Collision
Date: February 1, 2025
Location: Propst Arena At Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We have two weeks to go before we get to Grand Slam and the top of the card has come together. The show has some more spots to fill in though and we’ll start taking care of that this week. As for this week, we have a Mid-South street fight, despite not being in the Mid-South (well, at least the wrestling version). Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Hook/Samoa Joe vs. The Patriarchy

Wayne shoulders Hook down to start but gets suplexed for his efforts. Joe comes in but misses a charge into the corner, allowing Sabian to kick away. That doesn’t work for Joe, who runs Sabian over and hits the backsplash. Hook comes back in but gets taken into the wrong corner so the villains can take over.

Sabian grabs a chinlock as Schiavone rattles off the rest of the card, sounding more robotic than ever. A double suplex gives Wayne two but Hook is over to the corner without much trouble. Joe comes back in, hits the release Rock Bottom out of the corner, and MuscleBusters Sabian for the pin at 8:59.

Rating: C. This was what it needed to be, with Joe getting in there and smashing through everyone as soon as he got the chance. That’s the point of someone like Joe, as he is an absolute monster when he gets the chance. Joe vs. Cage could be interesting, though Joe should have something to do with Chris Jericho first.

Post match Christian Cage comes in with the metal contract and lays the winners out.

Cope thinks Jon Moxley is always whining about something and was stupid to hide the World Title in a briefcase. He wants Moxley at Revolution. Logical, but dang that’s a long time to sit through this feud.

The Beast Mortos vs. Adam Priest

The discus lariat and the spinning piledriver finish Priest at 44 seconds. Yep.

Post match here is Max Caster to say he doesn’t want to fight, but he does want to issue his first open challenge.

Max Caster vs. Rush

Rush isn’t having any of this waiting around to start and pounds Caster into the corner to start. The Bull’s Horns finishes at 1:03. Yep again.

Post match Rush and Mortos, with Dralistico get in the ring so Rush can do his catchphrase.

The Outrunners think the Learning Tree need to dig two graves.

Outrunners vs. Learning Tree

Big Bill is here with the Learning Tree. Jericho pokes Magnum in the eyes to start and takes those eyes into the corner for some raking. Floyd comes in for some alternating atomic drops and the villains are cleared out to the floor. Bill gets in a big boot for a cheap shot though and we take a break.

Back with Floyd getting to clean house but the Mega Powers elbow takes too long. Jericho gets the Walls on Floyd but Magnum comes back in with a suplex. NOW the Mega Powers elbow can connect, only for Bill to break up Total Recall. Keith small packages Floyd for the pin at 8:21.

Rating: C+. Maybe I was stupid for thinking they could do something with the Outrunners, but here they are losing to bigger teams. I know they weren’t going to be AEW Tag Team Champions, but they could have beaten some biggish team in a funny feud. Instead, they are the latest stars to be sacrifice on the altar of Jericho.

Post match, Big Bill beats up the Outrunners again. A double chokeslam through the table is loaded up but Bandido comes in for the save. Keith goes through the table instead.

Kyle Fletcher wants to even the score with Mark Briscoe. They’re set for next week.

Buddy Matthews again challenges Kazuchika Okada, who isn’t interested. B******* ensues.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Harley Cameron

Taya jumps her to start and stomps away in the corner, only to get kicked in the head. Back up and the sliding German suplex drops Cameron and we take a break. We come back with the fans chanting FEEL THE WRATH and Cameron hitting a Canadian Destroyer. Cameron misses a Swanton but gets speared, only for Cameron to roll her up for the pin and her first AEW victory at 7:34.

Rating: C. Now THIS is what AEW needs to do more often. It wasn’t some stunning upset or total nonsense, but one of the most popular stars in the promotion got a clean win. They still have time to do this on the way to Grand Slam where Cameron likely gets to lose to Mercedes Mone. Not a particularly good match, but it was what the fans wanted to see and it went well.

We get a sitdown interview with Ricochet, who is happy to be here among the best around. Then the fans turned on him and threw toilet paper at him. Swerve Strickland thought it was a good idea to join the fans booing him. Cue Strickland to say he could end Ricochet but that would disappoint fans in Atlanta. Strickland talks about how the two of them have a long history and now it is going to be a fight, which Ricochet can’t win. Ricochet talks about how he doesn’t care about the fans and they’ll see each other in Atlanta. Nice stuff here, as they’re making this feel like a showdown.

Here is Toni Storm to say that she has been playing the role of Toni Storm for the last six weeks. Naturally no one got this because she’s such a great actress. She has to run away after Mariah May broke her heart and now she has seen everything she has. May is a “shambolic b****.” and her time is over. At least they’re winking at the fact that it wasn’t a big surprise.

Video on Christopher Daniels.

Harley Cameron is outside of Mercedes Mone’s dressing room….and whips out a Mone puppet for some outstanding ventriloquism. Mone comes in to mock Cameron for being a loser who doesn’t get to ride the money train. Sweet goodness this woman is talented.

Video on Daniel Garcia.

TNT Title: Daniel Garcia vs. Kyle O’Reilly vs. Lee Moriarty

Garcia is defending and Moriarty’s ROH Pure Title isn’t on the line. Feeling out process to start with neither going much of anywhere. We get the parade of holds with neither being able to get very far, meaning it’s another standoff. Moriarty gets sent outside so the other two can get kicked in the face. A big dive drops O’Reilly and Garcia and we take a break.

Back with Moriarty hitting an Eat Defeat/Downward Spiral combination for two each. Some double teaming takes Moriarty down until an exchange of kicks leaves everyone down. Garcia hammers away at both of them in the corner. With O’Reilly down, Garcia gets the Dragon Slayer but O’Reilly breaks it up. Moriarty’s associate Shane Taylor punches Garcia into the Border City Stretch but Garcia reverses into the jackknife cover for the retaining pin at 11:31.

Rating: B-. This was mostly just a nice wrestling match, but CAN WE STOP PINNING RING OF HONOR CHAMPIONS??? If you don’t want O’Reilly to lose here then fine, but don’t put another champion in there to take the fall. Heck you had Shane Taylor RIGHT THERE on the floor to take the fall instead. This is one of those things that Tony Khan does far too often and it drives me insane.

Post match Shane Taylor Promotions surround O’Reilly and Garcia but the Undisputed Kingdom makes the save.

Video on Penelope Ford vs. Thunder Rosa.

Hologram is walking the streets and seems to have electrical powers.

Megan Bayne vs. Hyena Hera

Bayne powers her into the corner for some shoulders to the ribs to start and hits a pump kick for a knockdown. An F5 finishes Hera at 1:25. That’s how she should have debuted rather than being just another name in the Casino Gauntlet.

Lio Rush might take up Darius Martin’s challenge. Maybe.

Mariah May is ready to watch Toni Storm vs. Queen Aminata.

Kris Statlander apologizes to Willow Nightingale over their issues. Nightingale says it’s time to focus on herself, but Statlander pulls out their friendship bracelet, showing it was never broken.

Death Riders vs. FTR

Street fight and FTR jumps them in the crowd to start fast. The weapons are brought in rather quickly and the Riders fight back, with Cash being sent into the steps to put him down. Harwood is sent into them as well and Moxley puts him in a chair for a kick to the face and two, as “Mid-South Street Fight” apparently means falls count anywhere. Yuta chairs Harwood in the ring and here is Moxley with some pliers. Cash fights up and helps clean some house but Moxley pliers Harwood’s nose…and we take a break. Because of course.

We come back with Moxley pouring out the thumbtacks, only to get powerbombed onto them. Cash and Yuta fight over a suplex before Cash settles for a suicide dive. Moxley Death Riders Cash on the floor and puts a table up in the corner. The double suplex is broken up and Harwood hits a brainbuster for a needed breather.

Harwood grabs Moxley low, only for Marina Shafir to come in and grab Harwood low. Shafir grabs a choke but gets sent through the table in the corner for his efforts. A piledriver sets up a Sharpshooter on Moxley so here is Claudio Castagnoli for the save. Cue Jay White and Cope to even things up, with Yuta getting piledriven through the announcers’ able for the pin at 16:51.

Rating: B-. Quite the fight here and it’s nice to see the Riders lose, but at the same time, it was quite a bit of the same stuff that we have seen in this kind of a match before. The match did come a bit out of nowhere, though apparently this was the last minute replacement for Powerhouse Hobbs due to his injury, so fair enough. Good stuff here, but the Death Riders in general are just not that interesting.

Post match the Riders keep up the beating but get taken out, with a Shatter Machine and spear dropping Moxley. The Conchairto is broken up to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Nice enough show here, even if the audience is going to be crushed by the Royal Rumble. The last two non-squash matches were pretty good and I liked them throwing in some shorter matches to keep things moving. It’s not a show you need to see, but it was perfectly enjoyable.

Results
Hook/Samoa Joe b. The Patriarchy – MuscleBuster to Sabian
The Beast Mortos b. Adam Priest – Spinning piledriver
Rush b. Max Caster – Bull’s Horns
Learning Tree b. Outrunners – Small package to Keith
Harley Cameron b. Taya Valkyrie – Rollup
Daniel Garcia b. Lee Moriarty and Kyle O’Reilly – Jackknife rollup to Moriarty
Megan Bayne b. Hyena Hera – F5
FTR b. Death Riders – Spike piledriver through the announcers’ table 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: January 29, 2025
Location: Propst Arena At Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone

We are closing in on Grand Slam and that means it is time to start hammering down the card. One of the biggest matches is already set as the once again Timeless Toni Storm will be challenging Mariah May for the Women’s Title. We also have a big tag match already set but there is a lot left to cover. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Will Ospreay vs. Brian Cage

Lance Archer is here with Cage and Don Callis is on commentary. Hold on though as Callis points us to the screen, showing Kenny Omega having been attacked backstage. Ospreay snaps off a middle rope hurricanrana to start fast and they head outside, where Cage gets posted. Ospreay tries a Blockbuster off the barricade but Cage pulls him out of the air, walks him around the ring, and then hits a suplex on the floor. Archer gets in a cheap shot and Cage adds a leg lariat for two back inside.

Back to back backbreakers give Cage two and we hit the bearhug. Ospreay fights out and hits a handspring elbow before sending Cage outside. The Sasuke Special connects, only for Cage to hit his apron superplex to bring him back inside. Ospreay kicks him in the face a few times but gets powerbombed for his efforts. A middle rope F5 (that looked good) gets two and Archer gets caught shoving the foot off the ropes. Ospreay sends them into each other and hits the Styles Clash for the pin at 12:46.

Rating: B-. Nice back and forth match here, with Ospreay not exactly feeling in jeopardy but rather having to find a way to get around all those muscles. That’s a fine way to go and lets Ospreay look good in the process. The big match is coming in a few weeks, but my goodness it will be nice to get away from this feud for good.

Post match Archer comes in for the save but Kenny Omega makes the save with a chair. The rest of the Don Callis Family comes in and beats the heroes down. Stereo piledrivers leave them laying. This went on for awhile, much like anything involving the Family.

Hangman Page can’t find Swerve Strickland but he runs into MJF. With Page gone, MJF says no one is ruining his mood tonight because Jeff Jarrett is going to lose to Claudio Castagnoli.

Powerhouse Hobbs isn’t cleared to travel this week but he’s coming for Big Bill.

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Jeff Jarrett

If Jarrett wins, he gets a World Title shot. Jarrett starts fast with an armdrag and hiptoss before hammering away in the corner. The threat of a Figure Four sends Castagnoli bailing and we take an early break. Back with Wheeler Yuta at ringside and Jarrett fighting out of a chinlock. Jarrett grabs a Russian legsweep and hammers away but can’t get the Figure Four.

An enziguri misses though and Castagnoli gives him the Swing, setting up the Sharpshooter. Jarrett reverses into one of his own so Yuta sends in a chair for a distraction. Somehow the referee doesn’t notice Jon Moxley running in with the Paradigm Shift, setting up the Neutralizer to give Castagnoli the pin at 10:08.

Rating: C+. So the monster heel needed help to beat the old, past his prime star? This felt like just another reason to have the Death Riders out there getting in another beatdown. It’s also another way to crush something the fans are getting behind, which falls in line with the “we don’t like fun around here” style.

Post match MJF comes out to deck Jarrett with the ring. He respects his elders and that’s why he isn’t going to say he told Jarrett so.

Ricochet is going to deal with AR Fox and then move on to Swerve Strickland.

Ricochet vs. AR Fox

They start fast with Fox hitting something like a Stunner, setting up a swinging suplex. The fight heads outside with Fox chopping away, only to get hiptossed onto the apron. We take a break and come back with Ricochet hitting a People’s Moonsault for two. Fox fights up and slugs away, setting up stereo crossbodies for a double down. Ricochet slips out of a package piledriver to start but Fox puts him down for a 450. A fireman’s carry is loaded up so Ricochet grabs the referee to escape. The Recoil into the Spirit Gun into Vertigo finishes Fox at 11:01.

Rating: B-. I have no idea what else you were expecting here as this was exactly what you would have thought it would be. They did their flips, Ricochet won, it was entertaining. This was all it needed to be as Ricochet gets a win, though he wasn’t exactly being a big time villain here after his major turn.

Post match Swerve Strickland runs in with a chain but Ricochet busts out the scissors and uses Fox as a hostage/human shield to escape.

Jon Moxley won’t show the World Title because he is the World Title. He is forged in combat and wants 1000 of himself.

Chris Jericho says Roll Toad but isn’t happy with Big Bill for not being up Powerhouse Hobbs.

Jay White vs. Wheeler Yuta

Schiavone: “Well, here come the Death Riders again.” Yuta tries to jump him before the bell but has to bail from the threat of a Blade Runner. They trade headlocks to start until White crotches him on top in the corner and chops away on the floor. Yuta starts going after the knee to take over and a fisherman’s suplex gets two back inside. Excalibur sends us to a break but we stick around for another minute or so with Yuta staying on the leg.

We finally do take the break and come back with White breaking up a superplex and hitting one of his own. They trade rollups for two each until Yuta takes him down for the elbows to the face. Yuta tries the running knee but gets reversed into the Blade Runner for the pin at 13:34.

Rating: C+. This was good enough with White likely on the way to the title shot at Grand Slam. That is the kind of thing that is going to build up a title match like that and it should go well until Moxley gets to retain again. White is someone who feels like he can be raised up quickly and this was a good step forward for him.

Post match the Death Riders run in for the beatdown but Rated FTR makes the save. Harwood doesn’t like what happened to Ricky Morton and wants the Death Riders in a Mid-South street fight. The match is going to be in Huntsville but I guess Continental street fight doesn’t have the same ring.

We recap Toni Storm revealing that she is still Timeless in a bit of a confusing result.

Here is Mariah May to insist that Toni Storm is not real. May brings up beating Storm, who can’t win anything lately. May doesn’t need to cosplay because she is the best of the world.

The Gunns are coming back.

Here’s what’s coming on Collision.

We look at the Hurt Syndicate winning the Tag Team Titles.

Video on Konosuke Takeshita.

We look back at various things from earlier tonight.

The Vendetta yell about Harley Cameron and are ready for revenge on Collision.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone vs. Yuka Sakazaki

Mone is defending and gets wristlocked to start. Back up and Mone runs her over, meaning we get a bit of a dance. Sakazaki’s basement clothesline is cut off and they fight outside with Mone taking over. A Meteora off the apron connects to put Sakazaki down and we take a break.

Back with Sakazaki hitting a brainbuster for two but Mone grabs Three Amigos for the knockdown. A superplex hits for Sakazaki and she grabs a spinning faceplant for two. The Statement Maker is broken up so Sakazaki kicks her in the head and gets two off a rollup. Mone hits a powerbomb into the Mone Maker to retain at 13:33.

Rating: B-. As usual, Sakazaki is fine enough to good in the ring because she is talented. The problem is she’s just dropped into the title picture after not being around for months. She has never been established as a big deal around here so it’s hard to care about seeing her getting a title shot and then losing. The match was good enough, even if there was still no reason to believe Mone was losing.

Overall Rating: C+. And here we have the latest night of heel dominance, which is par for the course around here. It’s just what we see and that gets tiring in a hurry. Other than White winning and getting to stand tall (with help), it was mostly the villains getting in everything they did and having little comeuppance (even Ospreay got beaten down after being Cage). It was another skippable show and that is happening fairly often in AEW these days.

Results
Will Ospreay b. Brian Cage – Styles Clash
Claudio Castagnoli b. Jeff Jarrett – Neutralizer
Ricochet b. AR Fox – Vertigo
Jay White b. Wheeler Yuta – Blade Runner
Mercedes Mone b. Yuka Sakazaki – Mone Maker

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:

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

AND

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

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

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

Here is Worlds End if you need a recap.

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

We run down the card.

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

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

Orange Cassidy vs. Hangman Page

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

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

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

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

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

Acclaimed vs. Hurt Syndicate

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

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

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

Jamie Hayter vs. Julia Hart

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

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

Video on Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher.

We look at Kenny Omega returning at Worlds End.

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

The Undisputed Kingdom is back and rather pleased.

Roderick Strong vs. Swerve Strickland vs. Jay White

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

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

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

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

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

Mariah May brags about how awesome she is.

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

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

We look at Christian Cage hurting Hook’s hand.

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

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Jon Cruz/Rob Killjoy

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

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

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

Death Riders vs. Rated FTR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zero Hour: Toni Storm vs. Leila Grey

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

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

Zero Hour: QT Marshall vs. Jeff Jarrett

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Continental Classic Semifinals: Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher

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

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

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

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

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

Continental Classic Semifinals: Ricochet vs. Kazuchika Okada

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Women’s Title: Thunder Rosa vs. Mariah May

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

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

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

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

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

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Adam Cole

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

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

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

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

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

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

International Title: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

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

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

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

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

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

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

TBS Title: Kris Statlander vs. Mercedes Mone

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

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

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

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

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

Statlander gets a big ovation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Chris Jericho vs. Anthony Bowens

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

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

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

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

Private Party vs. Alec Price/Leo Sparrow

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

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

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

Thunder Rosa vs. Leila Grey

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

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

Worlds End rundown.

Hook vs. Nick Wayne

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dynamite
Date: December 25, 2024
Location: Hammerstein Ballroom, New York City, New York
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

It’s time for the end of the Continental Classic and that means we have a bunch of matches to wrap up the whole thing. In this case we have to get ready for Saturday’s Worlds End pay per view, so the rest of the show is going to need some more time as well. Granted nothing has come close to receiving the focus of the tournament so there is a lot to cover here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Continental Classic Gold League: Will Ospreay (6 points) vs. Brody King (6 points)

The loser is eliminated. King powers him into the corner to start and easily blocks a hurricanrana attempt. A shoulder drops Ospreay but he gets the knees up to stop a backsplash. The Ganso Bomb is blocked as well and they head outside, with King hammering away to take back over. Back in and we hit the neck crank for a bit before they slug it out. Ospreay goes down again and we take a break.

Back with King grabbing a release fisherman’s suplex but getting knocked to the floor for a corkscrew moonsault. Back in and King backdrops his way out of something before shrugging off some chops. The Cannonball in the corner gets two but Ospreay gets up to chop it out again. Shockingly this goes to King but Ospreay scores with a headbutt. Some Kawada Kicks into a Styles Clash get two on King but he blasts Ospreay with a clothesline for two of his own. Ospreay forearms him into the Hidden Blade for two, followed by Stormbreaker for the win at 15:29.

Rating: B+. These guys beat the heck out of each other and that’s what you need in a match like this one. Ospreay was wrestling more like a superhero again instead of whatever he’s been doing recently and that was great to see. It’s a shame to see King lose again, but dang I’ve missed this Ospreay and hopefully he can make a deep run in the tournament, if not outright win it, to get out of his up and down stretch. Heck of a match here.

Gold League Standings

Claudio Castagnoli – 9 points (1 match remaining)
Ricochet – 9 points (1 match remaining)
Will Ospreay – 9 points (0 matches remaining)
Darby Allin – 6 points (1 match remaining)
Brody King – 6 points (0 matches remaining)
Komander – 0 points (1 match remaining)

The Hurt Syndicate is banned from the building, as per Christopher Daniels, for Shelton Benjamin’s match. Oddly they agree out of respect for…Renee Paquette?

Continental Classic Gold League: Darby Allin (6 points) vs. Ricochet (9 points)

Allin chills in the corner to start and Ricochet gets annoyed before they grapple around for a bit. Allin’s shoulder puts him down but Ricochet nips up, where Allin grabs a headlock. They go into the corner where Ricochet hits a right hand and we take a break. Back with Ricochet messing with the toilet paper and dropping Allin again.

A springboard clothesline into a Lionsault hits Allin but it’s too early for the 450. Allin rolls him up for two and sends him outside, where it’s time for a table, despite a table having nothing to do with this match. Ricochet’s 630 seconds Allin through the table and the referee is just fine with this happening.

We take another break and come back with Ricochet hitting a springboard double stomp. Allin forearms him on the top and hits a super Code Red, followed by a regular Code Red for two of his own. Ricochet sends the bad ribs into the ropes but misses a springboard 450. Allin grabs a Fujiwara armbar and cranks o the other arm as well but Ricochet makes the rope. A Scorpion Death Drop hits Ricochet and Allin adds the Coffin Drop but time expires at 19:57 (close enough), which is enough for Ricochet to advance to the semifinals.

Rating: B-. So one of the whole points of the tournament is not having interference so there is no way to have the referee distracted for the table spot. Well then maybe don’t do the table spot. Shocking idea I know but anyway, the rest of the match was fine enough, with Allin surviving against the crazy athlete despite the bad ribs. Just cut out the unnecessary table deal, which didn’t really make a significant impact.

Gold League Standing

Ricochet – 10 points (0 matches remaining)
Claudio Castagnoli – 9 points (1 match remaining)
Will Ospreay – 9 points (0 matches remaining)
Darby Allin – 7 points (0 matches remaining)
Brody King – 6 points (0 matches remaining)
Komander – 0 points (1 match remaining)

Jay White is ready to win the AEW World Title.

Continental Classic Gold League: Komander (0 points) vs. Claudio Castagnoli (9 points)

Komander’s newly won ROH TV Title isn’t on the line. Castagnoli strikes away to start and grabs a delayed suplex. The neck crank goes on as Schiavone rapid fires upcoming shows and on-sale dates. A super gutbuster gives Castagnoli two and a jumping double stomp gets the same. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Komander switches up into an electric chair, where they crash over the top and out to the floor.

Komander stays on his shoulders, at least until Castagnoli sends him face first into the apron. Back up and Komander hits a running flip dive to the floor, followed by a running faceplant back inside. Castagnoli crotches him on top and hits a big boot out to the floor, where Komander finds some brass knuckles. A right hand knocks Castagnoli silly and Cielito Lindo pins him at 7:37.

Rating: C+. What a heroic way to win! As usual, the Death Riders look strong even in defeat, with Komander doing quite the random heinous act of violence to win a match that means very little to him. I do like Komander winning his first match since becoming champion, but he couldn’t win with a rollup here to actually make him look good as opposed to a cheater?

Gold League Standings

Ricochet – 10 points (0 matches remaining)
Claudio Castagnoli – 9 points (0 matches remaining)
Will Ospreay – 9 points (0 matches remaining)
Darby Allin – 7 points (0 matches remaining)
Brody King – 6 points (0 matches remaining)
Komander – 3 points (0 matches remaining)

Post match the Death Riders run out to wreck Komander but Orange Cassidy and Jay White come in for the save. Then Jon Moxley beats them both down and says neither of them will get close to the World Title. Hangman Page comes in and Moxley is finally beaten down, leaving the other three to argue over the briefcase.

Video on Mercedes Mone vs. Kris Statlander.

Continental Classic: Kazuchika Okada (7 points) vs. Shelton Benjamin (6 points)

They start slowly with Okada taking him up against the ropes for the slaps to the chest. Benjamin is back up and Okada bails out to the floor, where he catches Benjamin with a DDT. Back in and a super hiptoss gives Benjamin two and we take a break. We come back with Benjamin winning an exchange of forearms but getting caught with a DDT.

An ankle lock slows Okada down but he escapes into the cobra clutch. With that broken up, Okada hits the White Noise onto the knee before they exchange rolling German suplexes. The Rainmaker is countered into Paydirt but the exploder is countered into the Rainmaker to give Okada the pin at 12:35.

Rating: B-. Another good match here with Okada getting his win and likely going on to the next round. It’s nice to see Okada having some bigger and better matches, though that is going to have to continue long term. Benjamin continues to be rather excellent in AEW as a much more serious star who can work with anyone. That’s better than he had been used in WWE and it’s hard to fathom how they couldn’t find a better use for him.

Blue League Standings

Kazuchika Okada – 10 points (0 matches remaining)
Kyle Fletcher – 9 points (1 match remaining)
Mark Briscoe – 9 points (0 matches remaining)
Daniel Garcia – 7 points (1 match remaining)
Shelton Benjamin – 6 points (0 matches remaining)
The Beast Mortos – 0 points (0 matches remaining)

Post match Okada teases flipping him off but shakes his hand.

Swerve Strickland wants to step up in 2025 but Ricochet interrupts, saying he’s going on to Worlds End. Strickland tells him to not screw it up.

We get a New York Minute with Chris Jericho and the Learning Tree, where he accepts Anthony Bowens’ challenge for Rampage.

Toni Storm vs. Taya Valkyrie

Deonna Purrazzo is here with Valkyrie, who strikes away to start as the fans declare Storm a rookie. Valkyrie’s running knees in the corner get two but Storm fights up with a clothesline. That earns her a leg wrap around the ring to put Valkyrie in control again as we take a break. Back with Valkyrie kneeing her way out of the corner and hitting a clothesline. Storm hammers away and scores with a hip attack but Storm Zero is blocked. Valkyrie yells at her a lot but gets small packaged to give Storm the pin at 7:05.

Rating: C. It’s still weird to see Storm as a rookie who can’t remember knowing anyone in her history. I’m not sure where that is going to lead, but there is still the chance that it is little more than a big mind game. That would make more sense, though I could go for more of the traditional Storm for a long time.

Video on MJF vs. Adam Cole.

Christopher Daniels interrupts Hangman Page, who isn’t interested in Daniels’ offers of help. Daniels knows what it’s like to be alone, but if Page needs a friend at Worlds End, he’ll be there.

Continental Classic Blue League: Daniel Garcia (7 points) vs. Kyle Fletcher (9 points)

Non-title, Garcia advances with a win, Fletcher advances with a win or a draw. They fight over a lockup to start with Fletcher powering him into the corner. Garcia slips out of a slam attempt though and hammers away, only to be sent outside. Fletcher follows him out and hammers away before powerbombing Garcia onto the apron.

We take a break and come back with Garcia hitting some clotheslines and sending Fletcher crashing out to the floor. Back in and Garcia hits a hanging swinging neckbreaker but Fletcher hits a running boot in the corner. They go out to the apron where Fletcher hits a DDT, followed by a sitout powerbomb for two. A brainbuster gets two more and Fletcher takes them up top, where Garcia reverses into….something for a double crash. Garcia’s Sharpshooter is broken up and Fletcher takes him into the corner for the brainbuster onto the buckle for the pin at 15:06.

Rating: B-. The mega push of Fletcher continues and this should set him up for a rematch with Will Ospreay at Worlds End. I’m not sure that is going to mean for Fletcher, but he is certainly getting a chance to show what he can do. Other than that, Garcia loses again and hopefully that means he’ll have some title defenses coming up, as he’s lost a few matches as champion in the tournament.

Blue League Standings

Kyle Fletcher – 12 points (0 matches remaining)
Kyle Fletcher – 9 points (1 match remaining)
Mark Briscoe – 9 points (0 matches remaining)
Daniel Garcia – 7 points (0 matches remaining)
Shelton Benjamin – 6 points (0 matches remaining)
The Beast Mortos – 0 points (0 matches remaining)

So the semifinals are Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher and Ricochet vs. Kazuchika Okada. Therefore, Ospreay comes out for the staredown.

Worlds End rundown.

Jon Moxley is ready to end things at Worlds End and if you are not willing to sacrifice when he will sacrifice you. And he’s a king.

Overall Rating: B. This show is going to depend on what you think of the Continental Classic, because the vast majority of the show was focused on the tournament. Other than the Death Riders/Page and company segment, the first hour and fifteen minutes was almost entirely built around the Continental Classic. It does help that the show was on Christmas night, but dang that is a lot of focus on a tournament for a midcard title while some things on the pay per view were entirely ignored. I’m not sure what AEW is going to have planned for the shows after the tournament is over, but we’ll be finding out rather quickly.

Results
Will Ospreay b. Brody King – Stormbreaker
Darby Allin vs. Ricochet went to a time limit draw
Komander b. Claudio Castagnoli – Cielito Lindo
Kazuchika Okada b. Shelton Benjamin – Rainmaker
Toni Storm b. Taya Valkyrie – Small package

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.

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:

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

AND

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gold League Standings

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

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

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

MJF is back.

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

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

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Adam Cole

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

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

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

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

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

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

We recap the Continental Classic matches from Rampage and Collision.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gold League Standings

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

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

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

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

Women’s Title: Mariah May vs. Mina Shirakawa

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.