Now that she’s back in action, Julia Hart has a list of opponents she’s hoping to face.
The House of Black member will wrestle her first match in eight months when she faces Jamie Hayter on Dynamite Fight for the Fallen this Wednesday night. To promote the match, Variety conducted an interview with Hart and asked her which AEW opponents she wants to wrestle.
“Definitely Mercedes [Mone], she has my title,” Hart responded. “Probably Willow [Nightingale] too, she took the belt from me. I’ve never worked with Mariah [May], I’ve never worked with Toni [Storm]. I would love to work with Serena Deeb, I think she’s someone I could learn a lot from in the ring.”
Hart was TBS Champion when she suffered a shoulder injury this April. She dropped the title to Nightingale at AEW’s Dynasty pay-per-view and then underwent shoulder surgery. Since then, Mone has become the new TBS Champion.
Vignettes building to Hart’s return began airing in November. After playing mind games with Hayter, Hart returned on Collision a couple of weeks ago and laid her out.
The 23-year-old Hart hyped that taking out Hayter is her first priority before she turns her attention to the rest of the women’s division.
“[Hayter] just had a great comeback, so I gotta show my comeback is gonna be better than hers,” she told Variety. “Taking out the locker room one by one, and sorry, Jamie, you’re first.”
A match weeks in the making appears to be a go for the first AEW Dynamite of the Max simulcast era as Jamie Hayter challenged Julia Hart for the January 1st Fight for the Fallen episode.
Hayter issued the challenge during Wednesday’s Holiday Bash episode after Hart laid her out following her defeat to Willow Nightingale in an International Women’s Cup qualifier on last Saturday’s Collision. That was preceded by several weeks of Hart return vignettes that eventually transitioned into Hayter as her first target with in-arena blackouts.
Assuming the match is official, it will be the 23-year-old’s first action since April’s Dynasty when she lost the TBS title to Nightingale. It will also be the first time the two have ever shared the ring.
Here’s the anticipated lineup for Wednesday, January 1st in Asheville, NC:
AEW Collision: Winter is Coming kicked off with a bang on Saturday night.
The December 14 episode of Collision started off with a qualifying match for the upcoming International Women’s Cup Tournament at NJPW x AEW Wrestle Dynasty 2025. Following a hard-hitting two-break bout between Willow Nightingale and Jamie Hayter, it was the former who picked up the win. With the victory, Nightingale has qualified as the AEW representative in the aforementioned women’s tourney, which features talents representing AEW, ROH, CMLL and STARDOM.
Willow Nightingale has done it and will represent #AEW at #WrestleDynasty for the International Women's Cup!
Other competitors confirmed for the tourney include CMLL representative Persephone and ROH representative Athena. The STARDOM representative will be determined by a two-night tournament scheduled for December 21 and December 22.
After the Nightingale-Hayter tourney qualifier bout wrapped up, the lights in the bout went out and the long-awaited return of Julia Hart took place. The House of Black member hit the ring and attacked Hayter. Hart had been interrupting Hayter’s backstage interviews segments for the past couple of weeks to promote her highly-anticipated AEW comeback.
NJPW x AEW Wrestle Dynasty 2025 is scheduled for January 5 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, featuring the following advertised lineup:
NJPW x AEW Wrestle Dynasty 2025 (Sunday, January 5, airing live on NJPW World)
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ricochet (will be an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match if Sabre retains against Shota Umino at Wrestle Kingdom)
Shota Umino vs. Claudio Castagnoli (will be an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match if Umino wins the title at Wrestle Kingdom)
David Finlay vs. Brody King (will be an IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship match if Finlay retains against Yota Tsuji at Wrestle Kingdom)
Yota Tsuji vs. Jack Perry (will be an IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship match if Tsuji wins the title at Wrestle Kingdom)
Kenny Omega vs. Gabe Kidd
Great-O-Khan & TBD vs. The Young Bucks for the vacant IWGP Tag Team titles
International Women’s Cup four-way match (winner receives a title shot in the promotion of their choosing): Persephone vs. Athena vs. Willow Nightingale or Jamie Hayter vs. TBD (Stardom representative)
Tomohiro Ishii challenges either Shingo Takagi or Konosuke Takeshita for the NEVER Openweight Championship (AEW International Championship will also be on the line if Takeshita still holds the title when he faces Takagi at Wrestle Kingdom)
In a vignette that aired during AEW Collision, the video started with Julia Hart in her old cheerleader gimmick, doing a cheer on a football field. Suddenly, she saw herself sitting in the stands wearing all black and under a veil. This version of Hart took an arrow and struck the cheerleader version, seemingly killing the persona. The vignette ends with Hart waking up.
Hart has been out of action since April after dropping the TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale at AEW Dynasty. In May, she underwent shoulder surgery. A few weeks ago during an autograph signing, she indicated she was ready to return and was waiting for the call.
After initially spending time in AEW associated with Brian Pillman and Griff Garrison, Hart ended up aligning herself with the House of Black after Malakai Black misted her during an altercation. She climbed the ranks of the AEW women’s roster, winning the TBS title at last year’s Full Gear by winning a three-way match over Kris Statlander and Skye Blue.
House of Black member Julia Hart is ready to make her return to the AEW ring.
During a Sign-it-Live session for Highspots on Thursday, Hart confirmed that she’s recovered from injury and is just waiting for the call to come back to AEW programming. The former TBS Champion has been out of action for six months, last competing at AEW’s Dynasty pay-per-view this April.
“I am [ready]. I’m just waiting for the call. Who knows when I’ll pop up, I don’t know,” Hart teased.
It was noted that, with Hart ready to return to AEW, her flight for the Highspots signing wasn’t booked until a few days ago because they did not know where she would be.
The 22-year-old Hart underwent shoulder surgery after dropping the TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale at AEW Dynasty. Hart was injured going into that match but still wrestled at the PPV so she could lose the title.
Mercedes Mone is the current TBS Champion. Earlier this month, Brody King said he thinks Hart will be returning very soon and will have her eyes set on reclaiming the TBS title.
“Yeah, I think we should be seeing her very soon,” he told Stephanie Chase. “I mean, she’s been dropping hints here and there, but I think she’s ready to come back for her title.”
Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews are also members of House of Black with King and Hart.
After nearly six months away, former TBS Champion Julia Hart looks to be nearing a return to AEW.
While being interviewed by Stephanie Chase, Hart’s House of Black stablemate Brody King gave an update on her recovery from shoulder surgery. King said he expects fans will be seeing Hart on AEW programming again very soon.
“Yeah, I think we should be seeing her very soon,” King said. “I mean, she’s been dropping hints here and there, but I think she’s ready to come back for her title.”
Hart injured her shoulder in a match against Leyla Hirsch on Rampage this past April. She worked through the injury at AEW’s Dynasty pay-per-view on April 21, dropping the TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale. The title is currently held by Mercedes Mone.
House of Black consists of Hart, King, Malakai Black, and Buddy Matthews. King praised the 22-year-old Hart for how good she is at such a young age.
“I feel like — character-wise and personality-wise — she is so far advanced from her years in wrestling and her age,” he told Stephanie Chase. “I mean, she’s only 22 years old. She’s got the whole world ahead of her, and she’s already got a big step up on it.”
King is facing Darby Allin in a singles match at AEW WrestleDream in Tacoma, Washington this Saturday (October 12).
AEW wrestler Julia Hart has undergone surgery for her shoulder injury.
The former TBS Champion posted a photo to her Instagram stories on Thursday revealing that she’s had surgery done. She also made a post with the words “Recover. Rebuild. Reclaim.”
At AEW’s Dynasty pay-per-view, Hart lost the TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale. Dave Meltzer reports in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the title match was kept short due to Hart’s injury:
Julia Hart had surgery this past week on her left shoulder so she’ll be out for a while. That came from the 4/10 match with Leyla Hirsch, but she did continue through the PPV match with Willow Nightingale where she dropped her TBS title. The injury is why the match was kept short
The 22-year-old Hart is a member of House of Black in AEW with Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews. Her reign as TBS Champion lasted from November 2023 until April 2024.
AEW could be without two of its stars for an extended period.
Powerhouse Hobbs appeared to be favoring his right knee during last week’s main event of AEW Dynamite when he challenged Jon Moxley for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Our own Bryan Alvarez later confirmed Hobbs’ injury was legit.
Fightful Select is reporting that the injury is significant and Hobbs is not expected to return anytime soon. However, further details regarding the nature of the injury were not revealed.
Also according to Fightful, the early indications are that Julia Hart will require surgery, although the nature of her injury has not been revealed either. She hurt her shoulder in a match with Leyla Hirsch on the April 10 Rampage (aired April 12) but continued working after. It’s not clear if that is the injury she may need surgery for, however.
Hart wrestled a mixed tag match with Brody King against Nightingale and Adam Copeland on April 17 and then dropped the TBS title to Nightingale in a six-minute match at AEW Dynasty. She hasn’t been on AEW programming since the pay-per-view.
The TBS Championship is on the line in an Open House match on this week’s AEW Rampage.
Julia Hart defends her TBS title against “Legit” Leyla Hirsch in an Open House match, where rope breaks are not enforced, the countouts are 20 seconds, DQs will be enforced, and the challenger gets to choose a stipulation. Hirsch made the challenge to Hart on last week’s Rampage.
Three more matches have also been announced for tonight’s episode.
Orange Cassidy is also in action on tonight’s episode against Alex Reynolds of The Dark Order.
The Bang Bang Gang’s Jay White — an ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champion — goes one-on-one with Matt Sydal.
“Cool Hand Ang” Angelo Parker will take on Zak Knight in a bout that was originally advertised for Collision on March 16, but pulled from the show. Parker is aligned with former Outcast Ruby Soho, while Knight is aligned with Harley Cameron and his sister Saraya.
**********
Taped in Charleston, West Virginia.
Excalibur, Chris Jericho and Tony Schivone were on commentary.
Orange Cassidy defeated Alex Reynolds (w/ John Silver) (10:33)
Silver and Reynolds mock Cassidy with a pre-match hug. Cassidy caught Silver with a spinning DDT. Silver ducked to the floor to avoid the Orange Punch, but Cassidy followed Silver with a tope. Cassidy abused Silver on the floor by whipping him into the ring barricade.
Back in the ring, Reynolds caught Cassidy with a forearm. While Reynolds distracted the referee, Silver pulled Cassidy out of the ring and gave him a brainbuster on the floor. Back in the ring, Cassidy caught Reynolds with a sunset flip for a near fall. Reynolds came back with a back elbow, then a hangman’s neckbreaker for a near fall.
Reynolds dominated Cassidy through the commercial break. After the break, Cassidy made his comeback with a shotgun dropkick and stomps in the corner. Cassidy came off the top with a crossbody, then took out Silver with a tope. Reynolds caught Cassidy with a pop-up knee strike and a stuff piledriver for a near fall.
Cassidy went to the top, but Silver crotched him. Reynolds took Cassidy down with an avalanche stunner for a near fall. Silver tried to give Cassidy a brainbuster on the floor again, but Cassidy countered with a slumdog millionaire. Reynolds caught Silver with a crossbody, Cassidy took out Silver with a Orange Punch. Cassidy finished off Reynolds with the Orange Punch for the win.
After the match, Renee Paquette tried to interview Cassidy, but Trent Beretta came down to ringside. Chuck Taylor came up from behind Cassidy to stop Beretta. Beretta left, then Taylor left. And Cassidy never said anything.
– Alex Marvez interviewed Anna Jay, who doesn’t think anyone is taking the women’s division seriously. AZM from Stardom interrupted, called Toni Storm’s crew stupid, and challenged her to a singles match on Collision. Later in the show, it was announced Storm and AZM will face off in an Eliminator Match on Collision.
Julia Hart defeated Leyla Hirsch to retain the TBS Championship (3:13)
This match was set up by Hirsch challenging Hart on Rampage last week, and Hart accepting that challenge. The House Rules stipulation has Brody King barred from ringside.
Hart has a teddy bear tattooed on her arm now, and I don’t know if that’s too cute or it ups the creep factor. Hart tripped up Hirsch and gave her a neckbreaker in the ropes. Hart wrapped up Hirsch in a head scissors in the ropes (kind of like Tajiri’s tarantula move) while mugging to the crowd. Hart did a cartwheel into a near bodyvice from Hirsch, who dumped her to the mat. Hirsch followed her out with a tope. Back in the ring, Hart reversed a small package and got the three out. Hart was selling her shoulder (which was taped up) after the match.
– Don Callis coaches up Powerhouse Hobbs and Kyle Fletcher in advance of their tag match tomorrow night with Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli. Callis ordered them take them out like they used to in the old Portland territory (“Take his eye out!”) to protect the “golden goose” of the Callis family, Will Ospreay.
This is Knight’s AEW debut (on TV anyway) in a match built up exclusively on Rampage. Parker and Knight brawled around ringside before the match started. Knight sent Parker into the ring barricade and the time keeper’s area. Parker was busted open in the brawl on the floor.
When the match officially started in the ring, Knight worked over the cut on Parker’s head.
After a split screen break, Parker hit Knight with an implant DDT. Saraya and Cameron both got up on the apron to distract the referee Rick Knox, and Knox ejected them. Knight kicked Parker low and hit a pop-up powerbomb for two. Knight told Parker “I’ll take good care of Ruby!” and that sparked a brief comeback from Parker. Knight floored Parker with a lariat for two, then finished off Parker with a running forearm. Parker has now lost his mentor (Jericho), the girl (Soho) and the match. So what’s left for him?
– Alex Marvez interviewed Kyle O’Reilly & Rocky Romero. O’Reilly wants a match with Romero, which Romero will give him a match after he beats Roderick Strong for the International Title. Romero left and Strong arrived, offended that O’Reilly wants a shot at the International Title. Strong wants O’Reilly to be a champion, just not the International Champion.
– Excalibur ran down all two of the upcoming Blackpool Combat Club v. Don Callis Family matches ahead of the Bryan Danielson/Will Opsreay match at Dynasty.
Also announced for Collision, The House of Black will take on Action Andretti, Dante Martin and Matt Sydal.
Jay White (w/ The Gunn Club) defeated Matt Sydal (11:21)
Sydal was going for his 50th win in this match.
Sydal countered a pop-up powerbomb with a rana, then caught White with a steup up rana. Sydal hit a standing mariposa. White went to the floor, and Sydal followed him out with a meteora. Back in the ring, White caught Sydal with a stunner in the ropes. White suplexed Sydal face first into the ring apron.
After a split-screen break, White worked over Sydal with a chinlock. Sydal came back with a knee strike and a leg lariat. Sydal hit a series of kicks on White for a near fall. Sydal missed a move off the top, but countered a powerbomb attempt with a DDT for a near fall.
Sydal caught White with a roll up for a near fall. White hit a uranage for a near fall. White went for a sleeper suplex, but Sydal flipped through it and landed on his feet. Sydal took White down with a poisoned rana. Sydal came off the top looking for a metetora, but White stepped back and took out Sydal with the Blade Runner and got the pinfall. White really needed a squash here after getting dominated by Billy Gunn last week.
This was a pretty uninspired episode of Rampage, and Battle of the Belts X doesn’t look any better.
A mixed tag team match is set for the Wednesday, April 17 AEW Dynamite.
In a match set up with an angle on this week’s show, TNT Champion Adam Copeland & Willow Nightingale will team against House of Black’s Brody King & TBS Champion Julia Hart on next week’s Dynamite episode.
Copeland had just defeated Penta El Zero Miedo in a TNT title bout on this week’s Dynamite when the arena lights went out. Hart & King then appeared in the ring, and King attacked Copeland. Nightingale ran in to make the save.
Copeland & Nightingale then agreed to team in a follow-up backstage promo.
Nightingale is set to challenge Hart for the TBS Championship at the Dynasty pay-per-view on Sunday, April 21. Copeland will team with Mark Briscoe & Eddie Kingston against House of Black’s King, Malakai Black & Buddy Matthews at Dynasty.
The announced card for the Wednesday, April 17 AEW Dynamite:
TNT Champion Adam Copeland & Willow Nightingale vs. Brody King & TBS Champion Julia Hart in a mixed tag team match
Julia Hart will defend the TBS Championship in an Open House Challenge match on next week’s AEW Rampage.
“Legit” Leyla Hirsch issued a challenge to Hart for a TBS title match for next week in a backstage promo segment airing on Friday’s Rampage episode. Hirsch noted that she has been wrestling in ROH for the past year and compiling “one of the best records,” but that she wants to face the best.
Hart responded later in the show, accepting the Open House Challenge for next week’s episode.
Another match was teased for next week’s Rampage, although not officially announced.
Zak Knight promised to take “everything” from Angelo Parker on next week’s Rampage in a backstage promo with Saraya & Harley Cameron on Friday’s show.
Knight and Parker were originally booked to face one another in a match on the March 16 Collision, but the bout was pulled from that show and has yet to take place since.
The official lineup for the Friday, April 12 Rampage to this point:
TBS Champion Julia Hart defends against “Legit” Leyla Hirsch in an Open House Challenge
Hart was involved in the show-closing angle of AEW Big Business this Wednesday. After Willow Nightingale defeated Riho in the main event, Hart and Skye Blue launched an attack on Nightingale. Mercedes Mone, who had made her AEW debut at the start of Big Business, then ran out to save Nightingale from Hart and Blue’s beatdown. Mone left Hart and Blue both laying.
Hart has been TBS Champion since November 2023. During her reign, she’s made successful title defenses against Lady Frost, Emi Sakura, Abadon, Anna Jay, and Robyn Renegade.
Adora is coming off a loss to Mariah May on Collision last week.
Collision is taking place live from Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada this Saturday. Here’s what’s been announced for the episode:
AEW Collision (Saturday, March 16) —
Kyle O’Reilly vs. Bryan Keith
Open House match: TBS Champion Julia Hart defends against Trish Adora
Julia Hart defends the TBS Championship on tonight’s AEW Rampage.
Hart will put her title on the line against Robyn Renegade in her first defense since Battle of the Belts IX in January.
In a tag team bout, Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta of Best Friends will take on The Butcher & Kip Sabian. Cassidy will look to get back on the winning track after dropping the International Championship to Roderick Strong at last Sunday’s Revolution pay-per-view.
In a triple threat tag team match, Private Party’s Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy will face Top Flight’s Darius Martin & Dante Martin, and Bryan Keith & Komander.
Penta El Zero Miedo will take on Action Andretti in singles competition on the show as well.
Tonight’s Rampage was taped Wednesday night in Duluth, Georgia at the Gas South Arena. Duluth also hosted Thursday’s AEW Collision taping.
Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho & Excalibur were on commentary.
Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta (w/ Chuck Taylor) defeated Kip Sabian & The Butcher (w/ The Blade) (11:12)
Beretta escaped a suplex attempt and caught Butcher with an enziguri. Sabian got the tag and fell victim to a double shoulder block from Cassidy and Beretta. Cassidy and Sabian exchanged pin attempts for a series of near falls. Cassidy caught Sabian with a spinning DDT. But, when he tried the same move on the Butcher, Butcher muscled him into a backbreaker. Sabian dropped Cassidy with a spinning backbreaker for a one count.
After a commercial break, Cassidy used pocket power to escape a double team from his opponents and make the tag to Beretta. Beretta hit a standing meteoria and a series of high angle German suplexes on Sabiant. Butcher accidentally clotheslined his partner, then fell victim to a high knee from Beretta. Beretta hit Butcher with a plancha on the floor, took Sabian down with a Saito suplex, and hit a running knee for a near fall.
Beretta went for a Strong Zero, but Butcher caught him with a boot. Butcher hit a pump handle slam, and Sabian came off the top rope with a double stomp for a near fall. Beretta caught Butcher with a German suplex, Cassidy followed up with an Orange Punch, and Beretta hit the Strong Zero to get the pinfall.
– A video package on the Infantry from Ring of Honor.
Julia Hart defeated Robyn Renegade for the TBS Championship (3:41)
Julia Hart doesn’t miss a beat in this character. The “Dealer’s Choice” rule for this match was no moves off the top rope. The crowd chanted “Women’s Wrestling!” at the start of the match. Hart banged the back of Renegade’s head against the mat and choked her against the ropes. Hart hit a nice looking vertical suplex.
Renegade fought out of a chinlock and hit a shotgun dropkick in the corner. Hart responded with a clothesline in the corner and a lariat to the back of the head, then locked in the Hartless for the submission. The rare AEW women’s match on Rampage that isn’t wrestled mostly during a commercial break.
– Saraya interrupted Renee Paquette’s segment backstage so her brother could beat up some random stage hands.
Penta El Zero Miedo (w/ Alex Abrantes) defeated Action Andretti (7:58 aired)
A couple of sling blades took Andretti down, but he came back with a spinning DDT. Penta cut off a plancha attempt with a hook kick. Penta tossed Andretti onto the floor. Penta tried to whip Andretti into the post, but he leaped up onto the apron and sprung back with a hurricanrana to take Penta down.
After a commercial break, Penta caught Andretti with a superkick, but Andretti came back with a spanish fly. Andretti ran into another pair of superkicks, and a spinning death valley driver got Penta a near fall. Penta went for the Fear Factor, but Andritt escaped and took Penta down with a poisoned rana for a near fall. Andretti went for a torino, but Penta caught him with a nasty superkick. Penta stuffed Andretti with the Fear Factor to get the pinfall.
– Courtesy of CMLL and ROH, a video package of Titán aired. Titán will take on Chris Jericho tomorrow night on Collision.
Top Flight defeated Komander & Bryan Keith (w/ Alex Abrahantes) in a three-way match which also included Private Party (10:58)
If Justin Roberts is to be believed, Private Party are going by “Zay” and “Quen” now.
It took less than 2 minutes for the match to break down into a pier-six brawl. Private Party dumped Komander and Keith to the floor, then Top Flight sent them to the floor with dropkicks. Soon all six men were fighting on the floor.
After a split-screen break, Keith tried to get the tag to Komander, but Quen pulled Komander off the apron. Private Party continued the double team on Keith in their corner. Keith countered a Twist of Fate. Keith had to tag Darius Martin, who took the fight to Private Party. Darius hit a flatliner/DDT combo on both members of Private Party for a near fall.
Komander got the blind tag and took out Darius with a springboard dropkick. Private Party hit Komander with a 3D/Hot Shot combo for a near fall. Bryan Keith broke up another double team attempt, and Komander nearly got the pin with a backslide.
Darius Martin took Quen out with a clothesline. Dante went for his finisher on Komander, who countered with a cradle for two. Top Flight double-teamed Komander. Dante took out Keith with a superkick, then hit Private Party with a dive to the floor. Darius finished off Komander with what I’ll call a ripcord into a sit-out facebuster for the pinfall.
A TBS Championship match has been added to Battle of the Belts IX.
Champion Julia Hart will defend against Anna Jay following Dynamite, which saw Jay submit Hart’s associate Skye Blue with the Queen Slayer in an eight-person tag team match. The championship match was confirmed later in the show.
The eight-person tag team match was to honor Brodie Lee, who made his debut as The Exalted One of the Dark Order back in 2020. During his short time in AEW, Lee saw both Jay and Preston Vance as his protoges. Vance also won an eight-man tag team match on the show, scoring the win for his team.
In recent weeks, Jay has continued her association with Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, and Daniel Garcia, the remnants of the Jericho Appreciation Society. She last appeared on television on AEW Rampage this month, losing to Hikaru Shida.
Hart last defended the TBS Championship at Worlds End, defeating Abadon.
Here is the updated card for Battle of the Belts IX, which airs live immediately after Collision:
AEW Tag Team titles: Big Bill & Ricky Starks defend against Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara
TBS Championship: Julia Hart defends against Anna Jay
The following is an opinion-based preview and reflects the views of the author.
AEW’s gift to us this holiday season was a wonderful wrestling tournament that got us through the winter doldrums and into the always promising new year.
By any objective measure, the Continental Classic was/is a tremendous success — a reminder and throwback to the foundation that AEW was built on which is an incredible in-ring product. Building a series of shows around high-quality matches has breathed much-needed life into AEW as it feels exciting again and reinvigorated.
The best Dynamite of the past few months was the December 13th episode. No skips, no filler, just good in-ring action with some necessary story exposition. Folks, that’s all it takes. The Devil storyline took a deserved backseat — the sooner this is and the rest of MJF’s version of As The World Turns is over the better — and the focus was almost entirely between the ropes. The sun AEW should revolve around is whatever happens between the bells, not who is under a Party City mask.
Everything falls neatly into place when the shows have something to revolve around rather than just someone. Anchoring the show around one main character can be burdensome to the viewer. How many 20-minute MJF solo promos can we take? This is not a reflection of his talent, which remains generational, but it’s not working as well as it should. For over a year, MJF has been the linchpin of the show, for better or for worse. Giving so much focus to the Continental Classic gave him space to breathe and gave him time to rest. And let’s face it, the last few months in the MJF-verse haven’t been good. When he first won the title, he talked about going on a HHH-esque reign of terror. If only we knew how accurate that would turn out to be.
Saturday’s Worlds End looks strong on paper and with AEW never missing at pay-per-views, I have high hopes for the last big show of 2023. Let’s run through the matches and give some predictions.
Andrade El Idolo vs. Miro
Andrade was one of the breakout performers in the Continental Classic. It might seem strange to refer to someone who has been wrestling since the early 2000s as a breakout, but this was by far his best work — not just in AEW, but since he’s been a regular in a major US wrestling promotion. The dude had his working boots on for every match and fully opened up the engines. When engaged and motivated, there is nothing he can’t do in the ring. Being reminded of that these past few weeks was wonderful. Let’s hope he carries the momentum into 2024.
It would have been easy to do something corny about Miro and CJ Perry’s IRL marriage. Instead, AEW decided to tell a story with nuance and layers which are things not typically associated with wrestling storylines. CJ wants to get back to what she was great at; managing and elevating talent. She’s upset that her husband wants to wrestle on his own, but she’s soldiering on doing what she wants. Miro, now no longer feuding with God, just wants to focus on wrestling.
It’s not going to win any awards or breathlessly be described as cinema, but this is a program that means something without any gold attached to it. This should be a good one!
Prediction: Andrade El Idolo
Keith Lee vs. Swerve Strickland
For whatever reason(s), Keith Lee in AEW hasn’t worked out like most (I am most) thought. The AEW Tag Team title run with Strickland was excellent, but other than that, nothing has been memorable. He has, somehow, become an afterthought. Or perhaps he’s been surpassed by others with greater gifts than his own. Maybe even a bit of both. There was a time when he was looked at as a no-doubt future World champion. Does that ceiling still exist? I hope it does. Wrestling is more fun when Keith Lee is regularly hossing people around the ring and making everyone roll their eyes when he’s doing a backstage promo.
This is going to be good, but it’s not hot. I’ll give AEW some grace on this one, though. Too often they are pumping the card full of last-minute matches, but with the C2 running until this week, they had no choice here. This does feel like a step down for Strickland who remains on a months-long heater. He might not have won the C2, but he maintained his momentum coming out of it and is positioned for a massive year in 2024 – one that should include an AEW World Championship reign. Anything less would be uncivilized.
Prediction: Swerve Strickland
Big Bill, Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs & Kyle Fletcher vs. Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Sting & Darby Allin
I continue to love the Bill/Starks pairing. It’s self-aware and smart enough to work. They aren’t friends and there is no ‘can they co-exist’ storyline. This is just two dudes who recognized each other’s immense talents and thought ‘Yeah, this should work.’ Wrestling is better when it’s not all brothers and best friends tag teams. Homogeneity is boring. There’s a reason Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors.
Guevara continues, unceasing, ebbing and flowing, between character alignments like tides that lick the coast of the Atlantic. He turned on Jericho in October, went on paternity, and came back to his waiting arms. Sure, whatever. Why was he so upset about the painting of his daughter? A young queen with five kings supporting her? Seems good to me! But alas, here we are yet again, closing 2023 with another Guevara/Jericho pairing that no one asked for and even fewer wanted.
Prediction: Jericho, Guevara, Sting & Allin
Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston in the Continental Classic finals
The Continental Classic was destined to come down to this. The King of The Bums vs. the man who has done everything in pro wrestling. It took Kingston into his 40s to achieve what Moxley was doing in his late 20s. Bound together since the early years of AEW, the two men who know each other best go to war on Saturday. It’s going to be messy, it’s going to be brutal, and it’s going to be beautiful. Sometimes wrestling is just two dudes hitting each other really hard and is the most perfect thing in the world.
This year checked a lot of boxes for Kingston. The absolute madman won the Ring of Honor World title from his forever rival, wrestled in the G1, and is now in the finals of the C2. He is primed to win the American Triple Crown and follow in the footsteps of all his heroes. Getting to do it in his home state is the cherry of all cherries to cap off a hell of a 2023.
There are certainly people who don’t love or believe in him, but those are the exceptions that prove the rule. Those who love him do so loud and love him fiercely. They will be out in full force for his coronation on Long Island.
Prediction: Eddie Kingston
TBS Champion Julia Hart defends against Abadon
Hart just won the TBS Championship and is going to stay winning. She continues to grow in the ring and adds to her overall presentation on what seems like a weekly basis. She is AEW’s biggest homegrown success and her future is bright…or dark…or however she prefers it, really.
Abadon’s look and presentation are just incredible. Even the most ardent of haters have to admit that her character just works. In a sea of similar gimmicks and aesthetics, she stands out. She’s just not going to win the TBS title. Too much time was invested in building Hart into what she is now for her to lose the title less than two months after she won it.
Prediction: Julia Hart
TNT Champion Christian Cage defends against Adam Copeland in a no DQ match
It’s likely that you, the intelligent wrestling consumer that you are, have already decided if you’re going to like this match. This is the Copeland special. These are the matches he loves to have with plunder and weapons galore. It will likely be too long. It will likely have a few missed pinfalls and submissions. It will likely be a bit overwrought. It can be all of those things and still be good because as always, this is subjective. If that is your type of match, I have some good news. You’ll probably get an excellent version of it on Saturday night. If this is your preferred brand of vodka, get ready for top shelf. If not? You can probably squeeze in a 40-minute nap during the match.
Recently, AEW has shied away from doing trilogies. The Orange Cassidy vs. Jon Moxley and Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Page programs wrapped up (for now) after two matches. I can’t help but feel that will be the case at Worlds End, too. Christian has done yeoman’s work making the TNT title important again — important enough that Copeland winning it will feel like a big deal.
Prediction: Adam Copeland
AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm defends against Riho
Your opinion on Storm is a telling character decoder. Do you think she’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen? Perhaps broaden your comedic horizons. Do you think it’s terrible and an embarrassment to this business? I would encourage you to allow a little light and levity into your life. The highs are high and the lows are cause for shaking your head, not changing the channel. The truth is this probably skews more towards good than a transcendent character, but Storm is the singular focus of the women’s division.
There is too much juice left in the Storm orange to change the title here. AEW is invested in her current character and future program with Mariah May. Taking the title from her here makes no sense.
Prediction: Toni Storm
AEW World Champion MJF defends against Samoa Joe
There is no good reveal for the Devil. It’s low floor, low ceiling storytelling and the type of storytelling that AEW should do well to avoid. What is a good reveal here? It’s a rhetorical question, but is there anyone on the roster that would make this amount of TV time worth it and make some storyline sense?
Even if it leads to a returning Kyle O’Reilly, would an Adam Cole reveal really move the needle? The best they could do in that situation would be if the entire injury was a work, leading to him costing MJF the title. Even if that’s the case, we’re still in for another long MJF melodrama program — the same type of program Cody Rhodes would get killed for if he was still in AEW, by the way — and something has to change. After Wednesday night’s show-closing angle, something has to change immediately. Put this to bed and never talk of it again.
Regardless of anything else that happens at Worlds End, Samoa Joe should walk out with a World title on his shoulder. Even at 44, he remains a singular force of nature in wrestling. His presence and menacing delivery on the microphone scream monster. He can be that final boss. He can be the person everyone is terrified of. Let him run roughshod over AEW for a few months while the next big babyface (Swerve Strickland) gets primed for a run on top.
It should be a big deal when MJF drops his belt as he is the longest reigning champion in company history, after all. But the reign has been lackluster ever since Cole became his best friend and why am I still writing about a friendship storyline in December?
If Joe doesn’t win here, I don’t know what’s left to do. MJF is hurt and carrying 1.5 lame-duck storylines by himself. Let him heal up and give Joe the one thing he’s never had and the one thing he deserves: a World title in a major company.
