Dynamite
Date: January 1, 2025
Location: Harrah’s Cherokee Center, Asheville, North Carolina
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

We’re done with Worlds End but the bigger story here is the fact that the show is now simulcasting on Max, which should open things up to a far bigger audience. Therefore the show should be quite the big one, though we’re also on the way to Revolution in just over two months. Let’s get to it.

Here is Worlds End if you need a recap.

We have a new opening sequence, set to I’m So Excited by the Pointer Sisters, because when you think of cutting edge, you think of a song from 1982.

We run down the card.

Jon Moxley, with the Death Riders, talks about how he would rather have the World Title destroyed than letting it fall apart. He’s just different.

Adam Copeland and FTR are ready to fight the Death Riders.

Orange Cassidy vs. Hangman Page

Both of them miss their big shots to start so they trade shots to the face, with Page getting the better of things. Cassidy’s eyes are raked across the rope and a lariat sends him outside. Cassidy is sent hard into the barricade and taken back inside for a fall away slam into the corner. They go back outside for another fall away slam to Cassidy and we take a break.

Back with Cassidy rolling away from some Buckshot Lariat attempts, and sending him into some buckles. Back to back tornado DDTs get two but Page hits him in the face. The Buckshot Lariat is countered into the Beach Break for two, followed by a pair of Orange Punches. A third on the apron is shrugged off and Page hits the Buckshot Lariat for the pin at 12:35.

Rating: B-. That was a weird ending as Page just shrugged off three Orange Punches and beat Cassidy clean. I’m fine with the idea of pushing Page, but that’s not something you expect to see from Cassidy. Page getting back into a more serious mode is a good thing to see, though the fans are probably going to start cheering him sooner than later.

Post match Page hits a pair of Deadeyes before beating up Christopher Daniels for trying to make the save.

Jay White is ready to take out Wheeler Yuta next week and win the #1 spot in next week’s Casino Gauntlet this week.

Acclaimed vs. Hurt Syndicate

MVP is on commentary and we get an insert promo from the Acclaimed, who insist they don’t have any issues and need to get on the same page. Caster gets sent flying off a suplex to start and some shoulders to the ribs have him in even more trouble. Benjamin comes in and gets punched by Bowens, who doesn’t quite get along with Caster. Benjamin snaps off some German suplexes as Bowens walks away. The spear and a spinebuster into the Hurt Lock finishes Caster at 4:09.

Rating: C. This was much more about advancing a story rather than having the match, as the Acclaimed was wrecked here with Benjamin walking off. It wasn’t supposed to be anything more than that, with the Hurt Syndicate looking dominant. Now just split the Acclaimed up already rather than dragging it out for far too long.

Swerve Strickland is going to get back to the main event scene by winning the Casino Gauntlet tonight.

Jamie Hayter vs. Julia Hart

Hayter nips up out of an armbar to start and sens Hart into the corner for some running clotheslines. They head outside where Hayter pulls a dive out of the air, only to get dropped onto the steps as we take a break. Back with Hayter in trouble but avoiding a moonsault. Hart grabs Hartless but Hayter powers up into a fireman’s carry backbreaker. Hayter goes to the middle rope, where Hart sweeps the leg and Hayter crashes down hard. With nothing else working, Hart grabs an arrow, which is taken away (because it’s an actual weapon), allowing her to mist Hayter (despite the mist not really being visible) for the pin at 9:55.

Rating: C-. Not exactly a good return for Hart here, as the match was just kind of all over the place before she used the mist to win. Hayter wasn’t that much better, as she continues to feel like she is just kind of there since her return. Maybe it’s the new gear or something, but she really hasn’t clicked in the last few months. The match wasn’t much to see, as they just kind of did stuff until the finish.

Video on Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher.

We look at Kenny Omega returning at Worlds End.

Here is Mercedes Mone to brag about her success and wish herself a happy new year. She gives us a video about herself and says she’s coming for the Rev Pro Women’s Title against Mina Shirakawa at Wrestle Dynasty. Mone continues to feel flat and I don’t see giving her a potential third belt fixing that.

The Undisputed Kingdom is back and rather pleased.

Roderick Strong vs. Swerve Strickland vs. Jay White

Swerve starts fast and knocks Strong to the floor for the big flip dive. Back in and Swerve drops White for a shot to the back and some dancing, only for White to grab a double DDT. Swerve is sent outside, leaving White to get caught with a backbreaker. White is tossed onto Swerve and we take a break.

Back with Swerve powerbombing Strong into White in the corner and powerbombing White for two. Swerve stomps strong but has to get out of the Blade Runner. They all head outside, where Swerve kicks White in the face, only to have Ricochet come up and hit Swerve in the head with some golden scissors. Back in and the Blade Runner gives White the pin on Strong at 10:30.

Rating: C+. There was a lot going on here, with Ricochet STABBING Swerve being the biggest thing. They might have been better off doing White vs. Strong as a singles match and then done the angle elsewhere. Other than that, I do like White getting the win, as he’s still close enough to the title to be worth an attempt.

Post match Swerve is busted open so Ricochet goes after the cut, with the blood getting on his white shirt. Swerve is sat in a chair in the ring for the Spirit Gun. The Undisputed Kingdom finally comes in to chase Ricochet off.

Jeff Jarrett has a big announcement and his friends say they have his back no matter what. Karen Jarrett comes in to say she needed a minute. She talks about how the business has almost torn them apart, but she’s with him. Jeff holds up his boots and teases retirement.

Mariah May brags about how awesome she is.

Here is Jeff Jarrett to put his boots in the ring. He talks about how he has been around for a long time and that means it is time to start thinking about wrapping things up. Jeff talks about his family’s history in wrestling and how much the Jarretts have meant. Then in 2002 he started his own promotion by betting on himself and is proud of what it became.

That brings him to now though….and no he isn’t done! He’s signed his last talent contract and now his new year’s resolution is to become the World Champion, so put him in the Casino Gauntlet. I’m not sure I’d bet on that, but I’ll take Jarrett having a nice promo over QT Marshall interrupting him.

We look at Christian Cage hurting Hook’s hand.

Hook swears revenge and the match is made for January 15.

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Jon Cruz/Rob Killjoy

Powerslams and spinebusters abound with Hobbs getting a double pin at 1:15. That worked.

The Learning Tree makes it clear that Chris Jericho isn’t here tonight. Then they trade insults with Rated FTR and a six man seems to be set. Jericho and Copeland interacting is not the most thrilling idea.

At Worlds End, MJF laughs at the idea of Adam Cole taking that may people to beat him up. That’s it for him and Cole though and now he wants the World Title back. He doesn’t care what Moxley does with the company because all he wants is his belt. The Devil gets his due in 2025. I like that they’re setting up people wanting to go after the title, though MJF vs. Moxley could make my head spin.

Death Riders vs. Rated FTR

Adam Copeland’s name is now officially “Cope”, which is so weird it’s oddly hilarious. Cash and Yuta start things off but it’s quickly off to Castagnoli to trade shoulders with Cope. They head to the floor where Shafir posts Cope and we take a break. Back with ope fighting out of trouble and handing it back to Cash to clean house. Everything breaks down and Harwood hits a belly to back superplex for a delayed two on Yuta. Castagnoli hits a Jackhammer into Yuta’s frog splash for two on Harwood and we take a break.

Back with Cope coming in to slug it out with Moxley, setting up the Impaler. They fight into the crowd before coming back, where Cope is crotched against the post to break up the spear. Cue Jay White to Blade Runner Yuta as Cope backdrops Moxley onto the announcers’ table. Cope knocks Moxley through the barricade and it’s the Shatter Machine into the spear to pin Yuta at 18:40.

Rating: B-. The match was good enough but my goodness the man’s name is now “Cope”. That’s all I could focus on for most of the match as it’s just such a dumb sounding name. Adam Copeland isn’t a great wrestling name but “Cope” is just…something. The match itself did what it needed to do and Cope(land) is probably going to get a shot sooner than later and for now they did a nice job of setting it up.

Overall Rating: B-. I did like the show overall, though there is still a lot going on with any given show. It feels like there are all kinds of things taking place on the show at any given time and some of them feel like they could be cut off, or at least slowed down, without missing much. They did a good job of setting up the Casino Gauntlet match and had a lot of energy coming off of the pay per view, but stuff like Cope and I’m So Excited just feel like they’re trying to be too cute. Overall, a good enough show, but not exactly a game changer.

Results
Hangman Page b. Orange Cassidy – Buckshot Lariat
Hurt Syndicate b. Acclaimed – Hurt Lock to Caster
Julia Hart b. Jamie Hayter – Mist to the face
Jay White b. Swerve Strickland and Roderick Strong – Blade Runner to Strong
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Rob Killjoy/Jon Cruz – Double pin
Rated FTR b. Death Riders – Spear to Yuta

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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Worlds End 2024
Date: December 28, 2024
Location: Addition Financial Arena, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re at the end of the year and that means we should be in for a pretty big night. In this case, we have the semifinals and finals of the Continental Classic, which might as well headline the whole thing. Other than that, Jon Moxley is defending the World Title in a four way. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Toni Storm vs. Leila Grey

We get a handshake to start before Storm grabs a headlock. Grey pulls her to the mat with an armbar and they hit the grappling. Back up and Storm hits a dropkick into a backbreaker for two but Grey rolls her up for the same. Back up and Grey hammers away in the corner as commentary talks about Storm’s taste in music. A dragon sleeper sends Storm over to the ropes and she comes back with a Thesz press. The hip attack in the corner sets up a PerfectPlex for two but Grey gets in a Blockbuster for the same. Grey loads up a suplex, only to get reversed into a small package to give Storm the pin at 6:54.

Rating: C. This was mainly a way to get Storm on the show, as she continues her road back to….I’m not sure what this is supposed to be at the moment. So far she’s acting like a rookie despite never having acted this star struck in her career. I’d assume it’s setting up a return to being Timeless, but I could go for seeing more of her like this (minus the rookie stuff) for a change, as it’s working well enough.

Zero Hour: QT Marshall vs. Jeff Jarrett

We get a pose off to start and the fans aren’t impressed with Marshall. Some right hands stagger Jarrett but he grabs a hiptoss. A clothesline to the floor lets Jarrett get in the strut and he mocks Marshall’s dance. Marshall hammers away and this a handspring kick to the face for two.

The sleeper is broken up with a belly to back suplex and an enziguri gives Jarrett two of his own. Marshall gets slammed off the top and a Sharpshooter….is broken up by Aaron Solo. Marshall’s Stroke gets two but Jay Lethal comes in to take the guitar from Solo. Jarrett is right back with the Stroke for the pin at 9:22.

Rating: C+. This is where Jarrett can shine, as he is still capable of wrestling a perfectly competent match. It’s not going to be anything flashy but there is always a place for a basic match on a show. Jarrett isn’t in a big featured spot and he did his thing here, beating up an annoying villain. There’s nothing wrong with that and the match went just fine.

Zero Hour: Top Flight/Outrunners vs. Murder Machines/Action Andretti/Lio Rush

Darius dropkicks Archer to start and is quickly sent into the wrong corner to start the beating. Cage comes in for some curls and a toss to drop Darius again. Rush and Andretti come in for a staredown with Top Flight and we settle down to Dante kicking Rush to the floor. Archer cuts off the ensuing dive so Dante clotheslines Rush for two instead. The Outrunners come in for some double atomic drops but Andretti gives Magnum a Regal Roll for two of his own.

Archer adds some running elbows in the corner and Cage cuts off a tag attempt. Magnum suplexes his way to freedom though and it’s Floyd coming in to clean house. A double suplex drops Cage and a double Mega Powers elbow hits Cage and Andretti. Everything breaks down and the Machines come in to wreck the humans. Rush tags himself in though and the Final Hour finishes Dante at 10:48.

Rating: C+. This is the kind of thing that works well on a Kickoff Show as it was fast paced and featured a variety of stars that could pop the crowd. The fans like the Outrunners no matter what they do and it was a good way to get things going. Rush getting the pin at least boosts he and Andretti up before their Tag Team Title shot, which is going to need some help.

Continental Classic Semifinals: Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher

Fletcher blocks an early hurricanrana attempt but can’t hit a brainbuster. They both miss kicks to the head and Fletcher bails to the floor for an early breather. Back in and they trade chops in the corner until Ospreay clotheslines him out to the floor. There’s the required big dive but a hurricanrana off the steps is countered into a hard powerbomb to send Ospreay into the apron.

Fletcher stops to mock the fans and Ospreay is busted open bad off something. Back in and Fletcher kicks away at the cut, followed by some Kawada Kicks. A lawn dart into the buckle gives Fletcher two and egads that’s a lot of blood. Fletcher takes his time loading up a running knee and gets dropped by a hard clothesline. Ospreay hits a standing corkscrew moonsault for two and a standing Spanish Fly gets the same. Ospreay wants him to bring it so they trade chops, with Fletcher going down.

They both escape powerbombs and the Oscutter gives Ospreay two. A poisonrana drops Fletcher but he’s back up with a running forearm and they’re both down. They trade headbutts from their knees until Ospreay superkicks him out of the air. A rollup with ropes gives Fletcher two, followed by a superkick into the brainbuster. The Liger Bomb gives Fletcher two more but another brainbuster is countered into a hurricanrana. Ospreay grabs the Styles Clash for the pin at 16:32.

Rating: A-. These two beat the heck out of each other and odds are this sets up a trilogy match in Australia in February. Ospreay needed a win like this to set him up for something bigger down the line (as in later tonight) and he was wrestling like his old superhero self. Throw in the blood to make him feel like an even bigger underdog and this was a heck of an opener.

We get a quick recap of Ricochet vs. Kazuchika Okada in the other Continental Classic semifinal.

Continental Classic Semifinals: Ricochet vs. Kazuchika Okada

Non-title. The fans are rather behind Okada as Ricochet takes him into the corner to start. Okada does it right back and then runs him over with a running shoulder. A hard elbow puts Ricochet down and Okada looks out at the crowd in that less than interested look that he has. Okada sits Ricochet down, gets a running start, and slaps him in the back of the head for some applause.

Back up and Ricochet knocks him to the floor for the suicide dive and the confidence is up again. They get back inside where Ricochet can hit a running headbutt to the back but Okada isn’t pleased with being chopped. A DDT gives Okada two but Ricochet suplexes him down and hits a Lionsault for two of his own. Ricochet’s 450 misses and Okada gives him the White Noise onto the knee.

The Rainmaker is countered but Okada is back up with a dropkick. Vertigo gives Ricochet two and a nice looking shooting star press connects for the same. The Spirit Gun is loaded up but Ricochet stops to look at the fans for some reason, earning himself another dropkick. The Rainmaker sends Okada to later tonight at 13:28.

Rating: B. This wasn’t quite up to the level of the opener but it was a heck of a fight with Okada getting to do his usual stuff to cut Ricochet off. That being said, I’m not sure how smart it is to have Ricochet lose here when he has been on such a roll in recent weeks. Winning his League was a big deal, but losing to Okada in relatively quick fashion isn’t doing him any favors.

Post match Swerve Strickland comes out and congratulates Ricochet for getting as far as Swerve did last year. Ricochet promised to win though and Swerve promised to embarrass him if he didn’t win. Swerve is here to clean up Ricochet’s mess, so here is Prince Nana to throw toilet paper to the fans. Then the fans throw the toilet paper while Ricochet….stands there. Ok then.

The still very bloody Will Ospreay is getting checked out but says it doesn’t matter. He’s ready to win the title and wants the fans to help carry him through.

We recap Mariah May defending the Women’s Title against Thunder Rosa in a Tijuana Street Fight. May is rather mean and Rosa wants to beat her in her own match. May isn’t sure why we’re having this match and doesn’t like Rosa’s dad to make it more serious.

Women’s Title: Thunder Rosa vs. Mariah May

May is defending in a street fight with falls counting anywhere and goes outside to mock Rosa’s father in the front row. This doesn’t go well for her as Rosa dives off the apron to start hammering away. They get inside with Rosa hitting a basement clothesline into a backsplash for two. May misses a dropkick and Rosa gets in a shot to the back before grabbing the first batch of weapons.

That’s enough for May to bail but she catches Rosa with a DDT on the stage for two. May throws some trashcans at her but Rosa gets in a shot to the face for two more. Rosa chokes with a chair and shouts about her dad (you never want to make things personal), with the delay letting May come back with a running knee. A spinning Death Valley Driver gives Rosa two and it’s time for the pinata. Naturally it is full of thumbtacks (that doesn’t seem safe) but May grabs May Day onto the tacks for two.

Hold on though as May heads outside and grabs Rosa’s father’s cane, which is enough of a delay for Rosa to come back and plant her on the floor for another near fall. May gets sent hard into the barricade and beaten with the cane before, naturally, it’s table time. A dropkick off of said table gets two back inside, meaning it’s time to choke May with a chain. It works so well that Rosa does it again, only for May to find a bag of dirt. Rosa is blinded and a piledriver through the table at ringside retains the title at 13:22.

Rating: B. This was the kind of brawl that you expect from AEW and it worked about as well as it could have. Rosa’s father being involved didn’t add much and I’m still not sure how much he needed to be there. It also didn’t help that there was no reason to believe Rosa was going to win with Toni Storm back, as Australia in February is looming over them.

We recap MJF vs. Adam Cole. MJF is back and Cole and all of his friends are trying to stop him. Their efforts here involve trying to take the Dynamite Diamond Ring, which hopefully ends the feud a year after it started.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Adam Cole

The Undisputed Kingdom is here too, guarding the Dynamite Diamond Ring at ringside. Cole jumps him to start and hammers away on the floor but it’s too early for the Panama Sunrise. MJF knocks him to the floor but stops to tell the fans to shut the F up. Cole is sent into various metal objects, allowing MJF to get in a little mockery of Cole’s posing. With Cole busted open, MJF bites away at the cut and we hit the chinlock.

Back up and a powerbomb backbreaker gives MJF two but Cole manages a Backstabber. The brainbuster onto the knee gets two but MJF is right back with a chop block to take out the leg. The leg is bent around the ropes and Cole goes down, meaning MJF can wrap it around the post. That takes too long though as MJF yells some more, allowing Cole to pull him into the post to bust MJF open as well.

Back in and Cole hammers away in the corner, setting up the Boom for two. They pull themselves up from the ropes and shout insults before going at it for the hockey fight style slugout. Cole gets the better of things but MJF pulls him down by the leg and grabs the Figure Four. With that broken up, MJF heads outside and sends himself into the steps, which he blames on the Undisputed Kingdom. The ejection ensues so Cole grabs the ring….and gets kicked low, allowing MJF to hit the Heatseeker to get the pin at 14:50.

Rating: B. It was a good fight and they felt like they went through a battle, but at the same time it didn’t exactly feel like a big blowoff. Instead, this felt like a way to keep the feud going, which has me worried. This feud hasn’t exactly been the best stuff AEW has done in recent months and unfortunately this has me worried that it is going to continue. MJF gets a win and continues driving the fans crazy, though hopefully he has a new target sooner than later.

Post match MJF loads up a chair but Roderick Strong runs in for the save. Kyle O’Reilly comes out as well and throws MJF back inside. A high/low cuts MJF down and everyone, including the Undisputed Kingdom, gets to pose together. That’s a heck of a pose after MJF beat Cole on his own.

We recap Powerhouse Hobbs challenging Konosuke Takeshita for the International Title. Hobbs was injured and the Don Callis Family forgot about him, so it’s time for revenge. That’s not the best way to present Hobbs, but at least he could get in some smashing.

International Title: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

Takeshita is defending and Don Callis is on commentary. They slowly forearm it out to start and Hobbs wins an exchange of shoulders to send Takeshita outside. Hobbs slams him onto the apron a few times but Takeshita goes after the recently repaired knee to take over. Said knee is wrapped around the post, marking the second match in a row built around working on the leg. The leg is wrapped around the rope as Callis talks about his time in Japan.

Hobbs gets back up and hits a running crossbody, followed by quite the series of corner clotheslines. A running powerslam gets two but the knee gives out, a known side effect from running powerslams. Takeshita grabs his leg trap Tombstone for two and they trade standing clotheslines. A German suplex seems to wake Hobbs up and he snaps off another powerslam.

One heck of a clothesline gives Hobbs two but Takeshita hits the Blue Thunder Bomb for….one, sending Callis into a panic. They go up top together and Takeshita grabs a top rope superplex, only to charge into the spinebuster for two. Both of them head up again, with Hobbs managing a super powerslam. Hobbs takes off his own knee brace, allowing Takeshita to hit him in the face. Takeshita grabs a guillotine choke, setting up Raging Fire for the pin at 15:45.

Rating: B. They beat each other up rather well again, but the finish was pretty flat. Hobbs threw everything he could at him and then lost in the end when Takeshita just choked him out and beat him with the finisher. That’s not the most interesting way to go, but again, it feels like Takeshita is being saved for a major showdown at Wrestle Dynasty or Grand Slam, which again isn’t leaving much for this show.

Kazuchika Okada is going to beat Will Ospreay like his little brother. B****.

We recap Mercedes Mone defending the TBS Title against Kris Statlander. Mone beat her last month in a close match and now we’re having a rematch.

TBS Title: Kris Statlander vs. Mercedes Mone

Mone is defending and gets powered down to start, meaning it might be time to think of a new strategy. A running headscissors doesn’t work either as Statlander snaps off a cartwheel but Mone armdrags her to the floor. Mone sends her into the steps but gets dropped onto the apron. A powerslam into a backbreaker into a fall away slam has Mone rocked and they go up top.

Mone manages to knock her onto the apron for a big crash and the running knees in the corner make it even worse. The top rope Meteora is countered into a powerbomb though and they’re both down. One heck of a running knee into rolling Chaos Theory drops Mone for two but she’s back with a springboard tornado DDT for the same. Mone hits about eight Amigos and the fans chant for Eddie Guerrero, which is exactly what a villain in a match should be doing.

The frog splash gives Mone two but she misses the running knees in the corner, allowing Statlander to hit a package piledriver for two. They forearm it out and head outside, where the Mone Maker plants Statlander. For some reason Mone breaks up the countout and goes after the leg, which gets tied up in the ring structure.

Statlander taker her boot off and hits an F5 onto the apron, followed by a regular one in the ring for two. Mone knocks her off the top and hits a sitout Tombstone on the apron for a nine on the floor. Back in and Mone’s STF sends Statlander to the apron and an ankle lock has to be broken up as well. Back up and Mone spins her around into an arm trap cradle for the pin to retain at 25:10.

Rating: B-. Well that was lengthy and not in the best way. I was rolling my eyes rather hard at the things Mone was kicking out of near the end and it was hard to believe that Statlander would beat the biggest star in the history of ever. It didn’t help that this was the third straight match where the villain was working on the leg, because doing the same thing over and over is cutting edge stuff.

Statlander gets a big ovation.

Continental Classic/Continental Title: Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay

Okada is defending and Ospreay still has blood on his chest, as a shower was apparently out of the question. Okada backs him up to the ropes to start and does the slaps to the chest, earning himself a knock out to the floor. Ospreay jumps onto the barricade but comes back so Okada can hit him with a DDT. A second DDT on the floor lets Okada take him back inside for the mocking kicks to the face as Ospreay has lost the bandage on his head.

Ospreay is back up with a dropkick and an elbow to the face gets two. Okada dropkicks him off the top, interrupting commentary’s New Japan recap. A kick to the face lets Ospreay hit a quick Oscutter off the barricade, followed by a regular one back inside. The Styles Clash is countered into the White Noise onto the knee and Okada’s top rope elbow connects. The Rainmaker is countered into the Styles Clash for two, only for the Rainmaker to connect for the same.

Ospreay can barely stand up but manages to reverse another Rainmaker into a Spanish Fly for two more. Stormbreaker gets another near fall, setting up the Hidden Blade attempt. That’s ducked under but the Rainmaker is countered as well, only for another Rainmaker to finish Ospreay at 19:15.

Rating: A-. Yeah this was another great one, with that last forty five or so seconds being outstanding. Ospreay felt like he was fighting from underneath for most of the match and it made for an excellent fight with both of them working hard near the end. I wanted to see how this was going to end, with Ospreay feeling more like he got caught rather than got beat.

That’s it for this year’s Continental Classic and while it wasn’t quite as exiting as last year’s, it was still rather good. That being said, it’s also the second year when someone defending the title coming in leaves as the champion, which in this case puts us right back where we were when it started. There’s nothing wrong with having a series of great matches, but after last year’s titles being unified for all of three months and now Okada just retaining, it doesn’t feel like the most impactful tournament in the world.

Post match Christopher Daniels comes out to say that he is no longer an EVP, but this man is. Cue Kenny Omega to present Okada with the title and stare him down (with the All In: Texas banner between them).

We recap the World Title match. Jon Moxley is defending and the challengers are fighting for the soul of AEW, whatever that means this week.

AEW World Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Jay White vs. Hangman Page vs. Jon Moxley

Moxley, with Marina Shafir, is defending and bails to the floor to start, with Cassidy diving onto him. All three challengers go after him at once and the chase goes into the crowd as Schiavone is wondering about a countout. The Death Riders pop up to brawl with brawl with Page and White, leaving Moxley to take over on Cassidy.

We pause for Cassidy to put his hands in his pockets, allowing Page and White to come hold Moxley for the Orange Punch. Cassidy is put through the announcers’ table, leaving the other three to brawl inside. Page and White fight to the floor with page getting the better of things, allowing him to go back inside to face Cassidy. White breaks that up and gives Cassidy a cutthroat suplex. Moxley (bleeding from the back of his head) is back up and shrugs off Cassidy’s PK to give him a cutter.

Page and Moxley slug it out but all four get back in for a four way knockdown. We hit the parade of finishers until Moxley gets Orange Punched, only for Page to pull the referee. Page gives Moxley the Deadeye but Wheeler Yuta breaks up the Buckshot Lariat. The second attempt works but Cassidy rolls Page up for two. White is back in with the Blade Runner to Moxley for two with Yuta making the save. Another Blade Runner hits Shafir but Moxley is there with the Death Rider to pin White and retain at 15:40.

Rating: B. This was pretty much non-stop action from start to finish but dang the “there are too many Death Riders” trope didn’t help things. It was hard to imagine that Moxley was losing here and then he just wins again to keep this whole thing going. I never bought Moxley as being in danger throughout the build to the match and then the match didn’t change that feeling whatsoever. Good action, but it felt like a countdown to Moxley retaining.

Post match the beatdown is teased but FTR…and Adam Copeland come in for the save. FTR takes out the Death Riders and Copeland stares Moxley down. A spear drops Moxley and Copeland puts on the crossface with the bar of the chair. Castagnoli pulls Moxley to the floor so Copeland grabs the mic. After it doesn’t work to start, Copeland says that Rated FTR are coming for everything to end the show. I’m not buying Copeland as the big savior, but at least it’s a fresh match with an A list star.

Overall Rating: B+. I’m kind of split on this show, as the action was rather good (Ospreay put in two show stealing matches) and there was more than enough quality action to justify watching it. That being said, of the nine matches on the main card, the hero won precisely one match, with Ospreay winning the opener. Throw in no title changes or really anything significant happening as the result of a match (as in not counting Omega and Copeland returning) and this didn’t feel like the most eventful show. It’s definitely worth a look for Ospreay alone, but dang it feels like we’re waiting a long time on the really bit stuff to happen.

Results
Toni Storm b. Leila Grey – Small package
Jeff Jarrett b. QT Marshall – Stroke
Murder Machines/Action Andretti/Lio Rush b. Top Flight/Outrunners – Final Hour to Dante
Will Ospreay b. Kyle Fletcher – Styles Clash
Kazuchika Okada b. Ricochet – Rainmaker
Mariah May b. Thunder Rosa – Piledriver through a table
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Adam Cole – Heatseeker
Konosuke Takeshita b. Powerhouse Hobbs – Raging Fire
Mercedes Mone b. Kris Statlander – Arm trap cradle
Kazuchika Okada b. Will Ospreay – Rainmaker
Jon Moxley b. Orange Cassidy, Hangman Page and Jay White – Death Rider to White

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Rampage
Date: December 27, 2024
Location: Hammerstein Ballroom, New York City, New York
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Matt Menard, Tony Schiavone

It seems to be the last episode of the show and that means…well pretty much nothing, as there is nothing out of the ordinary announced for the show. It’s also the last show before tomorrow’s Worlds End event and that means we should be getting one big final push towards the pay per view. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Chris Jericho vs. Anthony Bowens

Non-title and Big Bill and Max Caster are here too. Jericho mocks the scissoring to start and Bowens elbows away but Caster gets on the apron to pose, with Bowens shoving him away. A belly to back suplex lets Jericho chop away in the corner but the bulldog is shoved off. Bowens wins a chop off and hits a spinning hanging DDT for two. A quick Liontamer has Bowens in trouble and we take a break.

Back with Bowens finally making the rope and hitting a Fameasser for two. Jericho gets thrown outside so Bowens can dive onto both villains at once. Cue Bryan Keith for a failed distraction, allowing Caster to come in for Scissor Me Timbers. A superkick gives Bowens two but Caster and Keith come in with the ROH title. That means a tug of war with Caster accidentally hitting Bowens in the face with the belt to give Jericho the pin at 10:10.

Rating: C+. This was Bowens’ first big singles match and while he held his own, it was also about the issue with Caster at the end rather than the match itself. The Acclaimed seems to be on the way to a split and that might be best for everyone involved. The team seems to be out of steam and Bowens has shown potential before. He did it again here as he was fine enough on his own, with the fans seemingly rather invested in him.

Video on Private Party going through the streets of New York on their way to the arena.

Private Party vs. Alec Price/Leo Sparrow

Non-title. Gin and Juice finishes Price at 1:01. Just a quick squash for the hometown champs.

Post match Lio Rush/Action Andretti run in for the brawl, with Top Flight joining in.

Powerhouse Hobbs is ready to take the International Title from Konosuke Takeshita.

Thunder Rosa vs. Leila Grey

They go with the grappling to start until Grey takes her down. That’s reversed into a chinlock before a basement clothesline gives Rosa two. Grey fights up and strikes away, with a basement dropkick connecting for two of her own. We take a break and come back with Rosa hitting a running shot in the corner, setting up a slingshot dropkick. A Side Effect gives Grey two more but Rosa stomps her in the back, shouts YOU CAN’T KILL ME, and grabs a seated cobra clutch for the tap at 7:49.

Rating: C+. This was a way to get Rosa warmed up for her title shot on Saturday against someone who is a bit better than the usual cannon fodder. Rosa turned on the jets at the end here and it made for a nice showcase. I’m not sure if Rosa is going to win the title but at least she’s getting a strong build on the way there.

Worlds End rundown.

Hook vs. Nick Wayne

The Patriarchy is here with Wayne, who jumps Hook in the corner to start. That doesn’t work for Hook, who sends him into the same corner and hammers away. A snapmare into a quick legdrop gives Wayne two but Hook backdrops him out to the floor. Wayne sends him into the steps, where the Patriarchy can smash Hook’s bad hand. The referee tosses the rest of the villains though and we take a break.

Back with the cast having been removed from Hook’s hand so Wayne can stomp on the bare hand. Hook snaps off a suplex but Wayne goes to the hand to block another one. They go to the apron where Wayne goes after the hand again, only to get German suplexed down. Since it’s just a German suplex onto the apron, Wayne pops up and knocks him down, setting up a frog splash for two. Wayne mocks Taz’s pose and is promptly dropped with a clothesline. The Patriarchy comes back out but Hacksaw Shibata chases them off with a 2×4. Wayne’s World is loaded up but Hook pulls him into Redrum for the tap at 12:29.

Rating: B-. This made Hook look good as he continues his way towards Christian Cage. That’s all you need for a match like this, as he got to smash through another of Cage’s minions. Wayne losing isn’t going to hurt his status as this is all about Cage, and that match can be set up later on.

The Death Riders have attacked Darby Allin. They Pillmanize his neck and kick him down some stairs, which eels like a normal Friday night for him.

Here are the Death Riders with a chair for an in-ring chat. Jon Moxley thinks the fans booing him really hate themselves and there are a lot of people who don’t like the things that he does. If anyone has a problem with what he and the Death Riders do, come out here and tell him to his face. Cue Komander, who is promptly beaten down. Top Flight gets the same treatment so here are Willow Nightingale and Orange Cassidy. Jay White and Hangman Page run in for the big brawl.

The locker room clears out and we have an even bigger brawl. The Death Riders escape and destroy the tech equipment, leaving the arena mostly dark. Riccaboni: “This is a preview of what we will see at Worlds End.” You might not want to say that the pay per view is “pretty much nothing” Ian. We go to the tech truck where Moxley officially ends the show. So yes, the Death Riders have killed off an AEW program.

Overall Rating: B-. It was certainly a unique way to wrap up a show and it came after a pretty decent Rampage. The action was good enough and while it had a VERY New York heavy theme, it was an hour of wrestling that went by quickly and gave us a big closing segment to wrap things up before the pay per view. Nothing worth going out of your way to see here, but it could have been worse.

So that’s it for Rampage and…yeah it was time to go. At the end of the day, the show regularly had good action, but it was rarely anything that needed to be seen. If nothing else, I’m glad that we’re getting a night off from Tony Khan produced wrestling. Having it on four straight nights a week was getting to be too much so having a bit of time off might help. It wasn’t a bad show at all, but it didn’t feel important a lot of the time and that made for some long Friday nights.

Results
Chris Jericho b. Anthony Bowens – Belt shot from Max Caster
Private Party b. Alec Price/Leo Sparrow – Gin and Juice to Price
Thunder Rosa b. Leila Grey – Seated cobra clutch
Hook b. Nick Wayne – Redrum

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: December 18, 2024
Location: Entertainment & Sports Arena, Washington DC
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard

We’re coming up on the end of the Continental Classic and that means it is time to get in some more matches this week. In this case it’s the Holiday Bash special, which may or may not actually have all that much in the way of being special. Other than that, we are coming up on Worlds End and that means the show needs to be set up. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Jay White isn’t sure about relying on Hangman Page tonight and here is Page to shove aside White and Orange Cassidy to say Jon Moxley belongs to him tonight.

Darby Allin says it’s showtime.

Will Ospreay says we’re in for a dream match with Allin.

We get a quick card rundown.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone vs. Anna Jay

Mone is defending and slaps Jay in the face to start, meaning it’s time to bail up against the ropes. Back up and Jay slaps her in the face, only to get caught in Three Amigos. The frog splash misses though and Jay gets two but Mone is back with a running Meteora for two. Mone chokes away a bit and we take a break.

Back with Jay hitting a Blockbuster for two and a running spinwheel kick in the corner sets up an Iconoclasm for the same. The Queenslayer is broken up with a bite to Jay’s arm and Mone gets the Statement Maker. That’s broken up and Money hits a sunset bomb into the corner. Another Meteora sets up the Mone Maker to retain the title at 10:07.

Rating: C+. Yeah Anna Jay lost a big match. I’m as shocked as you are. This is what happens with Jay, in that she gets a bit of momentum (she went to Japan you know) and then loses the match that matters. I’m sure she’ll start the same cycle again and we’ll do this one more time because it never changes, much like it being hard to get invested in the idea that she’s actually going to win something.

FTR has no issues with the Death Riders (despite the beating and kidnapping) but they’re out for the rest of the year. They’ll be back on January 1 to fight the Death Riders and they’re not coming alone. Perhaps with Adam Copeland in his new hometown of Asheville?

Here is MJF for a chat. He complains about the fans’ opinions and mocks the Washington Wizards basketball team (which the fans agree with) before promoting Hanukkah over Christmas. Fans: “SANTA!” MJF says Hanukkah is all about giving so he has started a charity. We see a fake Adam Cole photo and a QR code to order Worlds End. If you get the show, a portion of your purchase will go towards MJF taking care of this tiny little yellow bay-bay. You can thank him later for that but here is Cole on the screen.

Cole had a meeting with Tony Khan and if MJF wants his Dynamite Diamond Ring back, he has to deal with the Undisputed Kingdom. Then Cole pops up in the ring to superkick MJF, who bails before the Panama Sunrise. Remember when the doctored photos were a staple of badly written Vince McMahon WWE TV? It’s still bad here.

Jamie Hayter wants Julia Hart at Fight For The Fallen.

Video on Kenny Omega, who will be back soon.

Patriarchy vs. Katsuyori Shibata/Hook

Wayne goes after Hook’s bad arm to start but it’s quickly off to Shibata vs. Cage. Some chops have Cage in trouble so Hook comes in to backdrop him over the top and onto Wayne. Back in and Hook tries the Redrum but Cage snaps his bad arm over the top for a quick save.

We take a break and come back with Wayne kicking Hook in the face but Hook manages a suplex. Shibata comes back in to clean house, including back to back STO’s. Wayne dives into the sleeper but Mother Wayne offers a distraction. The Killswitch drops Shibata and Nick gets the pin at 11:45.

Rating: C. Not much to this one as Hook feels like such a side story for Christian as we (continue to) wait on him to cash in his title shot. I’m not sure if he’s going to win the title or not but it feels like he’s had that stupid contract forever. Shibata losing to Wayne likely sets up a singles match between the two of them and that isn’t exactly exciting either.

Chris Jericho goes to New York and claims to be the king of the city. And yes, this really is the best thing they have for a World Title match at the biggest ROH show of the year.

Bandido video, minus the old west motif.

Mariah May isn’t sure why Thunder Rosa is a wrestler but sure they can have a Tijuana street fight.

Here is Ricochet for a chat but before he can get very far, here is the Hurt Syndicate to interrupt. Ricochet praises their fashion sense and hopes that the team has noticed his success lately. Bobby Lashley grabs him by the throat and MVP says no one likes a kiss a**.

Continental Classic Blue League: Shelton Benjamin (6 points) vs. The Beast Mortos (0 points)

MVP is on commentary. Benjamin slams him down to start but Mortos snaps off a running headscissors. Mortos pulls him down and twists the leg but a rope walk is broken up with a knee to the floor. We take a break and come back with Mortos planting him for two as MVP talks about Benjamin having a recent knee procedure. A corkscrew Swanton gives Mortos two but Benjamin is right back with a running powerslam. Benjamin superkicks him down and starts throwing the suplexes. Some running knees in the corner set up the exploder to give Benjamin the pin at 8:49

Rating: C+. I wasn’t feeling this one and the ending felt flat, with Benjamin just hitting Mortos over and over to win. Benjamin has looked great since coming to AEW and I could go for seeing him make the pay per view part of the tournament. As for Mortos…egads it would be nice to see him actually win something.

Blue League Standings

Kyle Fletcher – 9 points (1 match remaining)
Kazuchika Okada – 7 points (1 match remaining)
Shelton Benjamin – 6 points (2 matches remaining)
Mark Briscoe – 6 points (1 match remaining)
Daniel Garcia – 4 points (2 matches remaining)
The Beast Mortos – 0 points (1 match remaining)

Post match the Hurt Syndicate beats up Mortos and MVP threatens Daniel Garcia. Cue Garcia, with Mark Briscoe following, for the brawl. The Hurt Syndicate beats them all down and Benjamin poses with the TNT Title.

We recap the weekend in the Continental Classic.

Ricochet is ready for Will Ospreay this weekend but Swerve Strickland interrupts. Swerve is ready for the same old Trevor to pop up but Ricochet promises to win the Continental Classic.

Toni Storm sits down with RJ City and still can’t believe she’s here. And no she doesn’t remember anything she’s done in AEW. She does however remember Saraya, who hadn’t debuted when she first got here.

Continental Classic Gold League: Will Ospreay (6 points) vs. Darby Allin (3 points)

Ospreay misses a chop up against the ropes to start and has to flip out of the high angle springboard armdrag. Allin gets the feet up in the corner but an elbow to the face knocks him outside. Back up and Allin drops him again, only to miss the Coffin Drop to the apron. We take a break and come back with Allin hitting a flipping Stunner but his back is banged up. Ospreay is back with a Cheeky Nandos and a Hidden Blade but Stormbreaker is countered into a Code Red to give Allin two.

They strike it out with Ospreay getting the better of things but the Oscutter is countered. A springboard Coffin Drop gives Allin two and they’re both down again. They go to the apron and Ospreay hits a Styles Clash to the floor but bangs up his knee on the landing. Naturally Allin beats the count back in but the Oscutter connects for two. Allin flips away again and hits a Scorpion Death Drop, setting up a pair of Coffin Drops for the pin at 14:40.

Rating: B. It was a hard hitting fight with Allin fighting from beneath and getting the fans behind him, but dang Ospreay losing again feels disappointing. It feels like that’s been the case far too often lately and that’s not a good thing to see. At least Allin isn’t losing again so soon after going after the Death Riders at Full Gear, but he hasn’t done much about it since then. Anyway, fun match, but Ospreay being a superhero again would be nice.

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 – 3 points (2 matches remaining)
Komander – 0 points (2 matches remaining)

Death Riders vs. Jay White/Hangman Page/Orange Cassidy

Cassidy and Yuta slug it out to start with Cassidy sending him to the floor for a springboard corkscrew dive. Back in and Moxley’s piledriver attempt is countered into a backdrop and it’s off to Page, who wants Moxley. Instead White tags himself in but can’t give Moxley a Blade Runner. A piledriver drops White and we take an early break.

Back with Page having walked out and Cassidy down on the floor, leaving White alone for the moment. Pac grabs a slingshot cutter but White is back with a suplex. Cassidy gets up for a top rope DDT to Moxley and fires off some kicks. A spinning DDT plants Moxley but Yuta and White come back in to trade suplexes. Cassidy’s Orange Punch is countered into a cutter from Moxley but Page is back. Cassidy cuts off the Buckshot Lariat and gets sent into Page before grabbing a Stundog Millionaire to Yuta. The Buckshot Lariat hits Yuta and White gives Pac the Blade Runner. Then Moxley rolls Cassidy up for the pin at 11:59.

Rating: B-. And of course the Death Riders outsmart our heroes again, showing that they are not only tougher, but smarter. The theme continues to be “the Death Riders, and especially Moxley, are just better” and that doesn’t make me want to see the heroes win. I get the idea of the good guys can’t get along to stop Moxley, but shouldn’t the idea be more that one of them CAN beat him? I haven’t seen much evidence to suggest that.

Post match the bickering is on so the Death Riders try to jump the good guys, only to be chased off to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. I wasn’t feeling a lot of this show but it did get better as it went on. The Death Riders still aren’t interesting and the Continental Classic is starting to wear out its welcome. The show wasn’t bad by any means but I’m only somewhat interested in Words End. As has been the case for far too long in AEW, nothing is really jumping off the page at me and that’s becoming an issue. It needs something to spice it up a bit and Jon Moxley being brilliant and tough isn’t it so far.

Results
Mercedes Mone b. Anna Jay – Mone Maker
Patriarchy b. Katsuyori Shibata/Hook – Killswitch to Shibata
Shelton Benjamin b. The Beast Mortos – Exploder
Darby Allin b. Will Ospreay – Coffin Drop
Death Riders b. Jay White/Hangman Page/Orange Cassidy – Rollup to Cassidy

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: December 11, 2024
Location: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Nigel McGuinness

It’s Winter Is Coming and that means we should be in for a bigger than usual show. This show has had some moments over the years and if they keep the tradition going, this should make for a nice addition to the series. It’s also another week in the Continental Classic so we should have some good action. Let’s get to it.Death Riders vs. Jay White/Orange Cassidy

White and Cassidy jump them before the bell and the fight goes outside, with Cassidy giving a young fan a fist bump (I love that kind of thing as it makes fans for life). Cassidy gets sent into the announcers’ table though and they head inside for the opening bell. The brawl heads back outside as the Patriarchy is shown watching in a sky box. Cassidy fights up and kicks Moxley in the chest, allowing the tag off to White. A pair of DDTs sends the Riders out to the floor and we take an early break.

Back with Moxley holding White in a chinlock as Christian Cage sends the Patriarchy to do something. White gets out of a chinlock but Pac kicks him in the chest to keep him in trouble. A quick knockdown gives White a breather though and it’s Cassidy coming back in to slug away. Cassidy drops Moxley but gets pulled into a rear naked choke. That’s broken up and Cassidy hits a spinning DDT on Moxley. White suplexes Pac and the Beach Break to Moxley gets two more. Wheeler Yuta’s distraction doesn’t work so Cassidy loads up the Orange Punch….but Hangman Page runs in to jump Moxley for the DQ at 13:34.

Rating: B-. Nice match to start the show here, though the ending feels like it’s designed to set up a four way match or a triple threat #1 contenders match. In theory they didn’t want Cassidy or White to get an upper hand on their way to World’s End, but that’s still quite the disappointing ending. You can’t have Yuta in there to take a fall instead of Pac?

Post match Page hammers on Moxley but Cassidy pulls him off. The two of them start fighting with White accidentally taking a shot and getting caught in the brawl. The Death Riders beat all of them down and leave.

We get another old west style vignette for the returning Bandido, this time with him riding in on a horse, with a posse waiting on him. Bandido beats all of them up without much trouble. These things have been rather cool.

Jon Moxley talks about being a marked man and that means living with a knife to your throat. He wouldn’t have it any other way and now there are a bunch of people saying they want the title shot. The challenge is on for the four way title shot at Worlds End. That doesn’t exactly make me want to boo him.

Christian Cage, still in the sky box, doesn’t like this four way because he doesn’t like anyone involved. He promises to jump anyone, including Jon Moxley, who he will send back to rehab. As Cage goes to leave, Hook breaks into the box and chokes Cage out. Age fights out of being thrown out of a balcony. The fight is on and some glass is broken (make your own jokes) until the Patriarchy makes the save.

Continental Classic Gold League: Claudio Castagnoli (6 points) vs. Will Ospreay (3 points)

Ospreay hits him in the face for two ten seconds in and Castagnoli is sent outside for a big running flip dive. A Phenomenal Forearm looks to set up the Oscutter but Castagnoli uppercuts him out of the air. Ospreay kicks him in the face and they’re both down. They go outside with Ospreay dropkicking the steps into Castagnoli’s legs. Castagnoli pulls him out of the air though and swings Ospreay into the steps for a big crash. Ospreay’s arm is stomped in the steps and we take a break.

Back with Ospreay grabbing a springboard hurricanrana and kicking Castagnoli in the face for a double down. Castagnoli goes to the arm to block a suplex attempt but Ospreay gets him up anyway. The standing sky twister press gets two but the Hidden Blade is blocked. The Riccola Bomb is countered into Ospreay’s octopus hold, only for Castagnoli to go back to the arm.

Castagnoli gutwrench suplexes him down and catches Ospreay up top but gets knocked back down. A regular sky twister press misses so Castagnoli kicks him in the face. The slugout sets up the Oscutter but Ospreay’s arm is banged up. A pop up uppercut and a big clothesline give Castagnoli two…but Ospreay rolls him up for the fluke pin at 13:28.

Rating: B. This was a lot of Ospreay fighting from underneath and that is where he often shines. Castagnoli overpowered him for most of the match but got caught in the end. It’s weird to see the Death Riders lose, but how else are we going to get Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher II? That has to happen of course because Ospreay is eternally tied to the Don Callis Family and therefore it has to happen again. Good match here, which shouldn’t surprise you.

Gold League Standings

Will Ospreay – 6 points (3 matches remaining)
Claudio Castagnoli – 6 points (2 matches remaining)
Darby Allin – 3 points (3 matches remaining)
Ricochet – 3 points (3 matches remaining
Brody King – 3 points (3 matches remaining)
Komander – 0 points (2 matches remaining)

Post match Castagnoli jumps Ospreay again but Darby Allin makes the save.

Ricochet says he’s here for matches like the one he has tonight against Brody King. Even though King is a monster, he’s not Ricochet. He pulls out MVP’s business card and says he’s holding all of the cards.

MJF is back.

Matt Cardona is ready to face Chris Jericho at Final Battle but he’ll face Bryan Keith at Rampage.

Kyle O’Reilly is ready to face Adam Cole but the Kingdom comes in to say they’re still family. O’Reilly says they should have remembered that before one of them got hurt.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Adam Cole

For the shot at MJF at World’s End. Feeling out process to start with Cole trying an early rollup for two. The threat of a kick to the face sends him to the floor, where O’Reilly strikes away again to take over. We take a break and come back with O’Reilly striking away but missing a top rope knee drop.

Cole knees him in the face and they’re both down. O’Reilly grabs a brainbuster into an ankle lock, sending Cole over to the ropes. Cole is back up with the Panama Sunrise but he takes too long to follow up and gets his ankle locked. That’s broken up and Cole drops O’Reilly on the floor. Cue MJF for a distraction but Cole superkicks him down and small packages O’Reilly for the pin at 11:04.

Rating: C+. The story continues and that pre-match promo makes me wonder if the Kingdom won’t be joining MJF at World’s End to screw over Cole. This feud hasn’t done much for me and I’m not sure how many people have been interested in it either. It’s gone on too long and there is a good chance that it is going to continue into the new year. The match wasn’t exactly great either, which isn’t making the bigger problem any better.

Post match the Kingdom comes out but O’Reilly leaves without shaking hands with Cole.

FTR is ready to help rebuild Asheville, North Carolina with Fight For The Fallen on January 1. They want to be in a big match and they’ve had some issues with the Death Riders, so come talk to them.

Chris Jericho has a New York Minute and accepts the challenge for Matt Cardona vs. Bryan Keith on Rampage. Tomorrow on Ring Of Honor, there will be a contract signing for Jericho vs. Cardona at Final Battle.

We recap the Continental Classic matches from Rampage and Collision.

Earlier today, Darby Allin talked about how he waned to stop the Death Riders after they attacked Bryan Danielson. He is fighting for people who are here because they are getting a chance in AEW. Allin hits himself in the mouth to draw some blood and talks about how he has to win the Continental Classic to prove himself, even if there will be collateral damage along the way.

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

Ricochet begs off a bit to start and gets powered out to the floor without much trouble. A spring off the barricade lets Ricochet kick him in the face but King hits a powerbomb onto the apron. Ricochet misses a crossbody into the barricade and we take a break. Back with King winning a strike off but getting knocked out to the floor.

Ricochet hits a springboard 450 for a short one count but King blasts him with a clothesline for two. The Ganso Bomb is broken up and Ricochet knees him in the face a few times. King knocks him into the corner for a Cannonball but Ricochet turns a superplex attempt into a sunset bomb (with the turnbuckle pad being ripped off in the process).

The shooting star press connects…and King grabs him by the throat before the cover. Ricochet has to climb out of a choke and is promptly chopped down onto the apron. Back up and Ricochet manages a DDT onto the exposed buckle and Ricochet kicks him down onto the steel again. The Spirit Gun finishes for Ricochet at 12:51.

Rating: B-. Now this has me curious because Ricochet was definitely acting more heelish for a change. He’s someone who could use a change of pace because he hasn’t evolved much at all in the last several years. Maybe this is the chance that he needs, but at least it seems that they are trying something new with him. Seeing King lose is annoying, but Ricochet could get a nice boost out of a fresh style.

Gold League Standings

Will Ospreay – 6 points (3 matches remaining)
Claudio Castagnoli – 6 points (2 matches remaining)
Ricochet – 6 points (2 matches remaining
Darby Allin – 3 points (3 matches remaining)
Brody King – 3 points (2 matches remaining)
Komander – 0 points (2 matches remaining)

Lio Rush and Action Andretti interrupt Private Party. Rush an Andretti want a title shot but Top Flight come in to ask how many matches Rush and Andretti have won. Private Party suggests a #1 contenders match and it seems to be on.

Mercedes Mone and Anna Jay have a staredown but we need to talk about Mone defending her New Japan Strong Women’s Title this weekend. Mone shifts over to Jay, who is 26 years old and just getting started. That makes Mone chuckle because when she was 26, she was already a five time champion. Jay cuts her off from leaving and says that all she needs is one mistake from Mone to become champion. Yeah I’m not quite buying her chances.

We recap Mariah May defending the Women’s Title against Mina Shirakawa. They were friends and partners in Japan bu May has attacked her for the sake of bringing out Shirakawa’s best side. Shirakawa wants things to be back to normal and now we have the title match.

Women’s Title: Mariah May vs. Mina Shirakawa

Shirakawa is challenging. They slug it out to start with Shirakawa slapping her in the face to take over and kick away at the leg. A figure four sends May rolling over to the ropes but they roll outside with the hold still on. Thunder Rosa pops up in the crowd with a sign shouting about how May is NOT HER CHAMPION as May sends Shirakawa into the barricade. Shirakawa is back on the leg though and grabs a Figure Four around the post as we take a break.

Back with Shirakawa fighting out of a chinlock and starting an exchange of forearms. A hanging neckbreaker gives Shirakawa two but May kicks her in the face. May Day gets an arrogant cover for two but another May Day is broken up. The Glamorous Driver gives Shirakawa two, only for a quick Storm Zero to retain the title at 11:49

Rating: C+. The match was ok, but it showcases the bigger issue with May’s title reign: the whole thing is built around waiting for Toni Storm to return. She ties into this feud and May is still using Storm’s finisher. You can only get so far with that kind of specter hanging over them and that was the issue here. Not a terrible match, but it felt like something else that had to be done before we get to the big match.

Post match Toni Storm (no longer Timeless) is back. May is stunned (Rosa has a “WTF!” sign) and Storm stares her down to end the show. Well there’s the answer to the big question about May’s reign and it should make for a solid rematch, thankfully with enough of a twist to keep it interesting.

Overall Rating: B-. I wasn’t feeling this one as much as some previous Continental Classic shows. There was more of a focus on getting things ready for World’s End and while that helped, it wasn’t as engaging as some of the tournament focused events. You can see a lot of what is coming at the pay per view and it’s only so interesting, but they still have time to boost that up well enough.

Results
Death Riders b. Orange Cassidy/Jay White via DQ when Hangman Page interfered
Will Ospreay b. Claudio Castagnoli – Rollup
Adam Cole b. Kyle O’Reilly – Small package
Ricochet b. Brody King – Spirit Gun
Mariah May b. Mina Shirakawa – Storm Zero

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Dynamite
Date: December 4, 2024
Location: Fishers Events Center, Fishers, Indiana
Commentators: Excalibur, Matt Menard, Tony Schiavone

We’re on the road to Worlds End and that means we’ll be having another show focused on the Continental Classic. Other than that, we’re going to need to start putting together the pay per view card. That is likely going to have a big focus on the Death Riders, which is still the big focus of the show. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of week one of the Continental Classic.

Continental Classic Blue League: Shelton Benjamin (3 points) vs. Kyle Fletcher (3 points)

Don Callis is on commentary. Benjamin takes him into the corner to start as Excalibur rapid fires off their history in round robin tournaments. Fletcher is drive into the corner and then bails out to the floor as they’re still waiting to really get going here. They take turns lounging on the ropes before Benjamin gets in a slap to the back. A Cactus Clothesline takes them both to the floor and we take a break.

Back with an exchange of forearms until they head outside, with Fletcher being sent into the steps. Fletcher is right back with a running clothesline and a Michinoku Driver for two. Benjamin hits the Dragon Whip into a powerbomb and something like an STF sends Fletcher to the ropes. Back up and Fletcher drops him again, setting up a top rope elbow for two. Some German suplex rock Fletcher and have the fans rather excited but he grabs a rollup, and the rope, for the pin at 15:47.

Rating: B. This was starting to rock near the end and the fans were way into it by the time they were wrapping it up. The ending felt a bit disappointing but I’ll take what we got over Benjamin doing a clean job. Heck of a show here, with the two of them both working hard and doing the kind of match that feels like it belongs in a tournament like this.

Blue League Standings

Kyle Fletcher – 6 points (3 matches remaining)
Shelton Benjamin – 3 points (3 matches remaining)
Kazuchika Okada – 1 point (4 matches remaining)
Daniel Garcia – 1 point (4 matches remaining)
Mark Briscoe – 0 points (4 matches remaining)
The Beast Mortos – 0 points (4 matches remaining)

Juice Robinson is out of the tournament due to injury and will be replaced by Komander. Because of course it’s Komander.

Here is Hook for a chat. He’s heard Nick Wayne’s challenge for a few weeks but he wants to fight Christian Cage in the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York instead. Cue the Patriarchy and the beatdown is on, with a Conchairto crushing Hook’s hand/wrist.

Mercedes Mone doesn’t care about Mercedes Mone, but she’ll be paying attention to Anna Jay’s match.

MVP is disappointed in Shelton Benjamin, who beats up a production worker to blow off some steam.

Dynamite Dozen Battle Royal

Adam Cole, Mark Davis, Rocky Romero, Kyle O’Reilly, Dante Martin, Darius Martin, Lance Archer, Evil Uno, Lio Rush, The Butcher, Action Andretti, Brian Cage

The final two will face off next week and the winner of that faces MJF for the Dynamite Diamond Ring at Worlds End. Uno does Cole’s pose to start and is kicked out by Davis for the first elimination. A bunch of people go after Archer before Rush and Andretti take out Top Flight (on purpose) to clear out part of the ring.

Cage and Archer get rid of Davis and we take a break. Back with Andretti being kicked out with Rush being knocked out as well. Romero is sent out as well and Cole eliminates Butcher, leaving us with Cole, O’Reilly, Cage and Archer. The monsters are sent to the apron and then kicked out to give Cole and O’Reilly the win at 10:09.

Rating: C. They kept this relatively short and that is the right idea, as there was no reason for anyone but Cole and O’Reilly to move forward here. We’ll either see Cole or both of them face MJF at Worlds End, which should hopefully wrap up everything for good. The story is ready to wrap up and has been for a long time, but here we have the next step ready to set up the next step.

Post match O’Reilly leaves, shoving Cole a bit in the process.

Julia Hart is still hunting Jamie Hayter.

Billy Gunn and Anthony Bowens tell Max Cole to prove how good he is.

Swerve Strickland vs. Max Caster

Strickland cuts off the rap and sends him into the barricade a few times to start fast. They get inside and the bell rings with Swerve snapping off a German suplex. Caster’s dropkick is shrugged off and it’s the House Call to put him down. Another House Call finishes at 2:15. Total destruction.

Post match Swerve adds a Swerve Stomp.

MJF says all of this is Adam Cole’s fault, including Roderick Strong having a broken arm. He knows Cole can’t beat Kyle O’Reilly and we’ll see that next week.

Video on Pac vs. Jay White.

Pac vs. Jay White

Wheeler Yuta is here with Pac. An early distraction attempt doesn’t work as Pac is knocked to the floor, where he yells at Yuta in frustration. Back in and White hits a backdrop for two and another seconds Pac outside again. Yuta gets in a cheap shot though and Pac sends White into the barricade as we take a break.

Back with White suplexing him into the corner and grabbing a DDT for two. A double knockdown gives us a breather before Pac kicks him down again. The Black Arrow misses but the Blade Runner is blocked as well. White’s half and half suplex looks to set up the Blade Runner but Pac reverses into a standing Brutalizer. The rope is grabbed so Yuta gets in a running knee, which the referee somehow doesn’t see. Not that it matters as White is right back with the Blade Runner out of nowhere for the pin at 13:26.

Rating: B-. This was starting to pick up near the end but it’s nice to see White getting another win. AEW needs something fresh so why not let White show what he can do? It wouldn’t stun me to see him getting the title shot against Jon Moxley at Worlds End, which isn’t a bad idea. It’s different, and that is nice to see around here.

Post match Yuta goes after White but gets taken out with the Blade Runner. Cue the rest of the Death Riders to take White out but Hangman Page shows up….and Orange Cassidy jumps Moxley from behind. All three of them get together to lay Moxley out, with Christian Cage popping up with the contract.

Jamie Hayter doesn’t know what Julia Hart has against her but she’s ready to win the International Women’s Cup. For now, she’s willing to come find Hart though.

Chris Jericho is ready to defend the Ring Of Honor World Title at Final Battle. We’ll find out more about his challenger tomorrow night on Ring Of Honor.

We get an old west themed video, talking about how someone is coming back but the sheriff is scared. The wanted poster shows that Bandido is on his way back. Cool.

Video on Anna Jay vs. Penelope Ford.

Anna Jay vs. Penelope Ford

They shove each other to start until Jay hits a running forearm. Ford is back with a knock out to the floor, with some knees keeping Jay in trouble. We take a break and come back with Ford hitting a handspring elbow in the corner but Jay crotches her on top. A basement Blockbuster gives Jay two but the Queenslayer is countered into a Stunner for two. The Muta Lock sends Jay over to the ropes and she’s right back up with the Gory Bomb for the pin at 8:54.

Rating: C+. Jay wins again and seems to be coming up on a feud with Mercedes Mone, but it isn’t going to matter if Jay loses yet another high profile math. As for this, Ford was her usual decent self, so the match could have been far worse. They did something by showing their history here, but thankfully it wasn’t presented as anything overly important.

Post match Mercedes Mone comes out to laugh off the idea of Anna Jay being a threat to the title. Jay can come back when she has done something in wrestling, so Jay slaps her, sending Mone scrambling.

We get a sitdown interview with Mariah May, who doesn’t think much of Renee Paquette. May wants Mina Shirakawa to do something other than shake her chest, so here is Mina to hand her the champagne bottle. Mina says do it to her face, which has May a bit shaken.

Continental Classic Gold League: Brody King vs. Claudio Castagnoli

They strike it out to start with King getting the better of things but Castagnoli goes after the arm. Castagnoli sends him into the corner and wraps the arm around around the post as we take a break. Back with Castagnoli going after the arm again to cut off a comeback bid. Swiss Death and the Death Valley Driver get two each but King is back with a hard clothesline.

A running splash in the corner drops Castagnoli again for two and King plants him with a top rope superplex. The piledriver gives King two and Castagnoli bails out to the floor. King follows by gets sent over the barricade and has to beat the count. Back in and King hits a lariat but can’t get the Ganso Bomb. Instead Castagnoli kicks him low and the Neutralizer finishes King at 14:18.

Rating: B. This was two big, strong guys beating the fire out of each other until one of them couldn’t get up any more. That’s a good way to go and it worked well here, with King getting in his big shots before falling in the end. It was a good match and it’s nice to see Castagnoli getting a win in a featured spot.

Gold League Standings

Claudio Castagnoli – 6 points (3 matches remaining)
Will Ospreay – 3 points (4 matches remaining)
Ricochet – 3 points (4 matches remaining)
Brody King – 3 points (3 matches remaining)
Darby Allin – 0 points (4 matches remaining)
Komander – 0 points (4 matches remaining)

Overall Rating: B. As usual, the tournament makes the show a good bit easier to watch as you’re guaranteed a nice bit of content focusing on the in-ring side. Other than that, it looks like we might be coming up on a four way match for the World Title at Worlds End. Some of the pay per view card started coming together here and that’s a good sign with just a few weeks to go. Nice stuff here, as the tournament is helping the company a lot.

Results
Kyle Fletcher b. Shelton Benjamin – Rollup while holding the rope
Adam Cage and Kyle O’Reilly won the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royal last eliminating Brian Cage and Lance Archer,
Swerve Strickland b. Max Caster – House Call
Jay White b. Pac – Blade Runner
Anna Jay b. Penelope Ford – Gory Bomb
Claudio Castagnoli b. Brody King – Neutralizer

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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Collision
Date: November 30, 2024
Location: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s the first half of an AEW double shot this weekend, with Rampage set to follow. Thankfully this week is going to be focused on the Continental Classic, which all but guarantees that we have some good action. Other than that, we’re still dealing with the fallout from Full Gear so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Continental Classic Gold League: Will Ospreay vs. Juice Robinson

They take turns flipping away from each other until Ospreay snaps off a hurricanrana. A dropkick in the Tree of Woe takes Robinson down but the Octopus is blocked. Robinson’s backsplash hits knees but he drops Ospreay to slow things down again though. Another hurricanrana is countered into a powerbomb to drop Ospreay and we take a break.

Back with Ospreay hitting a forearm to the floor and adding a slingshot dive. A standing corkscrew splash gives Ospreay two more but Robinson is back up with a leg lariat. Ospreay manages a Stundog Millionaire but walks into a left hand for two. A question mark kick into the Styles Clash gives Ospreay two more and the Hidden Blade finishes Robinson at 12:35.

Rating: B. Robinson got a chance to showcase his abilities here, which he doesn’t get to do on his own very often. That’s kind of a shame too as he’s rather good at this kind of match. On the other hand, Ospreay needed a win after his clean loss to Kyle Fletcher, which still doesn’t make a ton of sense but here we are anyway. Good opener here.

Gold League Standings

Claudio Castagnoli – 3 points (4 matches remaining)
Will Osprey – 3 points (4 matches remaining)
Brody King – 3 points (4 matches remaining)
Darby Allin – 0 points (4 matches remaining)
Ricochet – 0 points (4 matches remaining)
Juice Robinson – 0 points (4 matches remaining

Mariah May says she and Mina Shirakawa are closer than ever because Mina loves America and wants to be champion. If that’s what she wants, come take the title. Mina can bleed and cry, but she can’t say May didn’t love her.

MxM Collection/Johnny TV vs. Private Party/Mistico

Mistico runs the ropes to start and snaps off a hurricanrana into the La Mistica faceplant to TV. Private Party comes in to double team Mansoor down but it’s back to TV to stomp away. Mansoor and TV tie up Quen’s legs for Madden’s running kick, which Nigel finds rather amusing. Quen flips out of a belly to back suplex and rolls over for the much needed tag to Kassidy.

Everything breaks down and Kassidy hits a big running flip dive to take out TV on the floor. Back in and Kassidy misses a Swanton as everything breaks down. Madden plants Quen for two but the Centerfold is broken up. TV gets crotched on top and Mistico hits a dive, leaving Private Party to hit Gin & Juice for the pin on TV at 8:18.

Rating: B-. This was the fast paced match you were probably expecting, though it continues the tradition of AEW not doing much to advertise Mistico. He’s one of the biggest stars in the world but you would never know it given that he gets all of three days’ notice for these appearances. As usual, the match went well and everyone was getting to do their thing, though it’s kind of an odd pairing of good guys.

Anna Jay talks about her career going up and down but she lost everything against Mariah May. There are other titles though and she can take the big swing. Maybe it’s time to try someone else.

Continental Classic Blue League: Kyle Fletcher vs. The Beast Mortos

Don Callis is on commentary. They trade shoulders to start until Mortos hits a hard clothesline to put him down. A monkey flip and a powerslam give Mortos two but Fletcher puts him on top for a big right hand to the floor. We take a break and come back with the Michinoku Driver giving Fletcher two but Mortos hits a running flipping DDT. The big corkscrew dive to the floor takes Fletcher down again, only to have him avoid a moonsault back inside. Mortos gets creative with a top rope crucifix driver but Fletcher forearms him in the face. A hard clothesline drops Mortos and a brainbuster finishes for Fletcher at 9:53.

Rating: B. These two beat the fire out of each other and while it seems that we are on the way to Ospreay vs. Fletcher II in a major tournament match, Fletcher needs some more wins to get ready for something that big. That means beating Mortos for a start, though that isn’t exactly the most unique accomplishment. For now though, it’s a nice first step as Fletcher’s push continues.

Blue League Standings

Kyle Fletcher – 3 points (4 matches remaining)
Shelton Benjamin – 3 points (4 matches remaining)
Daniel Garcia – 0 points (5 matches remaining)
Kazuchika Okada – 0 points (5 matches remaining)
Mark Briscoe – 0 points (4 matches remaining)
The Beast Mortos – 0 points (4 matches remaining)

We recap Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole entering the battle royal to get a chance at MJF

The Undisputed Kingdom ask O’Reilly to respect them and let them finish this. O’Reilly says he respects the plan, which they don’t understand.

We look back at Konosuke Takeshita retaining the International Title against Ricochet at Full Gear.

Don Callis is proud of Takeshita, but he’s even more excited about the coming year.

Outrunners vs. Iron Savages

Jacked Jameson is here with the Savages. Boulder throws Magnum into the corner to start and the Savages mock the Outrunners spin. A corner splash sets up some hip thrusting but Bronson slips off the middle rope. Floyd comes in for a big wind up punch and a slam to Bronson. An assisted slam puts Boulder down and Total Recall finishes Bronson at 2:57. Exactly what it should have been, maybe without the Savages.

Post match here is FTR

Max Caster, with his ripped jacket, wants Swerve Strickland at Dynamite. As the leader of the Acclaimed, he gave the rest of the team the week off after Bowens lost at Full Gear.

Hangman Page vs. Wheeler Yuta

Page easily takes him down to start and Yuta rethinks things a bit. A slam puts Yuta down again and Page rams him into the corner over and over. They go to the floor where Yuta is dropped face first onto the apron and a toss into the barricade has him in more trouble. Back in and a springboard clothesline misses for Page, allowing Yuta to take out the leg. Some twisting of the leg has Page in more trouble as commentary talks about this being “classic Death Rider strategy.” Thankfully Nigel goes with what “work on a limb” is by dubbing it “wrestling 101”.

We take a break and come back with Page throwing him off the top and kneeing Yuta out to the floor. Yuta is sent into the barricade a few times, followed by a Death Valley Driver for two back inside. Cue the Death Riders through the crowd and the distraction lets Yuta get two off a small package. The Buckshot Lariat doesn’t work due to the knee but the seatbelt only gives Yuta two. The Deadeye finishes for Page at 12:11.

Rating: B-. I can go for Page getting back into the main event scene, though it makes his losses to Jay White all the odder of a choice. Other than that, he’s going to need some help and as long as that isn’t in the form of the Elite, it could be interesting. For now though, more Page is a good thing, though he wasn’t quite as insane here.

Post match Page glares at the Death Riders and wraps a chair around Yuta. Cue Jay White to give Yuta a Blade Runner and say he’s coming for the World Title.

Thunder Rosa plugs tonight’s lucha libre Rampage and suggests she wants the Women’s Title match at Winter Is Coming.

Christopher Daniels talks to Hangman Page and tells him to be the man that AEW needs. Page doesn’t want to hear it from an old man like Daniels.

Mina Shirakawa vs. Leila Grey

Grey grabs a headlock to start but Shirakawa is quickly out for some dancing. They slug it out until Shirakawa kicks her in the face. A running clothesline gives Shirakawa two and a spinning backfist gets the same. The Glamorous Driver is broken up but the second attempt finishes for Shirakawa at 3:23.

Rating: C. This was short and to the point as it should have been as there was no reason to have someone of Grey’s status giving Shirakawa a real run for her money. Grey has improved a lot but she was in over her head here. Shirakawa is ready for the Women’s Title shot against Mariah May and she needed to win here.

Willow Nightingale is ready to put in the work and win the Women’s International Cup at Wrestle Dynasty.

Continental Classic Blue League: Kazuchika Okada vs. Daniel Garcia

Non-title. Feeling out process to start with Garcia’s running shoulder not having much effect. An exchange of rollups wakes Garcia up and he knocks Okada outside as we take an early break. Back with Okada missing a backsplash and a slingshot hilo but Garcia has to fight out of a cobra clutch.

Some running clotheslines in the corner connect for Garcia and he grabs a sleeper. The running kick to the chest (ala Katsuyori Shibata) gets two and they head outside with Okada being sent into the barricade. The running dropkick (with double middle fingers) hits Okada but he suckers the referee in, allowing a chair shot to Garcia.

We take another break and come back again with Garcia hitting a superplex for a delayed two. Okada is back up with an Air Raid Crash onto the knee for two but Okada spends too much time posing and gets his ankle locked. That’s broken up and Garcia fires off the chops until a double knockdown gives them a breather. The Rainmaker is loaded up but Garcia reverses into the Sharpshooter. The hold stays on for over a minute and the time limit expires at 20:00.

Rating: B. It was long, but it never really came close to that next level. Okada has only gotten into that higher gear a few times in AEW and he didn’t do it again here. That being said, I was worried about how this match was going to go as neither of them should be taking a fall, especially Garcia. The draw was the right way to go and thankfully they didn’t do anything insane here.

Blue League Standings

Kyle Fletcher – 3 points (4 matches remaining)
Shelton Benjamin – 3 points (4 matches remaining)
Daniel Garcia – 1 point (4 matches remaining)
Kazuchika Okada – 1 point (4 matches remaining)
Mark Briscoe – 0 points (4 matches remaining)
The Beast Mortos – 0 points (4 matches remaining)

Okada flips him off and leaves rather than shake hands to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. Two hours of solid action with results that actually matter and some storylines being advanced. You don’t get that kind of a show very often and I will absolutely take it over some of the things AEW has been doing lately. The tournament stuff helps these shows a lot and that was on display here, as things instantly felt more important. I’m not sure how long that is going to last, but I’ll take it even as a one off show.

Results
Will Ospreay b. Juice Robinson – Hidden Blade
Mistico/Private Party b. Johnny TV/MxM Collection – Gin & Juice to TV
Kyle Fletcher b. The Beast Mortos – Brainbuster
Outrunners b. Iron Savages – Total Recall to Bronson
Hangman Page b. Wheeler Yuta – Deadeye
Mina Shirakawa b. Leila Grey – Glamorous Driver

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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AND

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Dynamite
Date: November 27, 2024
Location: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re done with Full Gear and it is time to start the Continental Classic. The tournament was one of the bigger hits of last year and there is a good chance that they can continue it this year. Other than that, Darby Allin seems to be next in line for the World Title shot, which is certainly an interesting choice after how Allin has done lately. Let’s get to it.

Here is Full Gear if you need a recap.

Long Full Gear recap.

We get a quick Continental Classic preview, with some entrants saying they’ll win. Quick look at the rules:

• 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss

• Round Robin format, meaning it’s not single elimination.

• 20 minute time limits, no one allowed at ringside.

• The winner of the Blue League will face the runner up of the Gold League and vice versa at Worlds End, with winners of those matches facing off the same night to crown a winner.

Here is the Hurt Syndicate for a chat. MVP compares Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin to Michael Jordan and Walter Payton, but anyone who turns down the Hurt Syndicate isn’t all that bright. Like Swerve Strickland, and we see a clip of Lashley taking Strickland out at Full Gear.

Continental Classic Blue League: Mark Briscoe vs. Shelton Benjamin

Briscoe starts fast and knees him out to the floor but Benjamin is back up with some whips into various things. Back up and Briscoe hits a running flip dive, only for Benjamin to run the corner for a superplex. We take a break and come back with Benjamin forearming away in the corner.

That just fires Briscoe up and he knocks Benjamin down for the Froggy Bow, which hurts himself in the process. Another Froggy Bow only hits raised knees though and Benjamin snaps off some release German suplexes. A Jay Driller attempt is countered and the Dragon Whip into a superkick gives Benjamin two. The exploder finishes Briscoe clean at 11:11.

Rating: B-. Good, back and forth match here, though I’m a bit surprised that Briscoe just lost clean. You don’t see that happen very often and it’s a nice win for Benjamin, who is still new around here. Briscoe is probably going to be getting back into the Ring Of Honor World Title picture though and this didn’t really help him.

Blue League Standings

Shelton Benjamin – 3 Points (4 matches remaining)
Kazuchika Okada – 0 Points (5 matches remaining)
Kyle Fletcher – 0 Points (5 matches remaining)
Daniel Garcia – 0 Points (5 matches remaining)
The Beast Mortos – 0 Points (5 matches remaining)
Mark Briscoe – 0 Points (4 matches remaining)

Here are Mercedes Mone and Kamille for a chat. Tony Schiavone praises Mone’s match with Kris Statlander, with Mone calling it money. She also suggests that Kamille isn’t that bright, which is enough for Kamille to quit. That’s certainly sudden, but I’d rather they just do it than drag things out.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Chris Jericho vs. Tomohiro Ishii

Jericho is defending and Big Bill is on commentary. They start with the exchange of chops (get used to it) and after nearly three minutes of them, it heads out to the apron. Jericho gets in a DDT onto said apron to take over and they head back inside. An exchange of slaps to the face has Ishii taking over for a change and we take a break.

Back with Jericho hitting a superplex but Ishii pops up and slugs away. A German suplex drops Ishii but he blocks the Judas Effect with a clothesline to the back of the head. Jericho is back up with a Judas Effect into a Codebreaker for one but Ishii can’t stand. He can however counter the Walls attempt and grab a Codebreaker of his own, followed by an enziguri. Jericho catches him with another Judas Effect though and the Lionsault retains at 13:15.

Rating: B-. Ishii never felt like a threat to win the title and while the kickout of the Judas Effect and Codebreaker was good, it wasn’t enough to make me believe that he was going to win. Jericho gets to hold onto the title even longer and now we’re going to see who is next. A rematch with Mark Briscoe at Final Battle wouldn’t shock me, but dang that’s not the most appealing thing in the world.

Swerve Strickland talks about how hard Bobby Lashley hit him but Max Caster interrupts. Caster brings up Strickland’s losses and the fight is on.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat about everything he did at Full Gear. He isn’t happy with Christian Cage screwing up his chance to cash in his World Title contract because Page would win the title and go home to eat some stuffing. Cue Jay White to bring up beating Page twice in a row, so he wants the World Title. Cue the Death Riders to take both of them out, with Jon Moxley choking White out.

Continental Classic Gold League: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Ricochet

Castagnoli knocks him down to start but Ricochet is back up with a hurricanrana to the floor. Ricochet’s moonsault to the floor is cut off though and Castagnoli drops him onto the barricade. Ricochet is back up with a suicide dive but a springboard is cut off back inside. We take a break and come back with Castagnoli being sent to the floor but coming back in with a big boot for two.

A rather spinning anklescissors sends Castagnoli to the floor and a middle rope moonsault gives Ricochet two back inside. Another springboard is elbowed out of the air for two and Castagnoli gets the Sharpshooter. With that broken up, Castagnoli’s Riccola Bomb is countered into a hurricanrana for two. They go outside again with Ricochet getting crotched on the barricade for a near countout. Back in and Castagnoli hits a hard lariat for the pin at 13:03.

Rating: B. This was a match where you probably knew what you were going to get coming in and it still worked out pretty well. Castagnoli got to show off his power stuff and Ricochet flew around as well as ever. At the same time though, Castagnoli doesn’t feel like he’s in some big monster heel group during his matches. This felt like any Castagnoli match from any point in his career, which makes anything he does with the team outside of the ring feel like it’s from another place.

Gold League Standings

Claudio Castagnoli – 3 Points (4 matches remaining)
Darby Allin – 0 Points (5 matches remaining)
Will Ospreay – 0 Points (5 matches remaining)
Brody King – 0 Points (5 matches remaining)
Juice Robinson – 0 Points (5 matches remaining)
Ricochet– 0 Points (4 matches remaining)

Don Callis and Kyle Fletcher brag about Fletcher beating Will Ospreay. That was proof that Fletcher is better and the Continental Classic will prove it again.

Here are Adam Cole and the Undisputed Kingdom, with the former calling out MJF. Instead he gets Kyle O’Reilly, who offers to fight MJF. Cole wants to do it but MJF pops up on screen to say he’s too focused on next week’s Dynamite Dozen Battle Royal. O’Reilly and Cole enter as well, for a chance to get a shot at MJF. I really, really, really could go for dropping the whole “MJF has to defend the diamond ring” deal. Not everything has to be some annual tradition.

Since two tournaments at once aren’t enough, we’re also getting a qualifying tournament for the AEW spot in the Wrestle Dynasty International Women’s Cup, with the first semifinal starting tonight. Here are the brackets:

Jamie Hayter
Queen Aminata

Serena Deeb
Willow Nightingale

International Women’s Cup Qualifying Tournament Semifinals: Jamie Hayter vs. Queen Aminata

Hayter powers her into the corner to start and grabs a front facelock. That’s broken up with a hiptoss and they go into the corner for an exchange of chops. Hayter snaps off a suplex and we take an early break. Back with Hayter slugging away but missing the lariat. Aminata gets in a suplex of her own, setting up a running knee to the face for two. Aminata’s top rope double stomp misses though and Hayter hits an Irish Curse for two of her own. They trade rollups for two each until Hayter kicks her in the face, setting up Hayterade for the pin at 9:17.

Rating: C+. The match was fine and thankfully this mini tournament only has four people. I know AEW loves itself some tournaments but a tournament to qualify for a four way match for bragging rights against stars from other companies feels like a bit of overkill. Just say Hayter or Nightingale is going to Wrestle Dynasty and move on.

Post match the lights dim and a spotlight comes on…but no one is there.

We get a sitdown interview with Mina Shirakawa, who knew Mariah May could turn on her. She was ready for what was coming and showed the real Mina…and then May hits her in the back of the head with a bottle. May says she wants the real Mina.

Continental Classic Gold League: Brody King vs. Darby Allin

Allin is all taped up and gets shoved down to start. A slap to the face just annoys King, who runs Allin over for two. King sends him flying with a beal and a nasty chop knocks Allin outside as we take a break. Back with Allin getting crotched on top and no commentary for some reason. King knocks him off the top for two but a super Code Red gives Allin two. King gets knocked outside for a Coffin Drop, followed by a second one to leave King laying. Back in and another Coffin Drop is countered into a choke but Allin slips out. That just earns him a Ganso Bomb to give King the win at 9:36.

Rating: B-. These two work well together but that’s an interesting way to go with Allin, who seemed like he was getting ready for a World Title chase. Maybe that’s where they’re going anyway, but he’s on quite the losing streak on the way there. King got to be more of a monster here and that suits him well because…well look at him.

Gold League Standings

Claudio Castagnoli – 3 Points (4 matches remaining)
Brody King – 3 Points (4 matches remaining)
Will Ospreay – 0 Points (5 matches remaining)
Juice Robinson – 0 Points (5 matches remaining)
Darby Allin – 0 points (4 matches remaining)
Ricochet– 0 Points (4 matches remaining)

Post match here is Claudio Castagnoli with a chair but Brody King cuts him off. Castagnoli and King stare each other down to end the show, setting up their tournament match next week.

Overall Rating: B. The best thing about these Continental Classic shows is they focus on what AEW does best, which is the in-ring side of things. You get a bunch of clean finishes and good matches rather than trying to cram in as many things as they can. It made for a much easier to watch show, even though it’s the first step in a long process. Good show here, and a welcome change of pace from what Dynamite has been doing.

Results
Shelton Benjamin b. Mark Briscoe – Exploder
Chris Jericho b. Tomohiro Ishii – Lionsault
Claudio Castagnoli b. Ricochet – Lariat
Jamie Hayter b. Queen Aminata – Hayterade
Brody King b. Darby Allin – Ganso Bomb

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We’re back to one of the main four pay per views but things are only going so well for AEW right now. The promotion is focused on the Death Riders and various people trying to rise up against them, with Orange Cassidy getting the shot against Jon Moxley this week. Other than that, there are some grudge and title matches filling out the card, though it’s only looking so interesting. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Big Boom AJ vs. QT Marshall

This is the Costco Guys match as AEW gets what I guess passes for a celebrity these days. I have a grand total of no idea who these people are and from their limited appearances, I have no reason to believe I’m going to be interested, but I’m also the definition of not the audience for something like this. That being said, this is also a great example of something that should be harmless.

Of course AJ wins here as there is no reason for him not to. Marshall is little more than a comedy goof and he’ll get beaten up by the kids here so AJ can win. I’m sure AEW will hype up the appearances from the social media celebrities and it’ll have a limited impact, but that is the kind of thing that has been done in wrestling for years. The match will be little more than a detail and that’s all it needs to be.

Zero Hour: Deonna Purrazzo vs. Anna Jay

This was added at the last minute, which is pretty normal around AEW, though in this case the two of them have had some issues lately. Jay turned down Purrazzo and the Vendetta’s offer to help her against Mariah May and now Purrazzo is ready to get some revenge. She’s also the home area star so there should be quite the crowd reaction, which is a bit of an odd choice for a villain.

I’ll go with Purrazzo to win here, as she is not only the hometown star but she also has Taya Valkyrie to help her out. The Vendetta hasn’t really done anything so giving the team a win here should make sense. While it would make sense for Jay to win here, as she’s lost lately and given her up and down win/loss record throughout her entire time in AEW, it should be Purrazzo going over.

Zero Hour: Beast Mortos vs. Komander vs. Dante Martin vs. Buddy Matthews

Ah there it is, as we have the match with no particular need to be on the show added at the last minute. It feels like little more than a Rampage main event and something similar probably has been more than once. If nothing else, it has been at least a week since we’ve seen Komander and that is just far too infrequently for someone who seemingly has to be around so often.

I’ll take Matthews to win here, as he’s the only one of the four who hasn’t been beaten into the ground. Mortos needs a win to boost himself back up a bit but that isn’t something you often see around here. Komander and Martin are pretty firmly stuck in their spots and not going anywhere, so there is pretty much no reason to believe that either of them has a chance. Matthews should win here, though he should have won multiple times before and rarely does so it’s fairly up in the air.

Jay White vs. Hangman Page

This is a match that should be one sided on paper, but the more I think about it, the less sure I am. White has come back and hit the ground running, doing some of his best singles work since coming to AEW. That being said, Page feels like he is taking quite the downgrade in this feud, as he went from headlining a pay per view to trading wins with White. It’s not terrible, but it feels like Page should be doing something better.

I’ll go with Page winning here to end the feud, as he could easily be moved into the main event scene again. While there is a chance that White wins here and Page teams up with Swerve Strickland to fight off the Bang Bang Gang, Page needs the win here more. If nothing else he needs to it move him on to something bigger, and in theory that is what happens here.

Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher

For the life of me I do not get why Ospreay is still stuck with the Don Callis Family feud, yet here we are in what should be the blowoff to the whole thing. AEW has tried as hard as they can to make Fletcher into a bigger thing and while it has certainly not been a failure, Ospreay still feels like a far bigger star and should win here to allow him to move on to anything else.

For the sake of my sanity, I’ll go with Ospreay winning here, even if the Family interfering to extend the feud would not surprise me in the slightest. Ospreay is someone who should be coming after Jon Moxley and the World Title, but first he has to get through this. It feels like that has been the case for most of his AEW run and it would be nice to see him get out of that cycle for once.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone(c) vs. Kris Statlander

This story has been more about Mone treating Kamille like a loser and in theory that could lead to the two splitting in the near future. That could set up Kamille taking the title away from Mone down the line, which would mean that Mone needs to retain it here. That’s not the most thrilling story and certainly isn’t doing Kamille any favors at the moment, but it should make things easier to predict here.

For now, I can’t imagine Mone losing the title as it seems like AEW wants her to have some kind of an epic reign. At some point she is going to lose the title and it might be to Kamille down the line, but for now she is going to beat Statlander to retain. Statlander needs a win of some kind, but for now it looks like she is going to lose as Mone continues to not be anywhere near as special as AEW seems to see her.

TNT Title: Jack Perry(c) vs. Daniel Garcia

For the first time in a good while, I actually have some hope about Perry losing the title. Garcia is another name AEW seems interested in pushing as a big deal and at some point that means he is going to have to win something. I’m not sure if it is going to be the TNT Title, but it would not shock me to see AEW go in that direction. If nothing else, a break from Perry as champion could be quite the benefit.

Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s where AEW is going to go as I’ll take Perry to retain the title. AEW seems to think he’s some kind of great character and a huge deal, so for some reason that is what we are going to see or the time being. The match should be good and Garcia should win, but ultimately this feels like another case of Perry being the unstoppable force who leaves with the title. Again.

International Title: Konosuke Takeshita(c) vs. Ricochet

And now we have the video game match of the show which has all of the potential to be incredibly fun. These two could absolutely tear the house down and I could go for seeing what they have the chance to do. Takeshita finally won a title and is now getting the chance to show what he can do on top. Ricochet is someone who can have a heck of a match with anyone and there is a chance to do something great here.

I’ll go with Takeshita to retain here, as there is almost no reason to have him lose the title so soon. Ricochet probably shouldn’t be losing another high profile match so quickly into his time in AEW, but losing to Takeshita is hardly a bad thing. At the end o the day, Takeshita is someone that AEW should be getting behind and it would be nice to see him getting a win on the big stage here, especially over a talent like Ricochet.

Tag Team Titles: Private Party(c) vs. House Of Black vs. Outrunners vs. Acclaimed

This has the potential to be the big wild party match with everyone going nuts and getting in all of their usual stuff. That should make for a rather fun showcase, even though the match is rather light on villains. The question here is what the twist might be, as there is little reason to believe that things are going to go off without a hitch. Well and who leaves with the titles of course.

Despite Private Party not exactly feeling like a great team before they won the tiles, I’ll take them to retain here, likely with FTR turning on the Outrunners to cost them the titles. It should make for a good match either way, and the kind of entertaining match that the show needs. I could see the House winning the titles, but this feels like Private Party getting a pay per view win rather than the usual on television.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Roderick Strong

I have no idea why this match is taking place. The Adam Cole vs. MJF feud is long since dead but for some reason we are now going to see MJF vs. Cole’s most of the time friend. Strong’s backstory involving his parents was dropped into this feud at the last minute and it didn’t exactly feel right. I’m not sure how well the match is going to go, but the story definitely needs a boost.

There is no reason for MJF to lose here as he still has the showdown with Cole coming, so I’ll go with MJF getting the win. At the end of the day, MJF has been gone for a long time now and he is going to need a win to boost him up before the likely match at World’s End, as AEW would love to do that whole “it’s been a year since the stunning betrayal” deal. That doesn’t make for a good story, but it’s likely the story we’re getting.

Swerve Strickland vs. Bobby Lashley

I saved one of the best for near the end as this has been the match that interests me the most. Lashley is the new monster but Strickland has been stepping his game up to fight him. This included a heck of a segment this week on Dynamite with Strickland taking Lashley and the rest of the Hurt Syndicate out to stand tall. That made him look like a star, but that might be it.

I just can’t imagine Lashley losing his first big match so we’ll go with the logical choice of him taking Strickland out here. There is a good chance that the feud continues with Strickland getting some help, possibly in the form of Hangman Page, to make things that much more nutty. For now though, Lashley needs to win, with Strickland giving it his all in defeat.

AEW World Title: Jon Moxley(c) vs. Orange Cassidy

And then there’s this, which just does not feel special. The Death Riders have been dominating the promotion for the last few months and it does not feel like we are anywhere close to that story being over. Cassidy is the first challenger to the title and while he is someone who could be a threat to Moxley, there is a heck of a gap between that and actually winning the title.

There is almost no chance that Cassidy wins here, as Moxley gets to claim another victim and move on to something else, possibly Darby Allin, down the line. The Death Riders are going to be the big focus of the company for a good while to come, and that includes them winning here. Hopefully something big happens in the match, as otherwise it just isn’t feeling that important.

Overall Thoughts

This show isn’t terrible, but it also isn’t jumping off the page. There are a few matches that I want to see, but I’m having a hard time getting interested in where things go after. That has been the case with AEW for a good while and unfortunately I’m not sure I can see it changing. A lot of this show feels like it is designed to set up things for later, and that doesn’t make for the most interesting show from here. Odds are it will be good as most AEW pay per views are, but the whole promotion needs something fresh and soon.

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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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AND

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