Kenny Omega is set for action this Wednesday on Dynamite.
On Sunday’s Collision, it was announced that Kenny Omega will take on Blake Christian. It will be his first match since Revolution, when he defeated Konosuke Takeshita for the International title. He will next defend the title against Speedball Mike Bailey and Ricochet in a three-way match at AEW Dynasty on April 6.
FTR will sit down with Tony Schiavone. Recent weeks have seen Dax Harwood rebuff The Undisputed Kingdom for a handshake after wrestling them twice on recent episodes of AEW Collision. After Jon Moxley defeated Adam Copeland to retain the AEW World title on last week’s Dynamite, FTR came out to help Copeland but Harwood ended up storming to the back, leaving Cash Wheeler at ringside.
Elsewhere on the show, Kyle Fletcher will make his return to in-ring action, taking on Brody King. On Collision, he promised that he would make clear what was next for himself and the Don Callis Family.
With Revolution in the rearview, Kyle Fletcher and Don Callis are locked in on what’s next.
Also announced for the show is Mark Briscoe taking on Konosuke Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs facing Mark Davis. Additionally, Toni Storm and Thunder Rosa will face Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford after the company confirmed that Storm will defend the AEW Women’s title against Bayne at Dynasty.
Here is the updated card for AEW Dynamite:
Kenny Omega vs. Blake Christian
Kyle Fletcher vs. Brody King
Mark Briscoe vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Mark Davis
Toni Storm & Thunder Rosa vs. Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford
FTR sit-down interview
MJF will respond to MVP’s offer to join The Hurt Syndicate
AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland will prepare for his non-title match against Wheeler Yuta on Wednesday’s Dynamite with a title eliminator match on Saturday’s AEW Collision.
The news was revealed during Friday’s Rampage and the match is of the open challenge variety with an opponent yet to be named.
After stepping in for Mark Briscoe and Tomohiro Ishii on this past Wednesday’s Dynamite, former AEW Tag Team Champions FTR will take on The Outrunners. FTR and The Acclaimed came face-to-face on Wednesday as both try to position themselves for a shot at current champions The Young Bucks.
In an unusual pairing, Darby Allin will team with Hologram to take on The Varsity Athletes’ Josh Woods & Tony Nese. The Athletes were unable to defeat Hologram & Mistico last week.
In a battle of former LFI stablemates, Rush will go one-on-one with Preston Vance. It’s Vance’s first match anywhere since January.
Former AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida will be in action.
Here’s the current card for Saturday’s live show in Arlington, Texas:
AEW World title eliminator: Swerve Strickland vs. TBA
FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum)
Darby Allin & Hologram vs. Varsity Athletes (Josh Woods & Tony Nese)
AEW Trios title eliminator: House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King & Buddy Matthews) vs. Bang Bang Gang (Juice Robinson & The Gunns) with Christian Cage as special guest referee
Hikaru Shida vs. TBA
Rush vs. Preston Vance
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Thunder Rose in a Texas bullrope match
New allies Bryan Danielson & FTR will team up in trios action on this Saturday’s AEW Collision — one of six matches announced on Friday morning.
The three will take on The Righteous & Lance Archer as Danielson, Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood prepare for their Anarchy in the Arena match against The Elite at next Sunday’s Double or Nothing.
Former AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy will look to follow up with his win over Trent Beretta last week as he battles Isiah Kassidy.
The show will feature three FTW Contenders Series matches with the winners advancing to a three-way on this Wednesday’s Dynamite where the winner of that match will challenge Chris Jericho for the title, likely for Double or Nothing.
One will see Hook take on Johnny TV for the first time ever, another will feature Katsuyori Shibata vs. Rocky Romero with the other being Bryan Keith vs. Boulder.
In what should be a high-flying affair, Pacific Northwest product Nick Wayne will take on Jack Cartwheel.
Unified AEW Trios Champions The Bang Bang Gang (Jay White & The Gunns) will be on hand to share some thoughts.
Those join the previously announced Will Ospreay vs. Shayne Taylor, Deonna Purrazzo vs. Robyn Renegage, Serena Deeb vs. Anna Jay, and Rush matches.
A new stipulation has been added to the Tag Team title match at AEW Dynasty next week.
During AEW Collision, it was announced that The Young Bucks and FTR will now square off in a ladder match on April 21. The match serves as the finals of a tournament to crown new champions after Sting and Darby Allin vacated the titles following Sting’s retirement in March.
On Dynamite, The Young Bucks aired real-life footage of a brawl between Jack Perry and CM Punk at All In last August. They used the altercation to push their Dynasty match, saying that because of what happened, they weren’t able to focus on their match against FTR at All In. They even went as far as accusing FTR of being the masterminds behind the altercation, but later took it back as they said the accusation was too “unprofessional”.
Roderick Strong will also defend the International title against Kyle O’Reilly. After weeks of Strong supporting O’Reilly as he went on his own path, he turned on O’Reilly at AEW Battle of the Belts X. As O’Reilly was checking on Rocky Romero following his loss, Strong used the distraction to lay out O’Reilly, telling him that he had made the wrong choice.
The updated lineup for Dynasty:
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe defends against Swerve Strickland
AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm defends against Thunder Rosa
TBS Champion Julia Hart defends against Willow Nightingale
Ladder match for AEW Tag Team titles: The Young Bucks vs. FTR
AEW International title: Roderick Strong defends against Kyle O’Reilly
AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada defends against PAC
Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay
Adam Copeland, Eddie Kingston & Mark Briscoe vs. House of Black (Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews & Brody King)
Orange County, Florida, prosecutors decided last week to pursue charges against AEW wrestler Cash Wheeler from his July 2023 arrest for aggravated assault with a firearm.
Wheeler (real name Daniel Wheeler) was arrested on July 27th, 2023, following what was described as a road rage incident in which he allegedly flashed a gun at another party. A warrant was filed for his arrest the next day and he pleaded not guilty on August 3rd, presenting himself for arrest on August 18th.
At that time, he was released on $2500 bond, ordered to turn in any weapons he owned, and to have no contact with the alleged victim(s).
Prosecutors decided to move forward on Thursday, February 1st with a hearing to take place on Tuesday, February 20th.
Florida law calls for a maximum penalty of five years in prison or five years probation, plus a $5000 fine — all applicable for first-time offenders.
Outside the initial arraignment, Wheeler has yet to speak publicly on the matter.
At the time of the arrest, there was some concern about whether he would be able to travel to London, England, for last August’s All In, but he appeared on the show with FTR teammate Dax Harwood against the Young Bucks as scheduled.
Bret Hart says he feels as popular as ever thanks to currently active wrestlers frequently paying tribute to him.
Hart was interviewed by Fox News Australia recently as he heads to the country in April for Starrcast Downunder. During the discussion, he spoke about how he appreciates the respect he’s given from wrestlers such as CM Punk and FTR.
Hart said:
I seem to be as revered or popular as I’ve ever been – and it’s maybe because of the salutes I’ve been getting from guys like (CM) Punk, and FTR, different wrestlers have mentioned my name, or do something that I did in the ring as a nod or a salute to me, and I appreciate all that. I think CM Punk alone has done a lot to remind wrestling fans to take a look back at some of the stuff that I was doing, and how good it was.
And I think it’s starting to stand out now where it’s like – in my honest opinion, without trying to sound too boastful, they’ve pulled the curtain back on wrestling so much. So now we know the whole thing’s a show, and they’re just really good physical actors, and that is what it is.
But you watch my wrestling and you go, jeez, he was the best. I think I made it look more real than anybody all the time. I made your stuff look good, I made my own stuff look good, nothing looked rehearsed. There’s so much I think in today’s wrestling that’s so badly rehearsed, over and over.
The recently returned Serena Deeb is another wrestler who often pays tribute to Hart in her matches. One of her signature moves is a modification of Hart’s figure-four leglock around the ring post.
Hikaru Shida vs Serena Deeb AEW Dynamite, 10/27/21
This was terrific, I love Serena Deeb and I popped for all the Bret Hart isms, Malenko 1 legged Boston crab, and the Bulldog/Bret finish.
WrestleMania 40 main eventer, The Rock, has also frequently stated Hart was someone who helped him early in his career.
Im always happy to shine light on those who impacted my life early in my pro wrestling career. Bret Hart treated me so good, took me under his wing and gave me great advice. Respect the business, save your money and never let those assholes bring you down. The rest is history 🥃 https://t.co/kLnf1WMm8R
With WWE Elimination Chamber in Perth coming up later this month, Hart also praised Australia’s Rhea Ripley during the interview.
Hart said:
I really like her a lot. I really like her poise, her staying in character and sort of living her – she seems like she’s adapted a character that’s fun to play, and she’s playing into that, full tilt.
She’s putting that realism into it; that’s what I miss in a lot of wrestling today, just making it feel more real, and she makes it feel pretty real all the time.
For the first time ever, Bryan Danielson will take on CMLL star Hechicero as part of tonight’s AEW Collision from Edinburg, Texas.
The CMLL foursome of Hechicero, Volador Jr., Mistico and Mascara Dorada made their AEW presence felt this week, attacking Danielson’s Blackpool Combat Club partner Jon Moxley on Wednesday’s Dynamite.
After last week’s victory over the House of Black in an Escape the Cage match, FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) will again team with Daniel Garcia as they face TNT Champion Christian Cage and The Patriarchy (Killswitch & Nick Wayne).
AEW Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston will be in non-title action as he takes on Bryan Keith.
Serena Deeb will look to get a win streak going following her recent return to AEW after a lengthy absence as she faces Queen Aminata who is still in search of her first-ever AEW victory.
Mark Briscoe will also be heard from on the show.
**********
After a week off, Sir Elton John welcomed us to Collision. Tony Schiavone, Kevin Kelly, & Nigel McGuinness were on the call.
Proving Ground Match – AEW Continental Champion Eddie Kingston defeated Bryan Keith
This was an excellent back-and-forth fight, as these two battered each other for the better part of fifteen minutes. The match really picked up after the commercial, and the nearfalls got more believable for both men as time went on. Keith getting the official graphic after this match was well-earned, as he has had several good showings since coming onto AEW’s radar.
After a lockup, Keith tagged Kingston with a palm strike. Kingston blocked another palm strike before knocking Keith down with a chop. Kingston chopped Keith a couple times before dumping him with an overhead suplex. Keith came back, trading headbutts with Kingston before Kingston caught him with more chops.
Keith refused to fall to more chops, firing back at Kingston with elbows before dropping him with a low dropkick and a running boot. Keith hit a crescent kick, but Keith only got a one count. Keith hit a jumping knee that sent Kingston to the floor, then sent Kingston into the barricade with an Irish whip. Keith laid in elbow strikes but ran into a belly-to-belly suplex as we went to commercial.
After a commercial, Kingston fought off a charging Keith in the corner. He went to the top rope, but Keith hit a headbutt that sent Kingston to the floor. Kingston tried to fight back into the ring, but Keith booted him to the floor and hit a cannonball to the floor. Keith hit a Yakuza kick and hit a Northern Lights Bomb for a nearfall. Keith couldn’t hook up the Tiger Driver, instead getting hit with an Exploder suplex. Keith came back with an Exploder of his own before hitting the Tiger Driver for a big nearfall.
Kingston reversed an Irish Whip with a backfist. Keith caught Kingston with a rising knee, but Kingston hit a Saito suplex for a nearfall. Kingston hit the machine gun chops in the corner, but Keith exploded out with an enzuigiri. Kingston caught Keith in a sleeper hold, then drilled Keith with a DDT for a nearfall. Keith came back with palm strikes, but Kingston put him down with a second backfist to score the win.
After the match, Tony Schiavone got in the ring and complimented Kingston on his match. Kingston put over Schiavone’s wife Lois, then told him to talk to Keith. Schiavone announced that Keith was officially All Elite, with the graphic appearing on the big screen. His home state cheered him as Kingston congratulated him, but Bryan Danielson’s music hit. Danielson, whose match was next, brushed past Kingston to raise Keith’s hand. Kingston was annoyed and left.
We got a recap of the CMLL luchadores attacking Jon Moxley on Dynamite. We cut to a video of Moxley from after Dynamite, where he said that the fight reminded him of a night in the drunk tank in Laredo. He said that the BCC had no reason to disrespect the CMLL wrestlers, but they came into his house and disrespected him. If the CMLL wrestlers thought they were lazy American wrestlers like “the guys on the other channel,” they were wrong. Moxley said that they better hope the BCC don’t show up to their house.
Bryan Danielson defeated Hechicero
An incredible showing from Hechicero, as his transitions and submission holds were dazzling. The announcers hyped him up as one of Mexico’s greatest technical wrestlers, and he lived up to the billing here. Despite this being a clean win for him, it felt like Danielson stole away with this win. The CMLL vs. BCC feud is a winner so far.
The announcers put over Hechicero’s technical ability, calling him the best technical wrestler out of Mexico in the last 20 years. The two got into matching leg locks before Hechicero caught Danielson in a pin for a nearfall. Danielson locked on a Romero Special, but Hechicero quickly escaped and locked one on before rolling through several times. The crowd chanted for Hechicero as McGuinness praised him. Danielson turned to strikes, clubbering Hechicero in the corner with kicks. Danielson went for a top rope Frankensteiner, but Hechicero turned it into a sunset flip for a nearfall. Hechicero hit a wild guillotine legdrop tijeras before spinning Danielson into a choke that forced Danielson to the ropes.
After a commercial, Hechicero forced Danielson into the corner with strikes. The announcers put over how Hechicero was out-wrestling Danielson. Danielson vaulted over Hechicero to start his comeback, but Hechicero caught him with a step-up dropkick and a rising knee. Hechicero went to the top rope with Danielson, but Danielson knocked him down with a headbutt. Danielson went for the diving headbutt, but Hechicero caught him in an armbar that he transitioned into a pin for a nearfall.
Hechicero caught Danielson with a choke over the ropes before sending Danielson to the floor. Hechicero followed Danielson to the floor with a Superman dive. Hechicero went for a springboard dive into the ring, but Danielson caught him with a double underhook transition into the LeBell Lock. Hechicero got out of the hold and transitioned into a wild submission that tied Danielson up like a pretzel.
Danielson got to the ropes, then took Hechicero down with kicks. Danielson hit the middle kicks, but Hechicero caught the head kick and turned it into a spinning hammerlock backbreaker. Danielson ducked the rising knee and took Hechicero down with a Dragon Screw. Danielson went for the Busaiku Knee, but Hechicero reversed it into a pin for a nearfall. Hechicero locked on a submission, but Danielson turned it into a pin cover to score the win.
After the match, Hechicero jumped Danielson and laid in the boots, but Claudio Castagnoli ran him off.
FTR & Daniel Garcia were backstage with Lexy Nair, who asked if this trio would continue after their cage match win last week. Garcia said that no one saw this coming, but the best things in life are things you don’t see coming. FTR said that while they didn’t make the rankings as a tag team, they did make it as a trio with Garcia. They closed a chapter last week against the House of Black and planned on starting a new one against Christian Cage & The Patriarchy tonight.
Hook defeated The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum)
During the last match, the announcers said that Hook had arrived and asked for a fight, which was granted. During Hook’s entrance, they show his and Brian Cage’s involvement in the street fight main event from Dynamite. Hook sent Floyd flying with throws to start. The Outrunners used the numbers advantage for a while, but Hook popped up after a double suplex and ran wild with suplexes. Hook caught Floyd with Redrum and scored the submission win.
Tony Schiavone welcomed Mark Briscoe to the ring. Briscoe said he and his brother used to watch Schiavone interview the best talkers in the business, so it felt good to be there now. Briscoe talked about how he came to help FTR last week, but the House of Black took him out before he could get into the fight. He came back to help, and it was his team that got the win. He talked about how hard this past year has been for him, but he would always keep fighting. The lights went down, and the House of Black appeared on the screen. Malachi Black talked about liking magic tricks where the magician made someone disappear. They would make Briscoe disappear all the same. The lights went out again, but it was a ruse, as Black said that they were already in Briscoe’s head.
We got a video package highlighting Adam Copeland and his wins in the Cope Open. We’ll hear from Copeland next week on Collision.
Serena Deeb defeated Queen Aminata
Deeb showcased her expertise early on, locking on a grounded surfboard stretch before getting a nearfall with the Gedo Clutch. Deeb took a shoulder block, but quickly locked on a half crab that Aminata escaped. Aminata sent Deeb into the turnbuckle before hitting a vertical suplex for a nearfall.
After a commercial, Deeb hit a series of strikes and a rolling forearm before baiting Aminata into a neckbreaker over the ropes. Deeb hit a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall. Aminata reversed out of the Detox, but Deeb spun Aminata around before getting a nearfall with a crucifix. Aminata came back with a headbutt and a hip attack, but Deeb avoided a facewash and locked on a Figure Four around the ring post. Aminata fought out of the Detox again, but Deeb hit another neckbreaker before locking on the Serenity Lock for the win.
After a commercial, Tony Schiavone welcomed out #1 ranked Swerve Strickland & Prince Nana. Schiavone asked about Strickland’s match against #2 ranked Hangman Page this Wednesday, with an AEW Title match at Revolution against Samoa Joe. Swerve talked about it being Black History Month and the people who paved the way for him like Ron Simmons, and friends who have made it possible for him like Kofi Kingston & ROH Women’s World Champion Athena. Swerve said he would add his name to that list of World Champions. He has done some terrible things but doesn’t apologize for any of them.
When asked about Hangman’s claim that he can’t beat him without the Mogul Embassy, Strickland moved Nana to the side to remind everyone that he’s beaten Page twice. He said he would move on from Page and become Black History by winning the AEW World Title. Nana said that they would be at Strickland’s side, but Strickland made it clear that he wanted no interference to make sure Hangman didn’t have any more excuses.
We cut to a video from after Dynamite with AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm, Mariah May, and Luther. Storm blew off May’s match from last week’s Collision before threatening to eat Deonna Purrazzo again. Storm told Luther to get her a public workout to show everyone how technical she could be. Storm is booked to wrestle Red Velvet on Dynamite.
Red Velvet defeated Vertvixen
Velvet caught Vertvixen with a leg lariat for a nearfall. Velvet hit a wheelbarrow bulldog before laying in the punches in the corner. Vertvixen caught another wheelbarrow and hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Vertvixen hit a running boot into the corner, but Velvet shifted her weight on a bodyslam to score a nearfall. Velvet hit running knees to the back before hitting In The Mix to score the win.
FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) & Daniel Garcia defeated The Patriarchy (TNT Champion Christian Cage, Killswitch, Nick Wayne) (w/ Shayna Wayne)
FTR and Garcia deciding to make a go of it as a trio is fine by me, considering they continue to have fun Collision main events. The closing stretch between Garcia and Wayne is a sneak peek at AEW’s future, as they are two of several bright stars in AEW under the age of 30. Garcia and Christian staring each other down in the post-match is an interesting path to go down for a future title match.
Matt Menard joined commentary in support of Garcia. Wayne and Harwood started, with Harwood chopping Wayne into his corner. Cage tagged in, but Harwood caught him with a trio of quick pins for a trio on nearfalls. Wayne tagged back in and slapped Harwood, but Harwood chose to tag Garcia, who took him down with shoulder blocks. Wayne and Garcia had a fast-paced back-and-forth in a look at two of AEW’s future stars. Garcia sent Wayne and Cage to the floor before FTR made sure Killswitch didn’t jump him from behind.
After a commercial, The Patriarchy isolated Garcia in their corner. Cage cut off a charge to the corner, but Garcia moved out of the way of a diving headbutt. Wayne and Wheeler tagged in, with Wheeler running wild. The announcers noted how Killswitch hadn’t been tagged in at any point, as Wheeler pinballed Wayne around. FTR went for a spike piledriver, but Killswitch interfered. They took down Killswitch with a high-low combo, but Wayne came back with a sunset flip and a Code Red for nearfalls.
Harwood cut off Wayne on the top rope and hit a super back suplex for a nearfall that Killswitch broke up. Christian hooked Harwood’s neck to set up a Killswitch chokeslam for a nearfall. After a commercial, Harwood sent Christian up and over with a back body drop. Wayne tagged in and got Harwood back in their corner, scoring a nearfall with a vertical suplex. Harwood came back with a back suplex, but Cage sent Harwood to the floor. Harwood ducked a charge from Luchasaurus on the floor before bumping heads with Christian.
Harwood got the tag out to Garcia and ran wild on Wayne. Wheeler cut off an interfering Christian before hitting dual ten punches. Garcia shot Wheeler off into a suicide dive onto Killswitch, then hit a brainbuster on Wayne for a nearfall. Wayne raked Garcia’s eyes before hitting a Perfect-Plex for a nearfall. Wayne taunted Garcia, who caught him with an inside cradle for a nearfall. Garcia hit a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall.
Cage cut off Garcia on the top rope, but Harwood took Cage down with punches. Garcia went to the top rope, but Cage shoved him off the top into a cutter from Wayne for a nearfall. We got a move train that included a spear to Garcia and Wayne’s World to Harwood. Garcia side-stepped a spear and Wayne’s World before catching Wayne with a jackknife pin to score the win. After the match, Garcia stared daggers at Christian Cage and the TNT Title.
Tony Khan has booked a new addition to the card for this week’s episode of AEW Collision.
On Collision this Saturday night, Christian Cage & The Patriarchy (Killswitch & Nick Wayne) will face off against FTR & Daniel Garcia in a trios match. It’s taking place one week after FTR & Garcia prevailed against House of Black in an escape the cage elimination match.
Khan wrote that FTR & Garcia are starting a new chapter following last week’s win.
When the new AEW rankings were released this week, FTR & Garcia were ranked fourth in the trios division, trailing Bullet Club Gold, The Hardys & Mark Briscoe, and The Dark Order. The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn currently hold the AEW Trios titles.
Christian Cage is the current TNT Champion.
Collision is being held at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas on Saturday (February 4). There have now been three matches confirmed for the episode:
Bryan Danielson vs. Hechicero
Eddie Kingston vs. Bryan Keith
Christian Cage & The Patriarchy (Killswitch & Nick Wayne) vs. FTR & Daniel Garcia
A steel cage elimination match is set for next week’s AEW Collision.
After the two trios teams brawled yet again on Saturday, Dax Harwood on behalf of Cash Harwood and Daniel Garcia challenged The House of Black to a steel cage elimination match for next week’s show, saying he wanted to finish this once and for all.
This week’s Collision saw Garcia defeat the House of Black’s Buddy Matthews. However, the rest of the House of Black immediately entered the ring after the match and went on the attack. FTR, who were at ringside to watch Garcia’s back, entered the ring as the two teams fought.
FTR has spent much of 2023 feuding with The House of Black, with their rivalry picking up steam in recent weeks. After Garcia pinned Brody King to score his one win in the Continental Classic, he too became part of The House of Black’s and FTR’s feud. While FTR scored a win over Matthews & Malakai Black two weeks ago on Collision, The House of Black defeated FTR & Daniel Garcia the following week.
The lineup for next week’s AEW Collision:
Steel cage elimination match: FTR & Daniel Garcia vs. House of Black
After their recent tag team clash failed to quell their rivalry, FTR will team with Daniel Garcia against the House of Black on Saturday’s AEW Collision.
On last Saturday’s show, FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) took on Malakai Black & Buddy Matthews in the evening’s main event with FTR picking up a win. Garcia came out to aid FTR and even the odds after HOB member Brody King made his presence felt.
The House of Black laid out FTR and Garcia after the match with HOB member and TBS Champion Julia Hart even giving them a ten-bell salute.
The new addition joins the previously announced Adam Copeland open challenge, Deonna Purrazzo’s in-ring debut as an AEW contracted talent, a Hangman Page appearance, and an ROH Six-Man Tag Team title match.
Here’s the current card for Norfolk, Virginia:
Adam Copeland open challenge
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Red Velvet
FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) and Daniel Garcia vs. House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King & Buddy Matthews)
ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions Brian Cage & The Gates of Agony (Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun) defend against Lance Archer & The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent)
Swerve Strickland, Mark Briscoe, and FTR are some of the opponents that Chris Jericho is hoping to face in AEW.
In an interview with the Dallas Morning News that was published this week, Jericho was asked about potentially facing Adam Copeland in AEW. Jericho said that, while he’s sure he could have a great match against people like Copeland and Christian Cage, he’s wrestled them so many times before. Jericho is more interested in sharing the ring with newer opponents right now.
There’s no timeline on what I’m doing. So there’s really, probably no rush. I have a different opinion. I’ve wrestled Adam Copeland so many times and Christian so many times that I would rather not wrestle against those guys. I mean, obviously, we could and have a great match. But I really enjoy working with kind of everybody that I haven’t worked with before. I think Swerve Strickland is amazing. I think Mark Briscoe is amazing, just off the top of my head of guys I’ve never stepped in the ring with. Both of those guys would be a lot of fun to have matches with, you know. So I think right now, that’s kind of a cool place to be looking at.
But we’ve got a lot of stuff going on with the Golden Jets with Big Bill and Ricky Starks, and Will Hobbs and Takeshita. … And I’d love to have a match with FTR. That’d be great. I’ve never done a tag team match against them before. I think Jets versus FTR would be amazing. So there’s kind of a lot of matches in the chamber that you could have with Kenny and I before we decide to go to the next step.
The Golden Jets (Jericho & Kenny Omega) are currently the number one contenders to Ricky Starks & Big Bill’s AEW Tag Team titles. Jericho & Omega earned the title shot by defeating The Young Bucks at last month’s Full Gear pay-per-view.
Jericho told the Dallas Morning News that he thinks Omega going from a rival to tag team partner has been a natural progression of their story.
I mean, there wasn’t a lot of matches in Japan, there was just one, the Tokyo Dome in January of 2018. And I think that kind of might be one of the most important matches in pro wrestling history. I think, just the business that we did within New Japan really turned people’s heads. Match was obviously a classic. But more importantly, I think it’s the match that people here [in the U.S.], including Tony [Khan], realized that there was a market for another wrestling company because the business in North America for that match was huge. … I think the foundation of AEW was kind of built in a lot of ways in Jericho and Omega.
So it really was just the natural progression of the storyline for Kenny and Jericho to become a team at some point. … Wrestling is all about stories. And I think when we started this thing with Don Callis on my end, and then he had the whole history with Kenny on his end, the bottom line would always be the two of us kind of aligning against him.
Jericho & Omega are getting their Tag Team title shot against Starks & Big Bill at AEW Worlds End on Saturday, December 30.
On ROH TV this week, Danielson and ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta issued a challenge to FTR and Briscoe. It does not appear Yuta will be in the match, however.
In issuing the challenge, Danielson noted that his only singles match against Jay Briscoe took place at Final Battle 2003. He also mentioned Jay Briscoe’s last match in ROH was at Final Battle 2022 when he and his brother wrestled FTR in a dog collar match.
ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defends against Billie Starkz
Survival of the Fittest six-way elimination match to crown a new ROH World Television Champion: Dalton Castle vs. Komander vs. Lee Moriarty vs. Lee Johnson vs. Kyle Fletcher vs. TBD
Keith Lee vs. Shane Taylor
I Quit match: Ethan Page vs. Tony Nese
Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, & Bryan Danielson vs. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) & Mark Briscoe
Bryan Danielson has issued a special challenge to FTR & Mark Briscoe for Final Battle.
Appearing on Thursday’s Ring of Honor TV episode, Danielson & Wheeler Yuta of the Blackpool Combat Club laid out a challenge to FTR & Briscoe for a trios match at the Friday, December 15 event.
In issuing the challenge, Danielson spoke about facing the late Jay Briscoe for the only time at Final Battle 2023, and how Jay had his final ROH match at last year’s event in a dog collar bout with Mark against FTR. Danielson said that in honor of Jay, he was laying out the challenge for Final Battle for three members of the BCC to face FTR’s Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler, and Mark on next Friday’s show.
ROH has yet to officially announce the bout, or which of BCC’s four members (Danielson, Yuta, Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli) will take part in the contest.
Here is the current official lineup for Final Battle which airs at 7 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, December 15 on Honor Club:
ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defends against Billie Starkz
Survival of the Fittest six-way elimination match to crown a new ROH World Television Champion: Dalton Castle vs. Komander vs. Lee Moriarty vs. Lee Johnson vs. Kyle Fletcher vs. TBD
Dax Harwood announced via social media on Thursday that he and Cash Wheeler will attend the event to celebrate the anniversary of their Dog Collar match against The Briscoes at Final Battle 2022.
Harwood wrote:
Tops Guys. Dem Boys. Myself & Cash will be at Final Battle to celebrate the 2 Year Anniversary of the first ever face-to-face meeting of FTR & the Briscoes, AND the 1 Year Anniversary of our greatest match ever, the Dog Collar match with Mark & Jay. It was the last match in our epic Trilogy w/ the Briscoes & the last time Cash & I saw Jay. Come celebrate this emotional night with us in Garland, TX on 12/15.
Final Battle 2022: The Briscoes defeated FTR in a Dog Collar match to win the ROH World Tag Team Championships (*****1/2)
Death Before Dishonor 2022: FTR defeated The Briscoes in a Best two-of-three falls match to retain the ROH World Tag Team Championships (*****)
Supercard of Honor 2022: FTR defeated The Briscoes to win the ROH World Tag Team Championships (*****)
Ring of Honor Final Battle 2023 is scheduled for Friday, December 15 at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas. The show will air exclusively for subscribers of HonorClub.
ROH Final Battle 2023 lineup:
ROH Women’s Champion Athena defends against Billie Starkz
Survival of the Fittest finals for the ROH Television Championship: Dalton Castle vs. Komander vs. TBA
A new trios team featuring Adam Copeland, Dax Harwood, and Cash Wheeler could be forming in AEW.
Copeland and FTR filed to trademark the name “Rated FTR” for wrestling purposes on Wednesday, October 18.
The filings were done through attorney Michael E. Dockins on behalf of Wheeler, Harwood, and through the Wet Yeti Inc. company that filed to trademark several potential nicknames for Copeland earlier this month.
FTR and Copeland appeared together in the final moments of Collision on Saturday. All three wrestlers came out to save Bryan Danielson, who was being attacked by Nick Wayne, Luchasaurus, Ricky Starks, and Big Bill at the time.
During an interview with ESPN shortly after his AEW debut at WrestleDream, Copeland listed FTR as people in the company he wants to work with.
“I’ve never wrestled at Tokyo Dome. How about a match against Kazuchika Okada?” Copeland said. “That would be pretty cool. I’m pretty excited by that. How about Jon Moxley? Hell yeah. A singles match in AEW against Bryan Danielson? Miro? Claudio Castagnoli? Kenny Omega? Will Ospreay? Adam Page? Chris Jericho? Malakai Black? FTR in a tag? Teaming with Darby against the Young Bucks? Facing Darby? Facing Sting? A promo battle with Eddie Kingston? The possibilities, they’re keeping me awake at night.”
