allowing the tag back to Briscoe. Phantasmo kicks Briscoe in the head so Rush can come back in to pick up the pace. A suicide dive take Takeshita down but Phantasm and Martin hit dives of their own. Back in and Martin’s frog splash gets two with Perry making the save.

Briscoe’s running flip dive from the apron misses though and Takeshita comes back in to clean house. Martin catches him on top with a super hurricanrana, only o have Perry break up something on top. The distraction lets Takeshita hit the Blue Thunder Bomb into the running knee to finish Martin at 10:51.

Rating: B-. This was the preview for the ladder match which has nothing to do with ladders but that’s how ladder matches are built up. It’s hard to imagine anyone but Perry winning but at least there is quite the lineup of talent involved. It also helps that it was the best match of the night so far, though the lineup has only been so good this week.

Post match Perry decks Takeshita, who gets superkicked by Phantasmo, who gets Stunnered by Rush, who gets in a tug o war with Martin, who is knocked down by a ladder shot from Briscoe, who climbs the ladder and throws the title onto the pile before hitting a flip dive onto everyone.

Forbidden Door rundown.

We get the weigh-in for the World Title match between Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay, with Prince Nana as moderator. Ospreay weighs 220 and Swerve weighs 230. They go nose to nose and pose for photos before Ospreay says they are 24 hours away from ushering in a new era. Swerve talks about how he’s a businessman and offers Ospreay’s wife a contract. That’s enough for the fight to be on, with all of the seconds getting into it as well. Ospreay manages a quick Hidden Blade and poses over Swerve to end the show. This has been the best built match on the pay per view, but I’m worried that it’s going to get overshadowed.

Overall Rating: B-. The ending segment was good, but this was a show that seemed more designed as a big preview for tomorrow’s event. While that makes sense on paper, there is only so much that you can get out of having a preview of what is supposed to be a bunch of one off special matches. It also doesn’t help that this was a two hour show which came the day before an hour long show and the day before a four plus hour pay per view (with an hour and a half pre-show). Not a bad show, but not one you really needed to watch.

Results
Orange Cassidy/Tomohiro Ishii b. TMDK – Beach Break to Haste
Stephanie Vaquer b. Lady Frost – Package backbreaker
Serena Deeb b. Kelly Madan – Deebtox
Hechicero b. Kevin Blackwood – Rings of Saturn with legs
Daniel Garcia b. The Butcher – Piledriver
Hikaru Shida b. Deonna Purrazzo – Katana
Konosuke Takeshita/Jack Perry/El Phantasmo b. Mark Briscoe/Dante Martin/Lio Rush – Running knee to Martin

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Dynamite
Date: June 19, 2024
Location: EagleBank Arena, Fairfax, Virginia
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We are about a week and a half away from Forbidden Door and there is a good chance that we will see some more matches added this week. Other than that, we have a pay per view quality match with Rush facing MJF to open the show. That could open the door for both of them to do something else at the pay per view so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Rush

This is commercial free. Rush slugs away to start and drops down, only to have MJF strut over him. MJF loads up a chop, teases it for a long time, and then pokes him in the eye instead. The referee checks on Rush in the corner, which is enough of a distraction for Rush to headbutt him down. Back up and Rush hits him in the face and then unloads with forearms in the corner, allowing the Tranquilo pose. As you might expect, MJF charges at him and hammers away but Rush knocks him down again.

The Bull’s Horns misses though and MJF gets two off a small package. A lifting DDT (ala Saraya’s Rampaige) gives MJF two and a piledriver gets the same, allowing a quick breather. MJF’s charge is suplexed into the corner and a cross arm piledriver gives Rush two. They go outside for some hard rams into the barricade and MJF is in big trouble.

Rush throws a chair inside, and the distraction allows him to get in some whipping with an electric cable. A missed charge sends Rush into the barricade but he’s fine enough to suplex a charging MJF off the apron. Back in and the Bull’s Horns is cut off with a hard clothesline and MJF grabs a spinebuster. The Heatseeker into a brainbuster finishes for MJF at 14:19.

Rating: B. It was a hard hitting match though thankfully not as dominant as most of Rush’s matches. MJF had to get in his shots where he could and that worked out well, which is about all you can ask for in something like this. MJF should be on his way to something big at Forbidden Door, as he’s going to need something important after his comeback win here.

Post match, the Cage of Agony pops up to announce MJF vs. Hechicero at Forbidden Door. The match is apparently not official so MJF….has nothing to say.

Mark Briscoe and friends are ready for revenge and redemption….but Jack Perry walks by to annoy them. For tonight though, it’s an all-star tag match. Then Orange Cassidy gives Renee Paquette a bracelet.

Here are Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland for a face to face chat. Ospreay brags about his success and calls himself the best in the world, but Swerve says that’s him. They’ve taken different career paths but here they are, coming to Forbidden Door at the same time. Swerve asks if Don Callis is going to be helping Ospreay try (yes try) to win the World Title. Ospreay says he can do this by himself and lists off his wins. Ospreay: “Bruv, while you had a hit row, I had a hit list.”

What if that kill shot from Swerve is just a bit off? It doesn’t matter what Ospreay does to Swerve, because Swerve is going to wake up without that World Title. Swerve says Ospreay can thank him for his firs pay per view main event but what if Swerve breaks Ospreay’s leg? If Ospreay can’t wrestle, who is he? Swerve doesn’t think Ospreay is ready to sacrifice the love of his wife or his son, with the mention of the latter making Ospreay much more serious.

Prince Nana has to break it up, but Swerve asks what if he does make it personal. Send his regards to Ospreay’s wife and son, which has the two of them going face to face but it doesn’t get physical. This was a heck of a segment, with both of them bringing the intensity and Swerve selling the stakes of the match, both with and without the title.

Don Callis tells the Family that it’s all going to be fine.

Mark Briscoe/Kyle O’Reilly/Orange Cassidy/Dante Martin vs. Kyle Fletcher/Roderick Strong/Zack Sabre Jr./Konosuke Takeshita

It’s a brawl to start with Cassidy and Sabre being left in the ring. That’s broken up so Fletcher sends Briscoe outside for a suicide dive. O’Reilly grabs a kneebar on Strong in the ropes, with Sabre putting Cassidy in an octopus next to them. Briscoe nails the step up flip dive onto Fletcher, with Martin adding a springboard flip dive as we take a break.

Back with a tag match breaking out and Sabre flipping Cassidy into a sunset flip for two. Takeshita comes in and drops Cassidy but he gets over to O’Reilly rather easily. Strong drops O’Reilly, who gets back up and slugs his way to freedom. Martin comes in but gets caught with a heck of a powerbomb, with Briscoe making the save.

We take another break and come back with Briscoe coming back in to clean house. Takeshita gets put down and it’s the Froggy Bow into a frog splash into Cassidy’s falling top rope elbow for two with Sabre making the save. Red Neck Kung Fu takes Sabre down but we hit the parade of knockdowns. Martin hits a pair of dives and Briscoe adds the apron Blockbuster to Takeshita. Sabre’s European Clutch gets two on Cassidy but O’Reilly shoves him out of the way to take Strong’s running knee. The Orange Punch finishes Strong at 16:44.

Rating: B+. This is one of the places where AEW tends to shine as it was a bunch of insanity with everyone going nuts and getting in their stuff. The Cassidy vs. Sabre stuff helps build towards their Forbidden Door match while last week had already seemingly set up Briscoe vs. Fletcher. That should be enough but maybe we get another match or two out of here in some combination.

Post match Jack Perry comes in to deck Martin, leaving Cassidy and Sabre to stare each other down.

Mercedes Mone is ready for Stephanie Vaquer.

Don Callis comes in to see Rush.

Young Bucks vs. Acclaimed

Non-title, Billy Gunn isn’t here and Caster’s rap is cut off again, with Kazuchika Okada being shown turning off the microphone. It’s a brawl before the bell, with Matt being caught in a neckbreaker/backbreaker combination. Scissor Me Timbers hits Nick so it’s off to Matt, who walks into a hiptoss. The Bucks take over on Caster though and we take an early break.

Back with Bowens hitting the jumping Fameasser on Matt but his bad leg gives out again. A superkick gives Matt two and the Swanton in the ropes gets the same. Caster is knocked outside but Bowens blocks the EVP Trigger. Stereo superkicks get two with Caster making the save. The EVP Trigger connects but Caster breaks it up again. A powerbomb/Sliced Bread combination gets two on Bowens and the Bucks are stunned. Nick brings in the belt but hits Matt by mistake, setting up the Arrival into the Mic Drop for the pin at 10:17.

Rating: C+. It’s nice to see the Bucks giving a team a win, even if there is a grand total of zero chance the Acclaimed win the titles whenever they get their shot. Bowens kicking out of the powerbomb combination was good, but this felt more like the Acclaimed won when the Bucks screwed up rather than beating them. That doesn’t exactly make me want to see a rematch, but the Bucks are the stars so they’re going to be the focus no matter what anyway.

Samoa Joe and Hook talk about….calzones, before storming the Premiere Athletes’ locker room. They find a note with a challenge for a six man, with Katsuyori Shibata, holding the camera, being in as well.

Here is Mariah May to emcee the contract signing between Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa. After extensive cheek kissing, May says she loves them both but Shirakawa tells her to shut up. Shirakawa says Storm was a big deal in Stardom but she is weak as champion. The fans want Shirakawa, so she’s taking the title and May at Forbidden Door. Shirakawa signs but Storm threatens to slap her chest off if she talks to May again.

Storm signs but Shirakawa says May must choose. Cue the Outcasts to say enough of this, with Anna Jay sneaking in from behind. The beatdown is on but Storm takes her shoe off to clean house. Storm’s hip attack misses though and she goes through the table. I’m not sure I get the backstory, but I get enough of the story of Storm vs. Shirakawa and that’s more than I get for most of the Forbidden Door card.

Video on Claudio Castagnoli vs. Pac.

Women’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Kris Statlander vs. Nyla Rose

Stokely Hathaway is here with Statlander, who slugs away to no avail to start. Rose is back up with a crossbody but Statlander sends her outside as we take a break. Back with Rose powering her into the corner and hitting a running clothesline, setting up the Cannonball. The Beast Bomb is countered and Statlander kicks her in the head for two. The 450 misses for Statlander but she crotches Rose up top. Wednesday Night Fever finishes for Statlander at 7:52.

Rating: C+. This was a good enough power match, assuming you could get much out of a match that runs about eight minutes and has a break in the middle. We very well could be heading for a Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale showdown, which has been set up for a few weeks now. It also shows how much it helps when you have a monster like Rose, as beating her makes Statlander look that much more important.

Post match Stokely calls out Willow Nightingale, who pops up on screen to say she’ll see Statlander in the second round.

We look at Private Party beating up the Learning Tree last week.

Private Party is ready for their upcoming match but the Learning Tree comes in, with Chris Jericho warning them to avoid the piledriver. “That doesn’t work for me brother!” More of the usual from Jericho.

Daniel Garcia vs. Rhett Titus

Titus starts fast but gets dropkicked into the corner. Some neckbreakers set up the Red Cross for the pin at 1:00.

Post match the Cage of Agony runs in to beat down Garcia and Matt Menard (who was on commentary). MJF makes the save but gets beaten down, so Will Ospreay makes the real save. The Ospreay vs. MJF staredown gets the fans’ attention.

Post break, Brian Cage and Will Ospreay yell at each other and a match is made for Collision.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Pac vs. Claudio Castagnoli

Bryan Danielson is on commentary. Pac starts fast and knocks him to the floor, only to charge into one heck of a Swiss Death as we take a break. Back with Pac slugging away and avoiding a charge to send Castagnoli into the post. Pac snaps off a hurricanrana to the floor and an Asai moonsault drops Castagnoli again. A springboard elbow hits Castagnoli again and it’s time to slug it out.

Pac’s German suplex just wakes Castagnoli up again so Pac kicks him down, only to miss the Black Arrow. Castagnoli’s uppercut gets two so he sends Pac swinging. The Riccola Bomb is loaded up but Pac reverses into the Brutalizer, which is reversed into the Sharpshooter. With that almost broken up, Castagnoli switches into a crossface, which is escaped as well. They trade rollups for two each until Pac manages to keep him down for the pin at 11:07. Danielson is impressed.

Rating: B. It’s nice to see Pac getting a win here and beating Castagnoli is quite the mountain to conquer. Pac is still an impressive star and it’s nice to have him around for a slightly extended period of time for a change. If nothing else, we could be seeing Danielson vs. Pac later in the tournament and that could be a rather good one.

Post match Castagnoli won’t shake hands, with Danielson trying to calm him down to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. As usual, you get a better AEW show when they are mainly focused on the in-ring action rather than anything else. The Young Bucks didn’t get to talk and Chris Jericho only had a quick backstage segment so things were a bit better than usual. At the same time, you had the Forbidden Door build, which was as rapid fire as usual, but there are enough good things on there to make it work. Rather strong show this week.

Results
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Rush – Brainbuster
Mark Briscoe/Kyle O’Reilly/Orange Cassidy/Dante Martin b. Kyle Fletcher/Roderick Strong/Zack Sabre Jr./Kazuchika Okada – Orange Punch to Strong
Acclaimed b. Young Bucks – Mic Drop to Matt
Kris Statlander b. Nyla Rose – Wednesday Night Fever
Daniel Garcia b. Rhett Titus – Red Cross
Pac b. Claudio Castagnoli – Rollup

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