Tag: ftw championship

Hook retires FTW title at AEW Dynamite Grand Slam

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The FTW Championship has been retired.

Hook defended the FTW title against Roderick Strong at Wednesday night’s AEW Dynamite Grand Slam in Queens, New York, then retired the title after the contest.

After defeating Roderick Strong to retain the Championship, Hook was interviewed by Tony Schiavone, where he announced the title’s retirement, effective immediately.

Hook then presented the title belt to his father Taz at the commentary desk, and the two embraced.

Taz created the FTW title in ECW in the 1990s, then revived the belt in 2020 in AEW when he was at the helm of the Team Taz stable, presenting the Championship to Brian Cage. Chris Jericho, Ricky Starks, and Jack Perry also held the title during its post-2020 revival.

The FTW Championship has been regularly defended in AEW ever since, with Hook eclipsing his father’s record for most title reigns at three. Hook also held the title for more days than any other wrestler.

Our live coverage of AEW Dynamite Grand Slam is ongoing here.

Hook vs. Roderick Strong FTW title match announced for AEW Grand Slam

Posted on by Josh Nason

In a match set in motion several weeks ago, FTW Champion Hook will defend his ceremonial title against Roderick Strong at this month’s AEW Grand Slam from Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York.

The match was confirmed during Saturday’s AEW Collision after Hook issued the challenge on this past Wednesday’s Dynamite.

Things first began to bubble up between these two in an eight-man tag team match on the August 28th Dynamite when Hook pinned Strong but his foot was under the ropes as he did.

As of this point, it’s unclear if the bout is on tap for the Dynamite portion of the show or the Collision that will be taped afterward.

Hook regained the belt at August’s All In. This will be the first defense of the title.

Here’s the current lineup for Wednesday, September 25th:

  • AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness in a non-title match
  • Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin for Allin’s AEW World title shot
  • AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) defend against Will Ospreay & Kyle Fletcher
  • FTW Champion Hook defends against Roderick Strong

Three-way match for FTW Championship added to AEW Double or Nothing

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Two new matches are official for Sunday’s Double or Nothing.

The FTW Championship will be on the line, as champion Chris Jericho defends against Hook and Katsuyori Shibata in a three-way match. A trios match has also been announced, with Unified Trios Champions the Bang Bang Gang (Jay White & The Gunns) square off against Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo, and Rey Fenix).

On Dynamite, Shibata and Hook won a three-way match involving Bryan Keith to determine the number one contender for Jericho’s championship. Shibata and Hook both had Keith in submission holds, and confusion emerged after the bell rang. However, the ring announcer said both had won, and Tony Schiavone later confirmed the three-way match for Las Vegas.

After being ambushed by The Bang Bang Gang, PAC appeared in a video on Wednesday and said a 3-on-1 fight wasn’t exactly fair, so he’ll introduce his amigos. Death Triangle then came out and the six ended up brawling.

Later, the Bang Bang Gang said they’d face Death Triangle at Double or Nothing, but will only put the titles on the line if the Lucha Bros. could defeat The Gunns on Saturday’s Collision.

Here is the updated lineup for Double or Nothing:

AEW Double or Nothing, Sunday, May 26, 7 p.m. Eastern time on pay-per-view —

  • AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland defends against Christian Cage
  • AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm defends against Serena Deeb
  • TBS Champion Willow Nightingale defends against Mercedes Mone
  • TNT Champion Adam Copeland defends against Malakai Black in a barbed wire steel cage
  • AEW International Champion Roderick Strong defends against Will Ospreay
  • Anarchy in the Arena: The Elite (Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada & Jack Perry) vs. Team AEW (FTR, Bryan Danielson & Darby Allin)
  • IWGP World title eliminator: Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita
  • Three-way match for FTW Championship: Chris Jericho defends against Hook and Katsuyori Shibata
  • The Bang Bang Gang (Jay White & The Gunns) vs. Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo, and Rey Fenix)
  • Orange Cassidy vs. Trent Beretta

Katsuyori Shibata challenging for FTW title on next AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Katsuyori Shibata challenging for the FTW Championship is one of three items official for the Wednesday, May 1 AEW Dynamite. 

Shibata issued a challenge to the FTW Champion Chris Jericho for a title match on next week’s show during Wednesday’s Dynamite in a backstage interview segment with Renee Paquette. 

Jericho won the FTW title from Hook at last Sunday’s Dynasty pay-per-view, and teased an alliance with Big Bill in his first appearance as champion on Dynamite this week. 

New AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland’s Double or Nothing title challenger will also be revealed during next week’s Dynamite. 

Strickland defeated Kyle Fletcher in a World title eliminator bout on this week’s Dynamite in his first match since winning the title from Samoa Joe in the main event of last Sunday’s Dynasty.

As already announced, Kenny Omega will make his Dynamite return in Winnipeg on next week’s show. Omega has been sidelined since late last year while battling diverticulitis.

The announced lineup for the Wednesday, May 1 Dynamite: 

  • FTW Champion Chris Jericho defends against Katsuyori Shibata
  • Swerve Strickland’s AEW World title challenger for Double or Nothing revealed
  • Kenny Omega appears 

Two title matches added to AEW Dynasty

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Two title matches have been added to Sunday’s AEW Dynasty pay-per-view lineup. 

As revealed during Wednesday night’s Dynamite, Hook will defend the FTW Championship against Chris Jericho at Dynasty. The match stems from weeks of a simmering feud between the two as Jericho wants to mentor Hook. 

The issue boiled over on Dynamite as Jericho shoved Hook’s father Taz as Taz moderated a discussion between the two. 

The other new title match for Dynasty will air on the Zero Hour pre-show on Sunday, as both the AEW World Trios Championship and the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship will be on the line in the same match. 

ROH Six-Man Tag champs Jay White, Austin Gunn, & Colten Gunn will take on AEW Trios Champions Max Caster, Anthony Bowens, & Billy Gunn with both sets of titles on the line. 

The updated card for Dynasty: 

AEW Dynasty, Sunday, April 21, 8 p.m. Eastern time on pay-per-view —

  • AEW World Champion Samoa Joe defends against Swerve Strickland
  • AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm defends against Thunder Rosa
  • Ladder match for the vacant AEW Tag Team Championship: The Young Bucks vs. FTR
  • TBS Champion Julia Hart defends against Willow Nightingale
  • AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada defends against PAC
  • AEW International Champion Roderick Strong defends against Kyle O’Reilly
  • FTW Champion Hook defends against Chris Jericho
  • Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay
  • Adam Copeland, Mark Briscoe & Eddie Kingston vs. Malakai Black, Brody King & Buddy Matthews

Zero Hour pre-show, 6:30 p.m. Eastern time on AEW’s YouTube & social media channels —

  • AEW Trios Champions Max Caster, Anthony Bowens & Billy Gunn vs. ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions Jay White, Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn with both titles on the line

FTW title match booked for AEW Battle of the Belts X

Posted on by Ethan Renner

An FTW title match has been added to Battle of the Belts X, part of Saturday’s three-hour block of AEW programming on TNT. 

As announced in a social media post by AEW’s Tony Khan, Hook will defend the FTW title against Shane Taylor at Battle of the Belts X on Saturday, April 13. 

Hook & Chris Jericho are embroiled in a feud with Taylor’s Shane Taylor Promotions, including a trios match on this week’s Dynamite where Taylor, Anthony Ogogo & Lee Moriarty defeated Hook, Jericho & Katsuyori Shibata. 

An International title eliminator match has already been announced for Battle of the Belts, with International Champion Roderick Strong taking on Rocky Romero. 

The updated cards for AEW’s Saturday block:

AEW Collision, Saturday, April 13, 8 p.m. Eastern time —

  • AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm vs. AZM in a title eliminator match
  • Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Powerhouse Hobbs & Kyle Fletcher

AEW Battle of the Belts X, Saturday, April 13, 10 p.m. Eastern time —

  • AEW International Champion Roderick Strong vs. Rocky Romero in a title eliminator match
  • FTW Champion Hook defends against Shane Taylor

Three title matches added to AEW Worlds End

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Three title matches have been added to AEW Worlds End.

Hook accepted a challenge from Wheeler Yuta where he will put his FTW Championship on the line in a FTW Rules match at Worlds End on December 30. Hook, in accepting the challenge, said that he would do it under his rules.

Christian Cage also accepted Adam Copeland’s challenge to a No Disqualification match for the TNT Championship at Worlds End. After Shayna Wayne explained why she helped Cage defeat Copeland earlier this month, Cage said he would accept Copeland’s challenge to a fight because to him, it’s not a challenge as he’s already beaten him.

It was also confirmed that TBS Champion Julia Hart will defend the title against Abadon, as the two have crossed paths in recent weeks. On Saturday’s Collision, Thunder Rosa and Abadon scored the win, defeating Hart and Skye Blue in a tag team match.

Here is the updated card for Worlds End on December 30:

  • AEW World Championship: MJF defends against Samoa Joe
  • AEW Women’s Championship: Toni Storm defends against Riho
  • TNT Championship, no DQ: Christian Cage defends against Adam Copeland
  • AEW Continental Classic finals
  • TBS Championship: Julia Hart defends against Abadon
  • FTW rules for FTW Championship: Hook defends against Wheeler Yuta

Hook wins FTW title at AEW All In Zero Hour

Posted on by Josh Nason

Hook’s second reign with the FTW title has begun after he defeated Jack Perry for the title at Sunday’s AEW All In Zero Hour pre-show from London’s Wembley Stadium.

Contested under the anything goes FTW rules, the early portion saw the two brawl in and around a black town car that Perry made his entrance in.

Perry hit a Rolling Thunder while Hook was laid out on the hood and then said to the camera, “Real glass. Cry me a river!” in reference to the recent story that he and CM Punk had words about Perry wanting to use real glass during a Collision segment. Perry paid for his comment as Hook hit a fisherman’s suplex onto the windshield.

After several other callbacks to recent Perry opponent Rob Van Dam and the involvement of a trash can, Hook got Perry to tap out to his Redrum finisher that was preceded by a lariat, a trash can lid shot, and crossface strikes.

The win avenged Hook’s only career singles defeat to Perry back on the late-July Blood & Guts edition of Dynamite. Perry defended the title only once, defeating Van Dam.

It was the second title change on the pre-show as MJF & Adam Cole won the Ring of Honor Tag Team titles from Aussie Open.

FTW title match set for AEW All In Zero Hour

Posted on by Ian Carey

Another match has been scheduled for AEW All In Zero Hour. 

Tony Khan announced on AEW Unrestricted that Jack Perry will defend the FTW title on the show against the former champion, HOOK. 

“There’s one more huge match coming up on Sunday and it’s free to everybody worldwide. It’s part of the Zero Hour, and it’s for the FTW Championship,” Khan said. “It’s a big rematch with Jack Perry, the FTW Champion, who has really disrespected the title and disrespected the lineage of it, the history, and the former champion when Jack Perry takes on HOOK this Sunday on the Zero Hour.”

Perry defeated HOOK for the FTW title at Blood & Guts last month. He successfully defended it against Rob Van Dam on the August 9 Dynamite in Columbus as well. 

The updated card for Sunday is below. 

AEW All In, Sunday, August 27, 1 p.m. Eastern time on pay-per-view —

  • AEW World Championship: MJF defends against Adam Cole
  • AEW Women’s World Championship: Hikaru Shida defends against Toni Storm, Britt Baker & Saraya
  • AEW World Tag Team Championship: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) defend against The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)
  • Real World Championship: CM Punk defends against Samoa Joe
  • AEW World Trios Championship: The House of Black (Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews & Brody King) vs. The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) & Billy Gunn
  • Stadium Stampede match: Eddie Kingston, Penta El Zero Miedo, Orange Cassidy & Best Friends (Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor) vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta), Santana & Ortiz
  • Coffin match: Sting & Darby Allin vs. Swerve Strickland & Christian Cage
  • Chris Jericho vs. Will Ospreay
  • The Golden Elite (Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi & Hangman Page) vs. Bullet Club Gold (Jay White & Juice Robinson) & Konosuke Takeshita

Zero Hour pre-show, 12 p.m. Eastern time on AEW’s YouTube & social media channels —

  • ROH World Tag Team Championship: Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) defend against Better Than You Bay Bay (MJF & Adam Cole)
  • FTW Champion Jack Perry defends against HOOK

Jack Perry wins FTW Championship on AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Jack Perry is the new FTW Champion.

Perry won the championship in the opening match of Wednesday’s Dynamite. The finish had the referee being knocked out as Hook went to pin Perry, getting a visual pinfall. Hook went to wake up the referee as Perry grabbed the FTW title he had introduced earlier in the match. When Hook returned, Perry blasted Hook with the title, eventually picking up the victory.

Hook had held the championship for 357 days, defeating Ricky Starks for the championship on the July 27, 2022 edition of AEW Dynamite. The title, first introduced in ECW by Hook’s father Taz, is not an officially sanctioned championship in AEW.

The feud between Perry and Hook started at Forbidden Door last month. After Perry failed to defeat SANADA for the IWGP World Championship, he turned on Hook by laying him out with a clothesline. In the weeks since, Perry had gone out of his way to avoid Hook, running away from confrontation.

Hook vs. Daivari FTW title match set for next week’s AEW Rampage

Posted on by Ethan Renner

An FTW Championship match is set for the October 21 AEW Rampage.

In a bout announced on this week’s show, Hook will defend the FTW Championship against Ari Daivari on next Friday’s episode. Daivari had offered Hook a spot in The Trustbusters, but Hook turned him down to set up the title bout. 

Also announced for next week, The Dark Order’s Preston “10” Vance will face Rush. Vance had been set for a mask vs. AEW career match against Andrade El Idolo on last week’s Rampage, but Andrade was sent home after a backstage altercation with Sammy Guevara and the match never took place. Rush is part of Andrade’s La Faccion Ingobernable stable. 

Next week’s Rampage will air live from Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place. In another scheduling note, next week’s Dynamite will air live from Cincinnati, Ohio on Tuesday, October 18.

The announced Rampage lineup thus far: 

  • FTW Championship: Hook (c) vs. Ari Daivari
  • Preston “10” Vance vs. Rush

Two title matches set for next AEW Rampage

Posted on by Ethan Renner

A pair of title matches, plus an AEW World Trios Championship tournament bout have been announced for the August 19 Rampage episode. 

Swerve in our Glory’s Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee will defend the AEW World Tag Team Championships against Private Party’s Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen on the August 19 Rampage. Strickland and Lee agreed to put the titles on the line in a backstage segment on this week’s Rampage. 

Also set for the August 19 episode, Hook will defend the FTW Championship against Zack Clayton. 

In the AEW World Trios Championship tournament, Trustbusters (Ari Daivari, Slim J, and Parker Boudreaux) will face the Best Friends trio of Orange Cassidy, Trent Beretta, and Chuck Taylor. 

Here are the matches announced for next week: 

  • AEW World Tag Team Championship: Swerve in our Glory (Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee) (c) vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)
  • FTW Championship: Hook (c) vs. Zack Clayton
  • AEW World Trios Championship tournament first round: Trustbusters (Ari Daivari, Slim J & Parker Boudreaux) vs. Best Friends (Orange Cassidy, Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor

Hook wins FTW title at AEW Dynamite Fight for the Fallen

Posted on by Josh Nason

Several weeks ago in a backstage promo, it was intimated that Hook was in line for a future title shot. 

While the undefeated rookie didn’t acknowledge it then, he called his shot at Wednesday Fight for the Fallen edition of AEW Dynamite, defeating Ricky Starks for the FTW title.

Starks defeated Hook’s occasional partner Danhausen following a spear and then again issued an open challenge to anyone for the belt. Surprisingly, Team Taz member Hook’s music hit and he came out to silently accept the challenge.

The match was short as Hook got in his usual amount offense in before Starks rallied with a spear. He went for his Roshambo finisher, but Hook reversed it into his Redrum submission, getting the quick tap for the win and his first-ever title.

Before leaving the ring, Hook fist bumped Starks in a show of respect. After the commercial break, Starks was cutting a fiery promo about how this was his time, flanked by tag team partner Powerhouse Hobbs. 

Out of nowhere, Hobbs nailed Starks and then delivered a spinebuster as Taz (on commentary) was confused as to what Hobbs was doing and why.

Since debuting in December 2021, Hook is undefeated at 10-0 in singles action and 11-0 overall — all in AEW.

Ricky Starks vs. Jay Lethal announced for February 4 AEW Rampage

Posted on by Bryan Rose

A match for the FTW Championship has been set for the February 4 edition of Rampage.

Champion Ricky Starks will defend against Jay Lethal after challenging him in an interview on tonight’s Dynamite. After Powerhouse Hobbs challenged Dante Martin to a future match, Starks brought up Lethal, saying that he hopes he enjoyed his break as he will give Lethal the opportunity to challenge for the title.

This follows an angle that took place on the January 12 edition of Dynamite. After Martin defeated Hobbs in a match, Starks helped Hobbs beat down Martin until Lethal ran in for the save. Martin has been feuding with Team Taz since the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal in December, where Martin turned on Team Taz after originally deciding to sign with the group.

AEW will return to the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois on February 2 for both AEW Dynamite and Rampage. Already announced for Dynamite is CM Punk vs. MJF and the team of PAC & Peta El 0 M vs. Malakai Black and Brody King.

Interim TNT title match announced for AEW Battle of the Belts

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Two new title matches have been added to Saturday’s Battle of the Belts card on TNT.

Dustin Rhodes will step in for his brother Cody as it was announced that Cody is not medically cleared to compete. Dustin will wrestle Sammy Guevara for what is being billed as the interim TNT Championship. In addition, Ricky Starks will defend the FTW Championship against Matt Sydal.

It was announced by AEW on Thursday evening that due to medical protocols, one of the matches for Battle of the Belts had to be changed. In a video package that aired on Rampage, Dustin talked about the opportunity to compete for the title, while Guevara said it didn’t matter who he ends up facing as he will walk out of Battle of the Belts with gold.

In addition to the two new matches, Britt Baker will defend the AEW Women’s title against Riho. Tony Khan on Twitter announced tonight that there will also be a house show card held prior to the live show on TNT.

Battle of the Belts will take place live at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.