Collision
Date: April 5, 2025
Location: Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, Illinois
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Don Callis

It’s the night before Dynasty and the card seems to be completely set. That means we are likely going to be seeing some final pushes towards the show, which should be at least somewhat interesting. If nothing else, maybe we can get a few matches added to the Kickoff Show, which tends to be the case at the last minute. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Don Callis Family vs. Powerhouse Hobbs/Tomohiro Ishii

Callis is not pleased with Ishii as the partner. Ishii and Takeshita trade shoulders to start and then forearm it out. Even Callis thinks that might not be a good idea for Takeshita, who gets dropped with a running shoulder. They knock each other down and it’s off to Hobbs vs. Fletcher, with the latter powering Hobbs into the corner.

Hobbs does the exact same thing as Callis goes on about how horrible Hobbs happens to be. Fletcher’s DDT doesn’t work as Hobbs stands his ground and then sends Fletcher hard into the corner. Everything breaks down and Ishii gets double forearmed as we take a break. Back with Fletcher punching Hobbs off the apron and getting in a Suck It for good measure. Ishii suplexes Takeshita and the diving tag brings Hobbs in to clean house. A Rock Bottom sends Fletcher outside and a spinebuster hits Takeshita, only for Hobbs to seem shaken up.

Ishii comes back in for a German suplex to Fletcher but the villains are back up for a double running boot in the corner. Hobbs is back in for a powerslam on Takeshita and Ishii’s lariat gets two. Fletcher hits a brainbuster for the same, followed by a Tombstone to drop Ishii. Another brainbuster gives Fletcher the pin at 13:44.

Rating: B. This was a good, hard hitting match between the four of them and Ishii taking the fall was the right call. Hobbs is someone who has lost far more often than he should and the other two are going to be protected for their runs in the Owen Hart Tournament. I’m not sure if either of them will be winning, but they seem primed for something good going forward.

We look at the mixed tag from Dynamite, with Jon Moxley attacking Willow Nightingale after the match. This led to Swerve Strickland swearing revenge but being taken out anyway to end the show.

Cru is ready for Top Flight but go up to Nick Wayne. They ask him to help with AR Fox, but he might be too valuable to help them. Cru mocks him for needing Christian Cage’s permission, so Wayne will help with Fox. But for himself.

Here is Max Caster for another open challenge.

Max Caster vs. Mark Briscoe

Red Neck Kung Fu sends Caster outside for a running flip dive, followed by the Jay Driller to give Briscoe the pin at 1:30.

Video on Will Ospreay vs. Kevin Knight.

Jay White is annoyed at being out of the Owen Hart Tournament but reminds Knight that he’s only getting the spot because of an injury. As for Ospreay, he’s getting to avoid White for another day. White isn’t happy with the Death Riders for his broken hand and he’ll be planning his revenge.

Cru vs. Top Flight

Leila Grey offers a distraction and Top Flight jumps Cru from behind to start fast. Top Flight rain down right hands in the corner and we settle down to Darius dropkicking Rush. Andretti comes in for a superkick and Arabian moonsault though, allowing Rush to hit a dive as we take a break.

Back with Darius and Andretti hitting stereo clotheslines, allowing a double tag to bring in Dante and Rush. A cheap shot from Andretti cuts Dante off and he tags himself in for a springboard clothesline. Everything breaks down again and we get a four way slugout until Dante and Rush are knocked outside. Andretti Falcon Arrows Darius but Dante comes in with a cradle for the pin at 8:01.

Rating: C+. They did what they could in the limited time they had here due to the break but it what you would expect from these guys. It’s a good example of taking people and putting them in the ring for the fast paced match, even if the feud has dragged on too long. I still want to see Top Flight move up but that doesn’t seem to be taking place anytime soon.

Post match the brawl is on but AR Fox makes the save. Nick Wayne runs in to take him out and a six man is announced for Zero Hour.

Jamie Hayter is impressed by Billie Starkz but warns her to be wary of Athena. Starkz says she’ll prove herself in the tournament.

We get a face to face sitdown with Adam Cole and Daniel Garcia (with their respective friends). Cole talks about how they first faced each other about two years later and Garcia hasn’t changed much. Back in the day he was confused and that’s what Garcia still is today. All Cole needed was a few more seconds to win the title and that’s what he’ll do on Sunday, which is his wrestling anniversary.

Garcia talks about the chances that Cole has had over his career but this is his last chance. Cole asks everyone else to leave and tells Garcia that he respects him…but Garcia isn’t ready. The reality is Cole has been the guy longer than Garcia has been wrestling and he’ll prove that go Garcia this Sunday. Good enough stuff here, but this feud still isn’t doing anything for me.

Pac vs. Cash Wheeler

They grapple into the corner to start until Pac pulls him down with a headlock. It works so well that he does it again before sending Wheeler into the buckle a few times. Wheeler comes back with a boot to send him outside, where Pac grabs a breather. Back in and Wheeler gets caught up top but breaks up a superplex attempt. Pac crotches him anyway and a big forearm sends Wheeler off the apron and into the camera for a unique crash. A moonsault takes Wheeler down again and we take a break.

Back with Pac grabbing a headlock and glaring at the camera in a rather menacing way. Wheeler fights up and strikes away, including a running clothesline. A powerslam gives Wheeler two but he misses a top rope splash for the big crash landing. Pac takes too long loading up the Black Arrow though and gets superplexed down for two.

Back up and Pac snaps off the rebound German suplex for two but misses the Black Arrow. Wheeler’s piledriver gets another near fall and it’s Claudio Castagnoli time. Cope cuts him off so here is Wheeler Yuta, who is cut off by Dax Harwood. That doesn’t go well as Yuta hits Harwood in the head with a hammer (as you do) but gets piledriven. The melee is enough for Pac to cradle Wheeler for the pin at 15:08.

Rating: B. Wheeler, as well as Harwood, are both talented stars but they aren’t exactly the most successful singles wrestlers. That’s what made for a problem here, as I didn’t believe that Wheeler was going to win here, because he never does. If he is going to be in singles matches over and over, he needs to win something occasionally to make him feel like a threat. If the Death Riders are retaining tomorrow, Pac losing to a rollup isn’t going to hurt him that badly.

Post match Cope and FTR are all ok before their title match.

Video on the International Title match at Dynasty.

Shane Taylor Promotions is sick of people talking about battlefields and warfare around here. They don’t seem to like the Opps. Other than battlefields and warfare, I’m sick of AEW/ROH pretending like Taylor and company are going to get anything resembling a serious push. It just isn’t going to happen at this point and these promos aren’t changing my mind.

Mike Bailey vs. Dralistico

Ricochet is on commentary and The Beast Mortos is here with Dralistico. Hold on as Dralistico bails to the floor at the bell before coming back inside to get hurricanranaed. They trade bows until Dralistico flips him off, only to get kicked down. Bailey sends him outside, where a Mortos distraction lets Dralistico take him down.

We take a break and come back with Bailey hitting a middle rope dropkick before kicking Dralistico down. The running shooting star gives Bailey two and sends Dralistico outside, where a moonsault hits him again. Back in and Dralistico’s springboard Codebreaker gets two but Bailey hits the Tornado Kick for the pin at 8:19.

Rating: C+. This is about all you can expect from Bailey, who is going to do his flips and dives and kicks and that’s about it. You know what you’re getting with him and he does fit in perfectly with the video game style matches around here. Odds are the triple threat title match at Dynasty will be a crazy spot fest, and that is tailor made for Bailey.

Post match Ricochet kicks Bailey low and hits the Spirit Gun to leave him laying.

Thunder Rosa and Kris Statlander are excited to face each other in the Women’s Owen Hart Tournament. They’re friends, but this is a serious fight and Statlander grabs her by the throat, saying she’ll see her tomorrow.

Dynasty rundown.

Harley Cameron and Mercedes Mone argue over which one of them has this in their tag match.

Video on Toni Storm vs. Megan Bayne.

Mercedes Mone/Harley Cameron vs. Julia Hart/Athena

Yes Cameron has the puppet and yes Mone still hates it. Athena and Mone start things off and this could be interesting. They shove each other a bit before Mone bails over to Cameron rather quickly. Athena wrestles her down without much effort and it’s off to Hart to work on the arm. Cameron kicks her way out of trouble and hits an enziguri, allowing Athena to come back in.

Hart gets tied in the Tree Of Woe but pulls herself up to annoy Mone before flipping over her. The Octopus goes on so Cameron…throws in the puppet, which is enough of a distraction for Mone to grab a gutbuster. We take a break and come back with Cameron charging into a boot in the corner, allowing Hart to roll over and bring Athena back in.

A Samoan drop/fall away slam send Mone and Cameron flying at the same time but Cameron is back up to plant Athena on the floor. Everyone winds up down on the outside, leaving Hart to miss her moonsault back inside. Mone Backstabbers Hart, who gets caught with Cameron’s pumphandle suplex. Her Finishing Move is blocked though and Hart gets the Octopus for the tap at 12:12.

Rating: B-. This was a bit of a surprise as Hart felt like the person in there to take the fall, but I’ll take it over Athena getting beaten. While I don’t buy her as being likely to win the tournament, just having her around on the bigger show is nice to see. The match was basically a big preview of the women’s Owen Hart Cup and there are worse ideas out there.

Overall Rating: B-. Good enough show this week, especially considering the pay per view is pretty much set. This show added to the Kickoff Show and that’s about it, which isn’t a bad way to go. I don’t believe that the Kickoff Show will only have two matches, but I’ll take this over having a bunch of things being added at the last second. Nice stuff here, with the opener and Pac vs. Wheeler being pretty good.

Results
Don Callis Family b. Powerhouse Hobbs/Tomohiro Ishii – Brainbuster to Ishii
Mark Briscoe b. Max Caster – Jay Driller
Top Flight b. Cru – Cradle to Andretti
Pac b. Cash Wheeler – Cradle
Mike Bailey b. Dralistico – Tornado Kick
Julia Hart/Athena b. Mercedes Mone/Harley Cameron – Octopus to Cameron

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: January 22, 2025
Location: Knoxville Civic Auditorium, Knoxville, Tennessee
Commentators: Taz, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We are closing in on Grand Slam and that means it is time to start getting ready for the show. There is a good chance that we are going to see something set up this week, as we are starting up some big things. Revolution is coming up as well and that means there are a lot of things going on. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Here is Will Ospreay to get things going, with Kenny Omega coming out to join him. Sidenote: like him or not, Omega gets the superstar entrance to end them all around here and there is no way around it. The fans love him and he comes off like the king of the world. Ospreay talks about how Omega came back in a weird time because the Death Riders are holding the World Title hostage and Ospreay wants to do something about it but can’t get away from the Don Callis Family.

Omega talks about them fighting at Forbidden Door, where Ospreay tried to drop him on his head. That makes Ospreay no better than Callis, and no matter what he does, Omega is still better. Ospreay can take the #2 spot, but Omega has the #1 spot locked up. Cue Callis but Omega immediately goes after him, with Konosuke Takeshita jumping Omega. Kyle Fletcher comes in for the beatdown and Ospreay, eventually, comes in for the save.

The big brawl is on with Callis sending in the Murder Machines and the big fight heads into the concourse. Ospreay and Omega fight back and put Lance Archer through a well placed merchandise table. The brawl heads back into the arena, with Omega and Ospreay hitting some gorgeous dives off various structures to take the villains down. Omega and Ospreay climb the light structure and Omega says next time it’s Callis’ turn. Omega issues the challenge for Grand Slam to Takeshita and Fletcher.

The catchphrase is loaded up and, after Omega’s music starts and stops, he gets it in. Then Omega wants to get down because he is scared of heights (fair enough as I can relate). This was a heck of an opening segment, mainly because Omega and Ospreay were acting like superheroes, which is where they shine. The only drawback was they were doing it against Don Callis, as the energy just goes sailing out the window whenever he’s around.

Video on Pac.

The Death Riders talk about how Cope is in a world he doesn’t understand. He’s willing to finish the job on Cope’s neck because they don’t have time for relics of the past.

Tag Team Titles: Hurt Syndicate vs. Private Party

The Syndicate, with MVP on commentary, is challenging. Lashley takes over on Quen to start before handing it off to Benjamin. A neckbreaker/Swanton combination gives Kassidy a quick two but Lashley grabs Quen from the apron. The Syndicate is sent to the floor, where they catch stereo dives and hit belly to belly suplexes.

We take a break and come back with Kassidy having been put through the announcers’ table and Quen being thrown around by Benjamin. Kassidy is back up and Quen fights up, allowing the tag off to Kassidy to pick up the pace. A pop up dropkick hits Benjamin and a 450 gets two, with Lashley making the save. Lashley spears Kassidy in half for the pin and the titles at 9:10.

Rating: B-. This was how the match should have gone, as Private Party has not felt important since winning the titles. The problem came down to they have done nothing in AEW other than beat the Young Bucks twice. Since winning the titles, they have mainly sat back while teams qualified to face them or watched Action Andretti/Lio Rush vs. Top Flight. What else was supposed to happen here? The Syndicate has looked like monsters since showing up and them winning the titles is the right move.

Video on Mariah May vs. Toni Storm at Grand Slam.

Harley Cameron gives Toni Storm a pep talk. In Australian. Renee Paquette: “I didn’t get a word of that.”

Karen Jarrett tries to calm Jeff Jarrett down but he’s got this.

Here is Jeff Jarrett for a chat. Jarrett talks about being on after Jerry Lawler one night and not doing quite as well, including on the microphone. After the match, Lawler asked what Jarrett was thinking. Never get in the gutter with your opponent, like he did with MJF last week. They’ll deal with that one day, but for now, he wants Jon Moxley out here.

Moxley’s music plays but Claudio Castagnoli comes in to jump Jarrett instead. Castagnoli says no one gets to Moxley without getting through him first, so stay out of their business. With Castagnoli in the crowd, Jarrett challenges him for next week, with a title shot coming if he wins. I guess Jarrett might get the title hot in Australia, which is certainly a choice they could make.

Video on Megan Bayne.

Swerve Strickland vs. AR Fox

They fight over a suplex to start until Swerve sends him outside for a moonsault. Back in and Swerve drops him gain without much trouble and we take a break. We come back with Fox working on the arm and hitting a step up moonsault to the floor. Swerve fights back but cue Ricochet for a distraction. Prince Nana whips out a pipe to chase him off, leaving Fox to hit a quick Lo Mein Pain for two, only to miss the 450. Swerve is back with the rolling Downward Spiral into the House call. Fox has to scoot WAY over so the Swerve Stomp can finish at 9:15.

Rating: B-. This was a perfectly fine match between two guys who know how to work well with each other. It also didn’t go quite as long as I was expecting and that is nice to see for a change. Strickland didn’t give up a ton of offense and it made things better. Nana whipping out a pipe from nowhere was amusing enough as a bonus.

Post match Ricochet pops up to show that he has Prince Nana held a scissors point. They’ll meet next week. I’m still not sure about Ricochet as this crazy violent guy, but that’s where we’re going. Or at least what is being teased.

We look at Powerhouse Hobbs getting a win in a twelve man tag on Collision.

The Learning Tree is happy to be here in Knoxville, in the Rocky Mountains. Big Bill seems ok with the loss but Chris Jericho isn’t happy. What is Bill going to do about it? Bill gets serious and challenges Hobbs for Collision. They really aren’t going to stretch this Learning Tree stuff out until Eddie Kingston is back right?

Here is MJF, who orders a jobber to get out of his ring. MJF wants an apology from Jeff Jarrett because it is hilarious that Jarrett thinks he can win a World Title in 2025 without MJF’s help. Maybe he is as senile as he looks. The reality is that wrestling does not love Jarrett anymore and neither do these fans. A mediocre strength DOUBLE J chant slows things down a bit before MJF says Jarrett might go better off making by making a deal with the devil rather than defying him.

Hangman Page vs. ???

It’s the same guy who MJF sent to the floor before the match and it’s a Buckshot Lariat for the pin at 33 seconds.

Post match Page gives him the Angel’s Wings. Christopher Daniels comes out to say he regrets taking the match with Page, because his neck is so damaged that his doctors have advised him to never wrestle again. He hopes Page can be happy and then walks away, leaving Page looking a bit shaken. That sounds like the end of Daniels’ career and the start of Page coming back to reality.

Mercedes Mone is ready to continue her international expansion. She’s ready to fight in Australia so here is Harley Cameron to challenger her. In song. She’s going to make Mone feel her wrath because four belts is a bit much. Mone says no because Cameron hasn’t won a mach on AEW TV. Renee Paquette does compliment the song.

Jamie Hayter vs. Julia Hart

they go outside to start and Hart is sent into the barricade. Then Hart is sent into the barricade and steps as this is a rather violent match to start. A missile dropkick gives Hayter two but Hart pulls her off the middle rope to send Hayter face first into the buckle. We take a break and come back with Hayter knocking her off the top for a double knockdown.

Hayter snaps off some German suplexes and hits a spinebuster for two. The half crab sends Hart over to the ropes and she grabs an Octopus hold. Hayter powers out and hits a backbreaker but Hart crucifix bombs her for two more. Hart stops to glare at the crowd though and the Hatebreaker into Hayterade finishes for Hayter at 9:38.

Rating: C. I’m not sure what it is about Hayter but there isn’t much to get interested in about her since she has been back. She’s just not very interesting and it’s showing more every time she’s out there. Hart is fine enough but these matches haven’t made me want to see either of them again, which is likely why we’re probably getting a rubber match.

Post match Hayter says she’s up for a rubber match anytime.

Powerhouse Hobbs will be waiting for Big Bill in the parking lot at Collision.

Swerve Strickland is coming after Ricochet soon.

Brody King/Buddy Matthews/Julia Hart, now with a dog, suggest that they have no leader. Then King puts on a mask and talks about barking. Then he barks.

Cope vs. Pac

They go to the mat to start and trade hammerlocks with neither getting very far. Back up and Pac backs him against the ropes before kicking away at the ribs. Cope heads to the floor and drops him face first onto the steps, followed by a whip into the barricade. Pac kicks the knee out and sends him into the apron, with Cope instantly favoring his neck.

A big dive takes Cope out again and we take a break. Back with Cope fighting out of a chinlock and hitting a dropkick to leave both of them down. Cope gets up and hits the Impaler but goes to the corner instead of covering. The spear is cut off and Pac hits a superkick to the back of the head.

A pump kick tot he back of the head sets up a release German suplex and Cope is rocked. The Brutalizer goes on but Cope powers up and plants him for the escape. Cope hits a spear to the back and another to the front, setting up a TKO of all things for the pin on Pac at 17:33.

Rating: C+. I wasn’t getting into this as the match was decent enough but it wasn’t very exciting. That has been the case with Cope for a good while now as he seems to love the idea of these long matches. Not a great match and the fans were only so into it, mainly because it’s yet another Death Riders match, despite the seeming lack of any interest in the story.

We cut to the back where the Death Riders have kidnapped FTR (again) and beat up the Rock N Roll Express. Cue the Death Riders to go after Cope and the beatdown is on. Jay White runs in for the save but gets beaten down as well, leaving Moxley to choke Cope out to end the show.

Oh I laughed hard at this ending, as AEW is now probably up to septupling up on the Death Riders stuff. Moxley gets to come out and look all awesome not once but twice, leaving the good guys laying again. Such is life in AEW, as this story keeps going, likely until Darby Allin is done climbing Mount Everest or whatever his latest thing is. Lucky us indeed.

Overall Rating: C+. This one didn’t do much for me, as the opening segment and title switch were about the only things worth seeing. The rest of the show fell into the same trap that AEW has been dealing with for a long time: it is all so serious and, save for Harley Cameron, most of it just isn’t fun. Everything feels like it’s all about being serious and such and that can get rough fast. I’m not sure what AEW needs, but just giving us some kind of comic relief or something a bit more goofy might be very nice for a change. For now though, not a bad show, but it got tedious in a hurry in the last hour or so.

Results
Hurt Syndicate b. Private Party – Spear to Kassidy
Swerve Strickland b. AR Fox – Swerve Stomp
Hangman Page b. ??? – Buckshot Lariat
Jamie Hayter b. Julia Hart – Hayterade
Cope b. Pac – TKO

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: January 15, 2025
Location: Andrew J. Brady Music Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re getting closer to Grand Slam and the card needs to start getting built up. Before we can get there though, we have Maximum Carnage, which should have quite the card. That includes the in-ring return of Kenny Omega, plus Powerhouse Hobbs getting a World Title shot at Jon Moxley. Let’s get to it.

We open with a big preview of the show.

Brian Cage vs. Kenny Omega

Don Callis is on commentary. Omega strikes away to limited avail as Cage grabs him for the curls into the toss. A clothesline drops Omega but Omega counters a powerbomb into a hurricanrana. Lance Archer offers a distraction though and Omega, whose head is cut open, is sent outside and sent into the announcers’ table. Callis gets in a few shots of his own and we take a break.

Back with Omega still in trouble but firing off a running knee. The F5 gives Cage two so he goes up top, only to get caught with a super sunset bomb. Omega’s running knee gets two and the V Trigger rocks Cage. The One Winged Angel (it took a second but he got cage up) finishes for Omega at 11:38.

Rating: B-. This was never going to be a match where the result was in doubt but what matters the most is that Omega got back in the ring and looked good enough. That wasn’t exactly guaranteed just a few months ago so it’s nice to see him in the ring again. He’s instantly one of the biggest names in AEW and having him beat a big enough name like Cage is a nice start on his road back.

Post match the beatdown is on but Will Ospreay runs in for the save. The Family beats them down though.

MVP is ready to get back in the ring.

The Learning Tree is ready for their match on Collision in Cincinnati, in the heart of the Bluegrass State. They can get along with the Death Riders.

Here is Ricochet, to quite the negative reception, for a chat. Before anything can be said, as the fans are not pleased, Swerve Strickland’s music hits and it’s Prince Nana with a chair shot to Ricochet’s back. Swerve chases Ricochet off and outside, complete with the snow.

We look at a Day In The Life Of Mercedes Mone. She shops, trains and is apparently all around swell. Keeping anything involving her talking short is appreciated.

Hurt Syndicate vs. Mark Briscoe/Private Party

The Syndicate jumps them to start and MVP kicks Briscoe in the face as we get going. Briscoe is sent outside and Benjamin drops him onto the apron as we take a break. Back with Briscoe still in trouble until he clotheslines his way out of trouble. Kassidy comes in to clean house and it’s off to Quen for some dropkicks. Everything breaks down and a jumping Downward Spiral hits Benjamin. Poetry In Motion does it again but Lashley is in with a spear. Benjamin’s release German suplex into a superkick finishes Quen at 9:26.

Rating: C+. This is what it needed to be and now we need to get to the next step of the Hurt Business winning the Tag Team Titles. There isn’t anything to keeping them on Private Party at this point as the champs have hardly done anything special with the belts. The Hurt Business is looking awesome at the moment and that was on full display again here.

We look at Cope brawling with Pac on Collision, setting up their match this weekend.

Video on Rated FTR.

Here is Jeff Jarrett for a chat but MJF cuts him off before he can get very far. MJF didn’t think much of Jarrett saying the last few weeks have been humbling but Jarrett calls him lazy for not wanting to enter the Casino Gauntlet. MJF snaps and says Jarrett has convinced a lot of people he’s a lot better than he is. MJF calls Jarrett the last thing any wrestling company sees before it dies.

We get some jokes about Jarrett’s alcohol issues before MJF offers to have some fun with Karen Jarrett before sending her back to Tennessee. That way Jarrett can know the taste of a generational talent and an Olympic gold medalist. Jarrett laughs everything off because he’s heard it before. The reality though is Jarrett did all of this before but he did it better. Jarrett says it must be really tough being raised by a call girl mother and an ambulance chasing father.

When MJF was in the ring going sixty minutes, his girlfriend was doing it too….just in the parking lot with other wrestlers. The reality is MJF needs Jarrett because he’s a scared little boy. MJF goes on a rant about how far he carried this company but then he got screwed out of a bunch of things. He needs to win the World Title so he can shove it down a whole lot of throats. But then he needs to wait for JEFF JARRETT?

The reality is no one has ever cared about Jarrett, who thinks his friendship with Owen Hart entitles him to a grand finale. That’s enough for Jarrett and the fight is on and security, plus Karen Jarrett, break it up. MJF grabs Karen for a second but lets her go before leaving. Jarrett is on to something with MJF being a one trick pony, as he has incredible delivery but almost every big time promo exchange like this breaks down to “here’s a list of insults about things in your past and I’m better than you.” It’s still good, but it feels like MJF might as well just be inserting names into a formula.

Video on Kazuchika Okada vs. Tomohiro Ishii.

Hook vs. Christian Cage

Hook jumps him on the ramp to start and the fight is on with Hook hammering away on the floor. The beating goes up the ramp and then back into the ring. Cage gives him a hug but gets suplexed for his efforts. Cage is sent into the buckle and we take a break. Back with Taz getting annoyed at Cage as he drops a splash for two. The spear gives Cage two more but the Killswitch is countered into a fisherman’s suplex for two more. Hook hammers away until Cage sends him into the post for a crash out to the floor. The Patriarchy is fought off and it’s the Redrum back inside, only for the Patriarchy to run in for the DQ at 11:38.

Rating: C. Of course it’s going to keep going. This is a feud that has been going on for a few months now and as long as Cage has that contract, almost anything he does feels like he’s just killing time. That isn’t doing Hook any favors and having him possibly dealing with Cage’s goons isn’t going to help either. The match was another brawl with interference, which is rather common around this place.

Post match the beatdown is on but Taz stands up….and Samoa Joe is back to clean house. Katsuyori Shibata runs in for the assist and the good guys stand tall.

The Undisputed Kingdom wants gold.

Dustin Rhodes interrupts Jeff Jarrett, saying MJF has no idea how this business works. Rhodes wants Jarrett to fulfill his dream.

Women’s Casino Gauntlet

For a shot at Mariah May, on commentary, at Grand Slam. Kris Statlander is in at #1 and Jamie Hayter is in at #2 as we have unknown entrants and uneven intervals. May immediately asks Taz if he wants to roll around on that new knee but he’s happily married. And retired. Hayter takes her down to start but gets planted as Megan Bayne (she’s rather tall and rather strong, leaving May looking worried) is in at #3.

Bayne elbows Statlander into the corner (May: “What does she eat for breakfast? Babies?”) and Hayter small packages her way out of a suplex as May is still worried. Julia Hart is in at #4 and is immediately suplexed on the ramp by Hayter. We take a break and come back with Willow Nightingale coming in at #5 but getting dropped by Bayne.

A double suplex drops Bayne and it’s Toni Storm in at #6. House is quickly cleaned as May is nervously laughing. Hart fights up and helps clear the ring before slugging it out with Hayter. Harley Cameron is in at #7 and grabs some rollups but Hayter plants Hart. Back up and Hart mists Cameron, only to get small packaged by Storm for the pin at 13:18.

Rating: B-. Bayne looked like a star and that was good to see, but this was pretty much a big countdown until Storm won. Who else was going to win the match and the title shot for a show coming up in Australia? I’m sure we’ll get the next big step in the evolution of Storm going forward, but for now she was the only realistic option here and that’s not a bad thing.

AEW World Title: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Jon Moxley

Moxley, the hometown boy, is defending and has the Death Riders with him. Hobbs hammers away to start and a running shoulder puts Moxley on the floor. They fight into the crowd with Moxley getting the better of things and hammering away back inside. Hobbs bites the ear for a breather though and we take a break.

Back with Moxley, bleeding from the ear, getting knocked down but telling Hobbs to bring it. The Paradigm Shift is blocked and Hobbs runs him over again. A spinning slam gives Hobbs two but Moxley pulls him into a cross armbreaker. That’s broken up so here is Wheeler Yuta for a cheap shot. Hobbs is back with a spinebuster but Marina Shafir gets in a briefcase shot so the Paradigm Shift can get two. The bulldog choke retains the title at 13:05.

Rating: B-. And the Death Riders interfere to keep the title on Moxley. Again. Like so many other heel stables have done over the years. That’s the problem with the Death Riders in general: it feels like something we’ve seen so many times now and that’s not overly interesting. The team’s mission is only so defined in the first place and we’re just sitting around waiting until someone steps up for the big moment. That makes for some tedious stuff, and that was the case again here.

Post match the beatdown is on, including a Pillmanizing of the leg. Rated FTR clear the ring to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. I’m not sure how big this show felt, but it was far from a bad week. Mega being back is a nice thing to see and they set up what very well may be the main event of Grand Slam with Storm vs. May. Other than that, it was a slightly above the normal show, albeit one that felt like it was designed to set up something else down the line. Good enough show, but not exactly an all time classic.

Results
Kenny Omega b. Brian Cage – One Winged Angel
Hurt Syndicate b. Private Party/Mark Briscoe – Superkick to Quen
Hook b. Christian Cage via DQ when the Patriarchy interfered
Toni Storm won the Women’s Casino Gauntlet – Small package to Hart
Jon Moxley b. Powerhouse Hobbs – Paradigm Shift

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: 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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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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AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Collision
Date: December 14, 2024
Location: Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis, Missouri
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

The road to Worlds End continues and that means we are going to be seeing more of the Continental Classic. Odds are that means some good action and if the trend continues, it will be more than enough to carry the show. The rest of the pay per view could use some attention as well so hopefully this show finds a good balance. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Claudio Castagnoli attacking Will Ospreay on Dynamite with Darby Allin making the save.

Allin asks Ospreay to help him fight the Death Riders but Ospreay is more focused on the Continental Classic. After it’s over, we’ll see.

The people involved in tonight’s Continental Classic matches are ready.

International Women’s Cup Qualifying Match: Willow Nightingale vs. Jamie Hayter

They go technical to start with neither getting very far. Hayter’s running shoulder doesn’t get her very far so Nightingale runs her over with a shoulder. Neither of them can get a backslide so they chop/slug it out instead to fire things up a bit. They go to the apron where Hayter gets in a DDT but Nightingale is right back up with a cannonball off said apron.

We take a break and come back with Hayter grabbing a superplex, followed by a basement lariat for two. Back up and they trade clotheslines for no impact so they trade big boots for a double knockdown. Nightingale’s torture rack backbreaker sets up a Lionsault (and a good one at that) for two. Hayter is back up with an Irish Curse for two but Nightingale muscles her up with the Babe With The Powerbomb for the pin at 12:08.

Rating: B. These two were beating the fire out of each other and that’s what you want from a hoss fight like this one. It’s nice to see Nightingale get a win, but at the same time I’m not sure if I would have had Hayter lose here. It’s a case where Nightingale could have beaten just about anyone to get this spot but Hayter takes the loss. Anyway, rather good match with two hard hitters.

Respect is shown post match. Nightingale leaves and here is Julia Hart to take Hayter out.

Video on the Continental Classic.

Continental Classic Blue League: Kazuchika Okada (4 points) vs. The Beast Mortos (0 points)

Non-title. Okada takes him up against the ropes to start and slaps him on the chest before Mortos hits a hard running shoulder. The snap powerslam out of the plants Okada and Mortos sends him outside, setting up the big flip dive. Mortos misses a charge into the steps though and we take a break.

Back with Mortos hitting the reverse Sling Blade as the fans certainly seem to approve. A trio of backbreakers give Mortos two but Okada is right back with a flapjack. They strike it out until Mortos hits a headbutt for the double knockdown. Okada is back up with a slam into the top rope elbow but the Rainmaker is countered into a discus lariat. Mortos’ Samoan drop gets two but he misses a twisting Swanton. Back up and Okada hits the dropkick and the Rainmaker finishes Mortos at 12:42.

Rating: B-. At this point, I’m just hoping Mortos gets a win for the sake of not squandering the reactions he’s receiving. I get that you can’t have him beat Okada (certainly after Okada just lost) but Mortos needs to do more than squash a jobber on Rampage. The match was pretty good with Okada being able to have a passable match in his sleep, but it felt more like a countdown to the Rainmaker more than anything else.

Blue League Standings

Kyle Fletcher – 9 points (2 matches remaining)
Kazuchika Okada – 7 points (1 match remaining)
Daniel Garcia – 4 points (2 matches remaining)
Shelton Benjamin – 3 points (3 matches remaining)
Mark Briscoe – 3 points (2 matches remaining)
The Beast Mortos – 0 points (2 matches remaining)

We look at Toni Storm returning on Dynamite, now without being Timeless.

Toni Storm vs. Shazza McKenzie

Storm shoulders her down to start and grabs a backbreaker but McKenzie gets two off a backslide. A German suplex drops McKenzie though and a running hip attack in the corner sets up Storm Zero for the quick pin.

Post match Storm officially declares herself All Elite. They wouldn’t do like, an amnesia deal….right?

Mariah May is ready to do whatever she has to do to keep the title, including to Thunder Rosa.

Thunder Rosa is ready for Mariah May anytime, but Toni Storm comes in to introduce herself. And she’s excited to meet Tony Schiavone. With that out of the way, Rosa issues the challenge for Worlds End in a street fight. More importantly though, yes they really do seem to be going with “she has amnesia.

Video on Darby Allin vs. Will Ospreay next week on Dynamite.

Top Flight vs. Action Andretti/Lio Rush

For a Tag Team Title shot and Leila Grey is here with Top Flight. Dante and Rush start things off with Dante grabbing an early rollup for two. Darius and Andretti come in for an exchange of rollups before Darius sends Rush into the corner. Everything breaks down and Top Flight are kicked out to the floor and we take a break.

Back with a rather choreographed sequence of flips and counters until Darius DDTs Rush for two. A double suplex gets two on Darius and Rush’s dodging sets up a clothesline to Dante. Some dives to the floor take Grey out and everyone is worried. Back in and the Final Hour into the springboard 450 pins Darius at 10:45.

Rating: B-. It was a fun match, though you might not care for the sequences that felt like they were carefully planned out backstage. At the same time, it’s hard to fathom that Rush and Andretti are getting a title shot when AEW has this may other teams who haven’t gotten a shot on a major stage. Like Top Flight.

Kris Statlander vs. Tootie Lynn

They trade kicks to start until Statlander grabs a rather delayed suplex for two. A hurricanrana out of the corner puts Statlander down but a clothesline into Staturday Night Fever finishes Lynn at 1:50.

Dustin Rhodes is ready to beat up the Righteous at Final Battle. He doesn’t mention his partner.

Outrunners/Orange Cassidy/Daniel Garcia/Komander vs. Premiere Athletes/MxM Collection

Woods takes Garcia up to the apron to start and mocks his dancing, which can’t be a good idea. Garcia takes him down for the cradle, setting up the real dancing. Cassidy comes in to stomp on Nese, who blocks the Stundog Millionaire. The Collection comes in to take Komander down and strike a pose as we take a break. Back with Komander getting powerbombed as everything breaks down. Garcia gets in a shot on the floor and Komander hits the rope run flip dive. The Orange Punch finishes Woods at 8:49.

Rating: C+. Well that happened. It had ten people involved with a good chunk of the match spent during the break. You can only get so far on a match like that, especially with that many people involved. I’m not sure why Cassidy was involved here but the fans liked him so this could have been worse.

Don Callis wants revenge on Mark Davis and Powerhouse Hobbs. That’s why it’s Hobbs vs. Konosuke Takeshita at Worlds End.

Continental Classic Blue League: Mark Briscoe (3 points) vs. Kyle Fletcher (9 points)

They take their time to start and Fletcher goes outside for an early breather. Back in and Fletcher takes him down into a headlock before a hard stomp wakes Briscoe up. Briscoe fights to his feet and knocks him to the floor for some running flip dives. Fletcher is back in to kick Briscoe outside but Briscoe is right back up for the apron Blockbuster.

A backdrop on the floor gets Fletcher out of trouble and he hits a running dive over the barricade to drop Briscoe again. Briscoe drops him right back though and we take a break. Back with Briscoe hammering away and grabbing a high collar suplex, followed by a fisherman’s buster for two. A clothesline into a basement clothesline has Fletcher down but he avoids the Froggy Bow.

Fletcher gets two off a Michinoku driver but Briscoe slips out of a powerbomb and they strike it out. The Cutthroat Driver is blocked, only for Fletcher to get caught using the ropes on a rollup. Back up and Briscoe catches him in the corner for the Cutthroat Driver, setting up a Froggy Bow to a standing Fletcher on the floor. The regular Froggy Bow gets two back inside and after blocking a low blow, the Jay Driller finishes Fletcher at 19:44.

Rating: B. They were teasing the time limit running out near the end and it made for some nice drama. Briscoe winning is a surprise, especially over Fletcher, who has been on the biggest roll so far in the tournament. For now though, it gives Briscoe some much needed life and that could make things a bit more interesting for the last week.

Blue League Standings

Kyle Fletcher – 9 points (1 match remaining)
Kazuchika Okada – 7 points (1 match remaining)
Mark Briscoe – 6 points (1 match remaining)
Daniel Garcia – 4 points (2 matches remaining)
Shelton Benjamin – 3 points (3 matches remaining)
The Beast Mortos – 0 points (2 matches remaining)

The Death Riders jump and kidnap FTR.

Overall Rating: B-. As usual, it’s a perfectly good show which would have been that much better if they cut it down to an hour or just past an hour. Throw in Storm seemingly having amnesia and the kind of weird choice for new #1 contenders to the Tag Team Titles and there were a few odd choices here. In other words, it was all about the Continental Classic and that helped things out more than anything else.

Results
Willow Nightingale b. Jamie Hayter – Babe With The Powerbomb
Kazuchika Okada b. The Beast Mortos – Rainmaker
Toni Storm b. Shazza McKenzie – Storm Zero
Action Andretti/Lio Rush b. Top Flight – Springboard 450 to Darius
Outrunners/Orange Cassidy/Daniel Garcia/Komander b. Premiere Athletes/MxM Collection – Orange Punch to Woods
Mark Briscoe b. Kyle Fletcher – Jay Driller

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 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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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

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

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

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

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

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Darby Allin is ready to take out Claudio Castagnoli.

Video on the Continental Classic.

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

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

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

Kris Statlander vs. Hikaru Shida

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

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

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

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

Video on Jay White vs. Hangman Page.

Bobby Lashley vs. Joe Keys/Cheeseburger

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

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

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

Darby Allin vs. Claudio Castagnoli

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dynamite
Date: November 13, 2024
Location: Total Mortgage Arena, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re closing in on Full Gear and the big story continues to be the Death Riders taking over everything. That changed a bit last weekend though as Orange Cassidy and friends stood up to the villains, with Cassidy himself scaring Jon Moxley off. The rest of the show could use some time of their own though so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Christian Cage/Hangman Page vs. Bang Bang Gang

Cage has the Patriarchy here with him. White backs Page up against the ropes to start and elbows him in the face but Cage tags himself in. Robinson comes in as well and flips Cage off but Cage manages to send him outside. Nick Wayne gets in a cheap shot on the floor and the slow beating continues. Cue Hook to choke Wayne over the barricade and drag him into the crowd though, allowing Robinson to hit a reverse DDT on the floor. Back in and the tag brings in White for a reverse DDT on Cage, plus a suplex into the corner to Page.

Everything breaks down and Robinson gets crotched on top, followed by a triangle clothesline to White. A super all away slam brings Robinson down for two but White is back in. Cage’s spear is countered into the Blade Runner but White has to duck the Buckshot Lariat. Back to back suplexes put the villains down and the Blade Runner sends Cage into the barricade. Back in and Robinson slugs away at Page, who gets sunset flipped for two. Kip Sabian gets in a contract shot to Robinson though and the Deadeye finishes at 12:33.

Rating: B-. Good opener here with something that felt a little bit different. Throwing something like Page and Cage together is an interesting way to go and the Gang was protected with the interference. I like this kind of thing every so often and it was a nice way to go for a change.

Here’s what’s coming at Full Gear and later tonight.

Mercedes Mone blames Kamille for the car issues last week and tells her to take care of her jacket. Then Kris Statlander shows up for a brawl, with Statlander driving Mone through a wall and onto Kamille. As the destruction of Kamille continues.

Here is Will Ospreay, who gets straight to the point by calling out Kyle Fletcher. Cue Fletcher, who threatens violence and then asks what Ospreay wants to talk about. Ospreay doesn’t buy this and tells Fletcher to drop whatever weapons he has because this is just for a talk. Fletcher throws a screwdriver down before Ospreay talks about their history together.

Fletcher knows everything about him, down to where his kids go to school, so why is all of this happening? That sends Fletcher into a rant about how Ospreay was selfish over the years and turned on a bunch of people, which is why Ospreay would have done the same thing in Fletcher’s spot. Ospreay asks what Fletcher has done, and he doesn’t mean Aussie Open. Fletcher wants a match at Full Gear, which sends Ospreay into a rant about how he’s Mr. PPV around here. He’s fought all kinds of champions on pay per view and stolen the show each time (yet he’s not like, in the title picture at the moment).

The match is set, with Lance Archer and Brian Cage coming in. Ospreay has friends of his own with Mark Davis and Powerhouse Hobbs so the fight is on. Cue Roderick Strong to go after Archer for their scheduled (falls count anywhere) match and we’re ready to go. Other than that, this was another long segment built around things that happened years ago and mostly not in AEW, which happens rather frequently around here.

Roderick Strong vs. Lance Archer

Falls count Anywhere and Archer sends him through some things as we take an early break. Back with Archer missing a charge into the barricade but Brian cage pops up to try a powerbomb. The Undisputed Kingdom makes the save but Archer is back up with a chokeslam to send Matt Taven into security. Strong comes back with a chair to the face and a jumping knee for the pin at 6:42.

Rating: C+. What do you say about something like this? It was a big brawl with a bunch of interference and a good chunk of it was spent in the break. Strong gets another win on the way to the MJF match and Archer loses again, which tends to be the case in any match that matters. Not much to see here, as the falls count anywhere aspect was little more than a way to have a bunch of interference.

Post match Strong promises to come after MJF (as he has not secured his match with his third win) but cue Konosuke Takeshita to jump him from behind. Cue Adam Cole for his scheduled match with Takeshita.

Adam Cole vs. Konosuke Takeshita

Non-title. Cole knocks him out to the floor to start while the theme song is still going, only for Takeshita to come in side and take over as we take a break. Back with Cole hitting the fireman’s carry backbreaker for two but Takeshita hits a Blue Thunder Bomb. Back up and Cole hits him in the face, only to miss the Boom. A brainbuster onto the knee gives Cole two but Takeshita is back with his modified Tombstone into a wheelbarrow suplex.

The big lariat gets two but another is cut off by Cole’s superkick. The Panama Sunrise connects, only for Takeshita to roll outside before the Boom. Takeshita whips out the Dynamite Diamond Ring and the referee turns away for the sake of plot convenience. The big shot to the head gives Takeshita the pin at 9:29.

Rating: C+. Well the ending did surprise me, and thankfully we won’t be getting a triple threat match with Cole, Strong and MJF. If nothing else, I’m not sure why Cole was getting a chance to equal Strong’s three wins but it wound up not mattering. Not a great match, which shouldn’t be a surprise given that it’s Cole, but at least the right person won.

Post match the beatdown is on but Kyle O’Reilly runs in for the save, with Ricochet coming out to fight Takeshita to the back. Cole and Strong shake hands but O’Reilly walks away.

The Hurt Syndicate is ready for Bobby Lashley to make an example out of Swerve Strickland.

Here are the Death Riders beating up JD Drake. Jon Moxley hijacks a cameraman and talks about what he has done to Orange Cassidy’s friends. Chuck Taylor is drinking through a straw and Wheeler Yuta believes in Moxley because Cassidy couldn’t save him. Cassidy is going to learn a lesson and the Death Riders have the power. Cue Cassidy to interrupt, with Rocky Romero and Mark Briscoe joining him.

Cassidy talks about how the World Title gives Moxley power so they’re going to wrestle for the title at Full Gear, where Cassidy will beat him. First though, he has to take out some pawns, like Wheeler Yuta, who he’ll face next week, before he can take down the king. The villains go to leave but Darby Allin dives off the balcony onto them. The Riders try to leave again (leaving Yuta behind) but Allin dives onto the back of their truck. Claudio Castagnoli swings him into a garage door and Yuta dives into the back of the truck to escape. That was a lot in one segment, though Cassidy still feels like his loss is just a formality.

Chris Jericho, with the Learning Tree, talks about Tomohiro Ishii being a young boy thirty years ago and having to wash Jericho’s back in the shower. Jericho accepts Ishii’s challenge and the match is n for two weeks.

Britt Baker vs. Penelope Ford

They fight over wrist control to start until Ford kicks her out to the floor as we take an early break. Back with Ford hitting a handspring elbow in the corner, only to get caught with a discus lariat. Ford Matrixes away from a clothesline and tries a….well commentary calls it a cutter but I’m not sure they made contact. Baker kicks her down and loads up the Lockjaw but takes too much time. Ford pulls her into the Muta Lock, which is reversed into the Lockjaw to finish Ford at 8:55.

Rating: C. Baker feels like she is just going through the motions here and that has been the case for a good while. She just doesn’t feel like she is doing anything overly good these days. At the end of the day, she has just stopped evolving and the rest of the division has, which doesn’t work out well. Ford is trying rather hard and while it’s not exactly getting her anywhere, it’s definitely noticeable.

Post match Serena Deeb comes out for a staredown with Baker.

Mina Shirakawa is back and read for a champagne celebration with Mariah May. Cue Harley Cameron, who says Shirakawa is called the Harley Cameron of Japan. Cameron: “Well welcome to the Harley Cameron of Harley Cameron!” They get into a chest shaking contest until Renee Paquette yells at them to stop.

Lio Rush vs. Swerve Strickland

They take turns flipping away from each other to start before going out to the floor. Rush rakes the eyes and yells a lot but gets sent ribs first into the apron. Rush sends him into the announcers’ table though and we take a break. Back with Swerve kicking him in the head on the apron and adding a suplex for two. Rush is back with a cutter for two of his own, followed by the Final Hour for another near fall. Rush’s rollup with ropes doesn’t work so he hits a rolling kick to the head. Strickland has had enough of this and hits the JML Driver for the pin at 10:06.

Rating: B-. Nice match here, as we get our required Rush appearance. Swerve had to fight through some adversity to win as Rush continues to try and get the Hurt Syndicate’s attention. Swerve having some issues with Rush made sense and it went the way it should have without hurting Swerve in any way.

Post match Swerve calls out Bobby Lashley for the brawl (saying we’re in Stamford, Connecticut). Cue Lashley and MVP and, after a THIS IS BRIDGEPORT chant, MVP says they have the numbers advantage and here is Shelton Benjamin to jump Swerve from behind. Prince Nana has to watch as Swerve is taken out. Lashley beats up Nana for a bonus.

Jamie Hayter is coming after one thing. Then the lights go out and we get a Julia Hart vignette, showing her recovering from being shot with an arrow in another vignette. Brody King calls her and says it’s time to come back. Then she seems to have a mental breakdown and screams a lot. Then she is handed a crossbow and puts on a hat.

Kings Of The Black Throne vs. FTR

For a spot in the Tag Team Title match at Full Gear, meaning Private Party is watching. Wheeler tries to pick up the pace against King to start but gets backdropped down hard. Black comes in to strike away at Harwood, who misses a right hand so Black drops down to the mat. Black kicks Harwood to the floor, where FTR gets in a shot of their own to take over. We take a break and come back with Black fighting his way out of trouble, allowing the tag back to King. Wheeler catches King on top though and a powerbomb/top rope clothesline combination gets two.

Black moonsaults onto Wheeler on the floor as King powerbombs Harwood for two back inside. King gets taken up top again but he gets knees up to block the PowerPlex. Black’s top rope double stomp hits Harwood for two and the Shatter Machine gets the same with Black making the save. A spike piledriver onto the apron plants Black but King is there with a dive. Back in and a pair of lariats into a sleeper finish Harwood at 13:28.

Rating: B. Another hard hitting match here and I like the result. FTR has been done to death in the title picture and it will add at least a little spice when they turn on the Outrunners at the show. The Kings Of The Black Throne needed a win to give them some momentum, even if it’s hard to buy that they are going to win the titles at Full Gear.

Respect is shown to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. I’m not sure what to make of this show. It was absolutely not boring, but the biggest thing is I’m not really overly interested in Full Gear. A lot of the matches feel like things we have to get through on the way to whatever is next and that’s not a great feeling to have. All of the run-ins and people interfering here didn’t really boost my interest as much as it made me want the show to calm down. It certainly felt like they were trying something different, though I’m not sure how well it worked.

Results
Hangman Page/Christian Cage b. Bang Bang Gang – Deadeye to Robinson
Roderick Strong b. Lance Archer – Jumping knee
Konosuke Takeshita b. Adam Cole – Punch with the Dynamite Diamond Ring
Britt Baker b. Penelope Ford – Lockjaw
Swerve Strickland b. Lio Rush – JML Driver
Kings Of The Black Throne b. FTR – Sleeper to Harwood

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

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.