Tag: Kazuchika Okada

All Star eight-man tag match booked for next AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Bryan Rose

An All-Star eight-man tag featuring some of AEW’s top stars is set for the next episode of Dynamite.

Kenny Omega will team with Speedball Mike Bailey, Mark Briscoe, and Kevin Knight to take on The Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada, and Ricochet. The match was made official on this week’s episode of Collision. In his tweet making the announcement, Tony Khan noted this would be the first time Omega and Okada have met in the ring since 2018.

After Swerve Strickland defeated Blake Christian in the opening match of this week’s Collision, The Young Bucks jumped him, laying out Swerve with the EVP trigger. They went for the Meltzer Driver but were interrupted by Omega, who made the save by laying out Nicholas with a snap dragon suplex. He attempted the v-trigger, but Matthew pulled Nicholas from the ring before Omega could lay him out.

It was also announced that both The Hurt Syndicate and MJF will be appearing on next week’s program. MJF in recent weeks has attempted to align himself with the group, but Bobby Lashley is the lone holdout that doesn’t trust whatever MJF has up his sleeve.

The AEW Dynamite lineup for April 30:

AEW Dynamite, Wednesday, April 30 —

  • Owen Hart Foundation men’s tournament semifinals: Hangman Adam Page vs. Kyle Fletcher
  • All-Star 8-man tag: Kenny Omega, Speedball Mike Bailey, Mark Briscoe, and Kevin Knight vs. The Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada, and Ricochet
  • The Hurt Syndicate will appear live
  • MJF will appear live

Kenny Omega & Kazuchika Okada have staredown at AEW Dynasty

Posted on by Josh Nason

The slow build to what many expect will be another meeting at July’s AEW All In Texas continued at Sunday’s AEW Dynasty.

Following Kenny Omega’s victory in a three-way with “Speedball” Mike Bailey and Ricochet to retain the AEW International title, reigning Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada’s music hit. He and Omega had a brief staredown in the ring before Omega left.

It was a scene reminiscent of a similar situation at last December’s World End. After Okada won the Continental Classic tournament with a win over Will Ospreay, Omega made his return to AEW following an extensive break due to multiple injuries to go face-to-face with his old rival.

Okada and the Young Bucks took Omega out in May 2024 to write him off in storyline, forming the new-look Elite along with Jack Perry. Both the Bucks and Perry have been off TV for months, leaving Okada as the lone remaining member.

The two had a legendary run of matches in NJPW from 2017 to 2018 that ended when Omega defeated his rival for the IWGP Heavyweight title in a best-of-three falls match at June 2018’s Dominion.

Revolution showcase match announced for AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Josh Nason

A tag team match featuring four combatants at this Sunday’s AEW Revolution was announced for tonight’s AEW Dynamite from Sacramento, California.

Former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland will team with Brody King to take on reigning Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada and Ricochet.

Strickland and Ricochet will also sign the contract tonight for their no. 1 contender’s clash at Revolution while Okada vs. King for the Continental title for the pay-per-view was announced this afternoon.

Strickland and King have never teamed before, but competed against each other in various indie matches dating back to 2017. Okada and Ricochet have never teamed before, but did square off in the Continental Classic semifinals at last December’s Worlds End.

Here’s the current lineup for tonight’s go-home show:

  • Cope vs. Wheeler Yuta
  • Swerve Strickland & Ricochet AEW Revolution contract signing
  • Swerve Strickland & Brody King vs. Ricochet & Kazuchika Okada
  • Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford vs. Kris Statlander & Thunder Rosa

Kazuchika Okada vs. Brody King Continental title match set for AEW Revolution

Posted on by Ian Carey

A new match has been added to the lineup for AEW Revolution.

Kazuchika Okada will defend his AEW Continental Championship against Brody King on the pay-per-view. Tony Khan revealed the news ahead of AEW Dynamite on Wednesday, writing, “After a series of altercations, Kazuchika Okada will defend the AEW Continental Title vs Brody King at Revolution THIS SUNDAY!”

Their rivalry escalated last Saturday when Okada attacked King on AEW Collision. As King was checking on Julia Hart after her match against Queen Aminata, Okada struck him with the Continental title belt.

AEW Revolution lineup for Sunday, March 9, 2025:

  • AEW World Champion Jon Moxley defends against Cope
  • AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita defends against Kenny Omega
  • The Hollywood Ending: AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm defends against Mariah May
  • AEW Tag Team Champions The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) defend against The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum)
  • TBS Champion Mercedes Mone defends against Momo Watanabe
  • AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada defends against Brody King
  • AEW World title number one contender’s match: Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet
  • MJF vs. Hangman Page
  • Steel cage match: Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher
  • Zero Hour: Big Boom AJ, Mark Briscoe & Orange Cassidy vs. Johnny TV, Mansoor & Mason Madden

Two new matches, Harley Cameron appearance part of final AEW Collision lineup

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: AEW

The full lineup is now known for this Saturday’s AEW Collision after the events of Wednesday night.

Julia Hart will look to rebound from her late-January loss to Jamie Hayter as she faces Queen Aminata who is in search of her first AEW win since October.

The Murder Machines (Brian Cage & Lance Archer) will face two local wrestlers as they hunt down an AEW Tag Team title match.

After she was unable to win the TBS title last Saturday, Harley Cameron will share some thoughts on what’s next as will AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada after he successfully defended against Buddy Matthews.

Don Callis and Kyle Fletcher will also appear to answer Will Ospreay’s challenge for a steel cage match at Revolution.

Here’s the updated lineup, taped after Wednesday’s Dynamite:

  • ROH World Champion Chris Jericho defends against Bandido
  • AEW Trios Champions The Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli, PAC & Wheeler Yuta) defend against TNT Champion Daniel Garcia, Matt Menard & Angelo Parker
  • Julia Hart vs. Queen Aminata
  • The Murder Machines vs. two local talents
  • The Beast Mortos vs. Hologram
  • Gabe Kidd vs. The Butcher
  • Max Caster vs. TBA
  • Harley Cameron appearance
  • Kazuchika Okada appearance
  • Kyle Fletcher & Don Callis appearance

AEW Collision live results: Three-way trios match, Bandido returns

Posted on by Suit Williams

Tonight’s live AEW Collision from Houston, Texas, will continue to build next Saturday’s Grand Slam Australia from Brisbane.

In a trios match that has been building for weeks, Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong will take on Shane Taylor & The Infantry and TNT Champion Daniel Garcia, Matt Menard & Angelo Parker.

Bandido will return to AEW in-ring action for the first time in nearly two years as he faces Bryan Keith.

In a Continental Classic rematch, Kyle Fletcher will go one-on-one with Mark Briscoe.

Ahead of their Continental title match at Grand Slam Australia, Kazuchika Okada and Buddy Matthews will have a face-to-face confrontation.

AEW Women’s World Champion Mariah May will compete in an exhibition match ahead of her title defense against Toni Storm next Saturday.

The show is rounded out by former champion Thunder Rosa vs. Penelope Ford, Dustin Rhodes in action ahead of his Dynamite match with MJF, and a live Harley Cameron concert.

**********

Collision began with promos from Mark Briscoe & Kyle Fletcher. Sir Elton John played us in to Collision from Houston, Texas. Tony Schiavone & Nigel McGuinness were on the call. They were running down the card when a security guard was flung across the screen by Marina Shafir.

AEW World Champion Jon Moxley was behind her, saying that the show began when he said it did. Moxley said that he was tired of Cope demanding a World Title match and made it clear that he called the shots. Moxley said that he had 1,000 reasons to deny Cope a title shot, but the major one was that he didn’t like Cope. Moxley said that while he wouldn’t give him a title shot, he would fight him whenever he wanted. He told Cope to bring his friend Jay White and his half-broken neck to Australia and pray that Moxley gave him the grace to walk out of Australia.

(A solid promo to start the show, with the crowd giving Moxley a ton of heat.)

Trios Three Way Match – The Undisputed Kingdom (Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) defeated Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Carlie Bravo, & Shawn Dean), & TNT Champion Daniel Garcia, Angelo Parker, & Matt Menard

(A phenomenal start to the show, as this may have been the best match on AEW TV in 2025 to this point. This is the ideal version of a trios division, as singles stars teamed with their established partners/friends. This Houston crowd was red hot for everything, which helped the cause. And the turnaround the Kingdom has done since the MJF feud has been impressive. Their in-ring work has helped to rehab them all, and now they feel like a real challenge for the Death Riders come Wednesday. An excellent segment.)

Strong and Taylor started off, with Strong baiting Taylor into the Kingdom corner to get peppered with shots from him and O’Reilly. Taylor took them down with a clothesline and brought O’Reilly into the STP corner, but Menard blind tagged O’Reilly to sneak in. Quick tags were the game here as Menard pulled double duty by hopping on commentary as Garcia hit the ten punches on The Infantry. STP took control of Garcia with an apron attack as we went to commercial.

Garcia took Taylor down with a side suplex as we came back from the break, but the Infantry pulled 2.0 off the apron to keep a tag from happening. Garcia was forced to tag out to O’Reilly, with the Kingdom running wild. We got a move train with everyone getting a big shot in as the Houston crowd was rabid. More fast action saw Taylor get taken out on the floor with a Total Elimination, and Cole scored the win with The Boom on Bravo.

After the match, The Death Riders attacked everyone. Claudio Castagnoli took the mic and congratulated Cole before reminding everyone who the best trio really was. The Kingdom fought back, with O’Reilly tapping out Yuta with an ankle lock. The Death Riders fled, and on behalf of the Kingdom, Cole challenged the Death Riders to a Trios Title match on Dynamite. The match was quickly confirmed for Wednesday in Austin, Texas.

We got a video package for FTR. They said that they’ve taken a back seat for too long, and that they wanted the World Tag Team Titles for a third time.

Max Caster was backstage with Alicia Atout, who asked about Hangman Page. Caster said that how Page acted on Dynamite wasn’t very manly, and that if Page wanted a fight, he should accept his Open Challenge when it returns on Dynamite.

$200,000 Bounty Match – Bandido defeated Bryan Keith

(This Collision rocks so far. Bandido looked awesome in his return, earning the crowd even as some were behind Keith as a native Texan. That duel at high noon spot was phenomenal, and the crowd ate it up. I truly believe that with his gimmick and his work, Bandido has the upside to be the next major lucha star in America if he’s given the chance.)

Keith threw his duster in Bandido’s face to sneak a boot in, but Bandido quickly came back and dropped Keith with a dropkick. Keith caught a diving Bandido with a forearm as he came off the ropes before we went to a commercial break. After the break, Bandido came back with a step-up tornillo and a one-armed gorilla press for a nearfall.

Keith cut off a 21-Plex with a lariat, then stunned Bandido with a rising headbutt. Keith took Bandido off the top rope with an exploder suplex. The two traded strikes before they stood back-to-back. The two men faced off at high noon by taking ten paces to the corner before taking each other down with boots. Bandido got Keith on his shoulders to hit the X-Plex, then hit the 21-Plex to score the win in his return match.

Powerhouse Hobbs was backstage with Lexy Nair. He told Big Bill that his boy wasn’t able to collect the bounty, and that he would be in Texas all week for a fight. He said that he would be in Austin on Tuesday, which is when Dynamite is being taped next week.

La Faccion Ingobernable (Rush, Dralistico, & The Beast Mortos) defeated Ares Alexander, Jay Alexander, & Brick Savage

(Another great segment with AEW taking advantage of their location this week by highlighting the lucha stars on their roster. I was worried about Hologram’s momentum drying up after getting hurt a few months back, but the crowd was still into him as he made the save for Komander to possibly form a new team.)

LFI got a quick win, with Rush getting the pin after the Bull’s Horns. They beat down the locals after the match before Komander made the save. He took down Mortos with a springboard poisonrana, but the numbers were too much for him. LFI went to unmask him before Hologram made his return to AEW to get revenge on the men that put him on the shelf. Hologram and Komander posed before they hit big dives on LFI and brawled to the back.

In the meantime, Rush was threatening a referee with a chair. Other referees tried to hold him back, but Rush shoved them away and laid one out with a big forearm as the announcers said that big fines were headed Rush’s way.

Lexy Nair attempted to interview Megan Bayne, who stonewalled her. Thunder Rosa turned the corner and tried to welcome her to AEW, but Bayne stonewalled her too. Rosa took over the interview as Bayne went on her way, excited to be back in Texas to take on Penelope Ford tonight.

Harley Cameron, Live In Concert

(This segment had a real chance to bomb, but this was as good as you could hope a segment like this could be. This felt straight out of a 2015 episode of NXT in all the right ways. The crowd has really taken to Harley Cameron, and Mone was a great foil here for her to set up her next title defense.)

Cameron had Puppet Mercedes Mone in tow and kicked off by singing about she wanted to ride the Mone Train. She was quickly cut off by Mercedes Mone, who asked if Cameron was stupid or dumb. Mone was about to call Cameron a loser again, but Cameron cut her off to sing another song about Mone feeling the wrath. She got the crowd to chant Feel The Wrath, but Mone cut her off again.

Mone called Cameron a loser and told her to leave the ring, but the crowd chanted for Harley. Cameron said that she wanted to be where Mone was and wouldn’t stop until she got a shot at the title in her hometown. Cameron said that the most entertaining Mone had ever been was when she was a puppet. Mone slapped Cameron, but Cameron bonked her with the mic to send her to the floor. Mone accepted Cameron’s challenge and promised to embarrass Cameron in her hometown.

Buddy Matthews was sat backstage with Lexy Nair. They were scheduled for a sitdown interview with both Matthews and Kazuchika Okada, but Okada hadn’t arrived yet. Okada burst in late and asked for a water, but Matthews decided to cut to the chase. He wasn’t falling for Okada’s comedy schtick and knew what he was capable of, but didn’t think he knew what Matthews was capable of. Okada called Matthews a bitch, and Matthews feigned a swing to make Okada jump. Matthews left, and Okada threw his water down in anger.

Dustin Rhodes defeated Izzy James

This was not the old Bayley fan Izzy, in case I needed to make that clear. Dustin hit his moves and won in the time it took for me to write this down.

After the match, Rhodes took the mic and said MJF wasn’t the devil. Rhodes had looked the devil in the eyes, knocked his teeth out, and dragged his way out of hell. Rhodes said that everything MJF was planning to do to Rhodes had already been done, and that he would make sure MJF met the devil on Dynamite.

The Death Riders were in the back. PAC said that they had been Trios Champions for what felt like an eternity with no challengers and credited the Undisputed Kingdom for stepping up. Castagnoli gave the Kingdom credit for having teeth and promised to pull them all out. PAC and Castagnoli left, leaving Yuta by himself. All he did was give a little smirk, and the people booed him.

Thunder Rosa (w/ Toro The Mascot) defeated Penelope Ford

(I don’t know if Ford got dinged up or got gassed at some point, but there was clearly a point where these two were stalling for Ford to get her bearings. We seem to have Megan Bayne’s first program set with a former Women’s World Champion.)

Toro is the Houston Texans mascot, for those wondering. Rosa scored a nearfall with a sliding lariat before Ford forced her back into the corner. Ford sent Rosa to the apron before hitting a knee drop as we went to commercial.

Ford got a nearfall with a gutbuster after we came back from the commercial break. Rosa avoided a handspring charge into the corner and fired up, hitting a hesitation dropkick and a suplex for a nearfall. Ford came back with a Muta back handspring elbow and a boot across the face. Ford went to the top, but Rosa avoided the moonsault and got a nearfall. Ford hit a shotgun dropkick, but Rosa caught her with a victory roll for a nearfall. Rosa caught Ford with strikes, but Ford Matrix-ducked a lariat and hit a cutter for a nearfall. Rosa hit a backstabber and the Tijuana Bomb for the win.

After the match, Megan Bayne came out and went face-to-face with Rosa. Ford was still in the ring and jumped Rosa from behind, leaving Bayne to pick the scraps and leave Rosa laying with an F-5.

We got footage of Ricochet beating Swerve Strickland on Dynamite, then going to a DEFY Wrestling event to gloat in front of Strickland’s hometown fans in Seattle. Strickland made a surprise appearance to attack Ricochet, with Prince Nana helping him land a House Call.

Legendary Houston rapper Bun B was backstage with Lexy Nair, promoting his Trill Burgers that they were serving in catering. Ricochet entered the frame to confront Bun B, who was friends with Swerve and was part of his Wembley entrance last year. Ricochet helped himself to a Trill Burger before spitting it out and accosting the poor guy making the burgers. Ricochet said to thank Prince Nana for the Embassy robe he stole after Dynamite.

Non-Title Exhibition Match – AEW Women’s World Champion Mariah May defeated Shay Carmichael

(A good angle here with the misdirection attack on May. I’ve had my issues with this angle throughout, but they seem to have the match hot right in time for the payoff.)

May came out with a big bag, the brand of which I wasn’t privy to. May jumped Carmichael before the bell, hit her moves, and won with the Mayday.

After the match, May dressed Carmichael up like Storm and smeared lip stain on her. Luther The Butler came out with a tray, revealing the bloody shoe May used all those months ago. May took the shoe and went to attack Carmichael again, but Toni Storm was in her place and attacked May. Storm went to piledrive May on the ring steps, but May escaped through the crowd.

Backstage, The Don Callis Family were laying people out, as they do. Mark Davis was hesitant but was told to start pulling his weight and joined in the attack.

Kyle Fletcher defeated Mark Briscoe

(An excellent main event to cap off the clear-cut best episode of AEW television this year. Briscoe was phenomenal here as the never-say-die babyface against this cocky heel, and the spots playing off of the Continental Classic match brought this match up to another level. This quickly supplanted the trios opener as the best AEW match of 2025, and I cannot recommend this episode of Collision enough. Awesome, awesome show.)

Fletcher jumped Briscoe with a boot at the bell and laid the boots to him in the corner. Briscoe came back and sent Fletcher to the floor, where he followed him out with a dive. Briscoe pulled out the plunder, tossing a chair in the ring and setting up a table on the floor. Briscoe sent Fletcher to the floor again, but Fletcher caught Briscoe and lawn darted him into the ringpost. Briscoe came up bloody, and Fletcher put him down with a powerbomb into the apron as we went to a commercial.

After the commercial, an even bloodier Briscoe fired back with shots before both men laid each other out with clotheslines. Briscoe laid in chops and hit an exploder suplex for a nearfall. Fletcher fought out of a Jay Driller and hit a hanging DDT. Fletcher hit a running knee and a cradle Tiger Driver for a nearfall. Fletcher hit the Yakuza Kick, but Briscoe countered the Brainbuster with a Fisherman’s Buster for a nearfall.

Fletcher cut Briscoe off on the top rope, but Briscoe slid out of a Brainbuster and went for a Cut Throat Driver that won the first match between these two. Fletcher held onto the referee and snuck in a low blow before hitting a brainbuster for a close nearfall. Fletcher dropped Briscoe with half-and-half suplexes before he slumped to the apron. Fletcher pulled the table into position, but Briscoe knocked Fletcher off the ropes and hit a Froggy Bow off the top rope through the table to a massive pop.

Briscoe got Fletcher in the ring and hit another Froggy Bow for another nearfall. Briscoe set up another Cut Throat Driver, but Fletcher held onto the ropes. Briscoe cut Fletcher down with a chop and set up a top-rope Jay Driller, but Fletcher escaped and hit two Yakuza Kicks. Fletcher hit the top rope Brainbuster to score the win.

After the match, Fletcher took the mic and bragged to the crowd about his win and promised to do the same next week in Australia.

Two new matches official for AEW Grand Slam Australia

Posted on by Josh Nason

Next weekend’s AEW Grand Slam Australia continued to form with two new matches announced during Wednesday’s Dynamite.

After a wild brawl between the Death Riders and FTR, New Zealand native Jay White and Cope that started the show, White offered up a challenge for Brisbane where he and Cope face AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli in a “Brisbane Brawl.” Moxley accepted where as he earlier declined Cope’s World title challenge for Revolution.

The other new addition will see Australia native Buddy Matthews challenge reigning Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada. Matthews has been prodding Okada for a match for several weeks, finally irritating him enough to get Okada to accept.

The bout will be a rematch from their November 2021 meeting at NJPW Battle in the Valley.

The show is set for Saturday, February 15th and will air on tape delay that night following the NBA All-Star Weekend slam dunk and three point contest on TNT.

Here’s the current lineup:

  • Kenny Omega & Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher
  • AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada defends against Buddy Matthews
  • AEW Women’s World Champion Mariah May defends against Toni Storm
  • Jay White & Cope vs. Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli in a Brisbane Brawl

AEW Collision notes: Challenges, Max Caster, in-ring returns, Don Callis Family

Posted on by Josh Nason

Saturday’s Homecoming edition of AEW Collision featured a pair of challenges, a new Max Caster open challenge, and a trio of in-ring returns.

Challenges

Following he and Brody King’s tag team victory over the Gates of Agony, Buddy Matthews decided to challenge reigning AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada after Okada laughed at the newly-christened Hounds of Hell in a backstage segment.

Okada had no interest to which Matthews retorted that him being turned down made Okada a bitch which the champion didn’t care for. Earlier in the night, Okada defeated Komander in a champion vs. champion match.

Later in the show, Penelope Ford challenged former AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa to a match after they got into a verbal disagreement, and Darius Martin called out Lio Rush given the issues between their respective teams.

In all cases, no date or location was announced with this Wednesday’s Collision TV taping following Dynamite as a strong possibility.

The Max Caster open challenge series

After former AEW Tag Team Champions The Acclaimed split up last week, Max Caster is now on his own and declared on Saturday that he is holding his own open challenge series. He called himself a survivor and he wanted to see who the other survivors are even though they can’t beat “the best wrestler alive.”

AEW continues to get healthier by the week with three wrestlers making their announced in-ring returns after long absences:

  • After being out for more than half a year, former AEW World Champion and former TNT Champion Samoa Joe opened the show with a win over Nick Wayne. He was taken out by Chris Jericho in a street fight last July as a storyline cover for him returning to work on the second season of Twisted Metal for Peacock
  • In a trios match, Cool Hand Ang/Angelo Parker returned to the ring for the first time since last August, getting pinned in a trios match that featured himself, Daniel Garcia and Matt Menard against Adam Cole, Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly. It was his first AEW match since last April while he wrestled three times in ROH from June through August. He and wife Ruby Soho got married and celebrated the birth of their first child in October.
  • Yuka Sakazaki returned to AEW for the first time since last September and made it an impactful return, earning a TBS title shot this Wednesday against Mercedes Mone.

Don Callis Family expanding?

In a brief taped vignette before AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita’s title defense against Katsuyori Shibata, Don Callis noted to his family that there might not just be five of them, insinuating more members could be coming.

Okada vs. Ishii title match added to AEW Collision Maximum Carnage

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Former NJPW stablemates will square off on AEW Collision Maximum Carnage for the Continental Championship.

As announced during Wednesday’s Dynamite, Kazuchika Okada will defend the AEW Continental Championship against Tomohiro Ishii on Saturday’s Collision.

The Maximum Carnage special episode of Collision airing Saturday will be taped Thursday night.

Both Okada and Ishii were part of the CHAOS stable in NJPW. Ishii still wrestles for NJPW, while Okada departed the company for AEW last year. Ishii is also part of The Conglomeration stable in AEW.

The Continental title bout is one of three matches official for the Saturday, January 18 Collision. The card will also feature Hangman Page vs. Christopher Daniels in a Texas Death match, plus a 12-man tag.

The updated card for Collision Maximum Carnage:

  • Texas Death match: Hangman Page vs. Christopher Daniels
  • 12-man tag: Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Chris Jericho, Big Bill & Bryan Keith vs. Cope, Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler, Powerhouse Hobbs, Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum
  • AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada defends against Tomohiro Ishii

Kenny Omega returns at AEW Worlds End, confronts Kazuchika Okada

Posted on by Josh Nason

For the first time since May, former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega made his return at Saturday’s Worlds End to confront Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada.

Okada had just defeated Will Ospreay in the Continental Classic tournament when Christopher Daniels came out to say he would usually present him with the title but he was no longer an executive vice president. He then said, “But he is” and Omega’s music hit.

Omega brought the belt down to the ring and handed it to Okada who raised it above his head. The two stared each other down before Omega eventually left. A good portion of that staredown was done with the All In Texas banner prominently in the background, perhaps a clue as when their eventual clash will take place.

The two longtime rivals in NJPW also had a confrontation in May that was disrupted by Okada’s Elite teammates in the Young Bucks and Jack Perry. The new-look Elite then took Omega out in storyline. Omega had been out of action since last December due to multiple injuries and ailments including diverticulitis that nearly took his life due to it being undetected.

Omega will make his in-ring return at next Saturday’s Wrestle Dynasty against Gabe Kidd in a show that will feature wrestlers from NJPW, AEW, ROH, CMLL and Stardom.

Kazuchika Okada defeats Will Ospreay in Continental Classic final at AEW Worlds End

Posted on by Josh Nason

The second-ever Continental Classic came to an end at Saturday’s AEW Worlds End with Kazuchika Okada winning the entire tournament, retaining his Continental title in the final against Will Ospreay.

The bout featured both men pulling out all the offensive stops in the final sequence, scoring close near falls on each other in rapid fire succession. The end came when Okada landed a Rainmaker clothesline to finally put Ospreay down for the win.

Okada was then confronted by old rival Kenny Omega in Omega’s first promotional appearance since May.

In two semifinal matches that opened the show, Okada (Blue league runner-up) defeated Ricochet (the Gold league winner) while Ospreay (Gold league runner-up) outlasted his former friend in Kyle Fletcher (the Blue league winner).

Ospreay was bloodied up during the Fletcher match and came out for the final with a full head bandage without washing off any of the blood. As expected, the bandage eventually came off and his head wound opened up.

With the victory, Okada holds on to the Continental title he won this past March by defeating Eddie Kingston.

Continental Classic final four official for AEW Worlds End

Posted on by Josh Nason

The final four participants to determine the winner of this year’s AEW Continental Classic at this Saturday’s Worlds End are now official following Wednesday’s Christmas edition of Dynamite.

Kyle Fletcher won the Blue league by virtue of his win over TNT Champion Daniel Garcia, giving him 12 points to close things out. Reigning Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada defeated Shelton Benjamin to close out their Blue league action, giving Okada ten points and the runner-up spot. He edged out Mark Briscoe who finished with nine points.

In the Gold league, Ricochet won the league with ten points after going to a draw with Darby Allin. He edged out both Will Ospreay and Claudio Castagnoli who finished with nine points apiece after Ospreay defeated Brody King and Castagnoli lost to Komander.

However, Ospreay defeated Castagnoli earlier in the tournament, giving him a tiebreaker to officially become the runner-up.

That means this Saturday at the pay-per-view, the semifinals will feature Fletcher vs. Ospreay in a highly-anticipated rematch while Ricochet vs. Okada for the first time ever. The winners of those two bouts will then square off later that night to determine the potentially new Continental Champion.

Okada is the reigning champion, but the tournament winner will leave with the title.

Here’s the current lineup for Saturday in Orlando, Florida:

  • AEW World Champion Jon Moxley defends against Orange Cassidy, Hangman Page and Jay White in a fatal four-way
  • MJF defends the Dynamite diamond ring against Adam Cole
  • AEW Continental Classic semifinal: Kyle Fletcher vs. Will Ospreay
  • AEW Continental Classic semifinal: Ricochet vs. Kazuchika Okada
  • AEW Continental Classic final: TBD vs. TBD
  • TBS Champion Mercedes Mone defends against Kris Statlander
  • AEW Women’s World Champion Mariah May defends against Thunder Rosa in a Tijuana street fight
  • AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita defends against Powerhouse Hobbs

Five Continental Classic matches set for Christmas night AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Josh Nason

The final Continental Classic tournament bouts before next Saturday’s Worlds End are set for next Wednesday’s Christmas night edition of AEW Dynamite.

Five matches are on tap that will be taped this Sunday afternoon at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.

In the Gold league, Will Ospreay will face Brody King for the first time ever. Ospreay (pictured above) is part of a four-way tie that he hopes to break this Saturday on Collision against Ricochet while King has just three points.

Ricochet will face Darby Allin for the first time ever in Gold league action. Ricochet and Allin are also part of the aforementioned tie. Allin will be in action Saturday as well ahead of this match.

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Komander will round out the night’s Gold league matches. Castagnoli is part of the four-man tie while Komander has zero points.

In the Blue league, Kazuchika Okada will take on Shelton Benjamin for the first time ever. As of Wednesday, Okada (seven points) has a one point advantage over Benjamin (one).

In what could be a dark horse for the tournament’s best match, TNT Champion Daniel Garcia will take on Kyle Fletcher in Blue league action for the first time ever.

Here’s the current lineup:

  • Continental Classic Gold league: Will Ospreay vs. Brody King
  • Continental Classic Gold league: Darby Allin vs. Ricochet
  • Continental Classic Gold league: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Komander
  • Continental Classic Blue league: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shelton Benjamin
  • Continental Classic Blue league: Daniel Garcia vs. Kyle Fletcher

AEW Collision Winter is Coming live results: Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe

Posted on by Suit Williams

Winter is Coming for AEW Collision.

This year’s edition will see the continuation of the Continental Classic. In Blue league matches, Kyle Fletcher will take on Mark Briscoe, and Kazuchika Okada will meet The Beast Mortos. They will look to change the trajectory of the league as Fletcher currently is far ahead with 9 points.

A Tag Team title eliminator is also set as Top Flight will face Action Andretti & Lio Rush with the winners earning a future shot against titleholders Private Party.

Willow Nightingale will take on Jamie Hayter to finalize the AEW representative in the Wrestle Dynasty International Women’s Cup.

A ten-man tag team match will see Orange Cassidy, The Outrunners, Komander and Daniel Garcia take on MxM Collection and Premier Athletes.

Other action includes Kris Statlander vs. Tootie Lynn, and Toni Storm vs. Shazza McKenzie. Storm made her return on Dynamite and wrestled on Friday’s Rampage where she defeated Harley Cameron in her first AEW match since August’s All In.

The show will begin after NBA coverage on TNT.

**********

This week’s Collision comes to us live (to tape) from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri. I was in this building for the Dynasty PPV back in April. I was not in the building for this show. Anyway, Tony Schiovane & Nigel McGuinness are on the call as always.

Collision began with a recap of Will Ospreay’s defeat of Claudio Castagnoli, and Darby Allin making sure Castagnoli couldn’t continue his post-match attack. Backstage at Dynamite, Ospreay thanked Allin for his help. Allin had a bad feeling that the Death Riders were going to hurt someone else the same way they hurt Bryan Danielson and Chuck Taylor, and asked for Ospreay’s help. Ospreay said that he had to get his momentum back after losing at two straignt PPVs and was too busy to help. Allin warned that there may not be a Continental Classic when the Death Riders were done with AEW, so Ospreay promised to help Allin after the tournament if he needed someone in the foxhole with him.

We got promos from all four men in Continental Classic action tonight before the announcers ran down the card for tonight. Well, we got grunts from Mortos.

International Women’s Cup Qualifier Tournament Final Match – Willow Nightingale defeated Jamie Hayter

This was a very good match with two of AEW’s most popular women. Nightingale is a great representative for AEW at the Tokyo Dome, and her winning a big International tournament could get her back into the orbit of Mercedes Mone in the new year. Meanwhile, Hayter has a chance to bounce back quickly with Julia Hart returning. I enjoy Hayter attracting all of the long injured women on the AEW roster who seem to be upset that she got back before them.

The winner of this match will join ROH’s Athena, CMLL’s Persephone, and the yet-to-be-determined Stardom participant in the four-way International Women’s Cup final at New Japan’s Wrestle Dynasty event on January 5th.

The two traded shoulder block attempts before Nightingale won the exchange. The two traded flash pins before engaging in a chop battle. Hayter took Nightingale down with a DDT on the apron before the lights flashed off. They came back quickly, allowing Nightingale to come back with a cannonball off the apron.

After the commercial, Hayter came back with a superplex and a running knee for a nearfall. Hayter hit an ushigoroshi and a sliding lariat for a nearfall, channeling the spirit of NEVER Openweight Champions ahead of Wrestle Dynasty. The two hammered each other with lariats before taking each other down with big boots. Nightingale came back with Abyss’s old Shock Treatment move before hitting a Lionsault for a nearfall.

Nightingale went up for a moonsault, but Hayter snatched on a waistlock and hit a German suplex. Nightingale avoided a Hayterade and hit a Pounce, but Hayter slipped out of the Doctor Bomb to hit a big backbreaker. Nightingale ducked another Hayterade and hit the Babe With The Powerbomb to score the win and the Tokyo Dome spot.

The two women shook hands before Nightingale headed off. The lights went out again, and when they came up this time, Julia Hart dropped Hayter with a DDT. Tony Schiavone noted that this was the building where Hart had her last match before going away.

We got words from Brody King & Claudio Castagnoli after their Continental Classic losses on Wednesday’s Dynamite. King called Ricochet a coward for winning with the help of an exposed turnbuckle.

Continental Classic 2024 Blue League Match – Kazuchika Okada [7] defeated The Beast Mortos [0]

A very good match with two guys you wouldn’t have expected to be on the same roster page this time last year. Okada is currently in second place in the block with one match to go, so he’ll need some help to get through. Meanwhile, Beast Mortos is officially eliminated, as he cannot get to 7 points and reach second place.

Okada poked Mortos in the eyes and pulled his hair like a territory heel before Mortos came back with a shoulder block. Mortos went for a monkey flip, but Okada dumped Mortos over the top rope to the floor. Okada dumped Mortos back into the ring, but Mortos charged back with a spinning dive back to the floor. Mortos got greedy and went for a cannonball into the stairs, but Okada moved out of the way. Okada laid out Mortos with a DDT and blew a kiss to his Continental Title before we went to a commercial.

Mortos made his comeback when we came back from the break. Mortos hit a pair of tilt-a-whirl backbreakers before hitting the Bane-style backbreaker for a nearfall. Okada came back with a flapjack before locking on the MONEY CLIP~! It’s the damn Money Clip! Somehow, Mortos escaped the dreaded Money Clip before laying both Okada and himself out with a headbutt.

Okada came back with the big neckbreaker before landing the big elbow drop. After the middle finger pose, Okada and Mortos ducked each other’s lariats before Mortos caught Okada with one. Mortos hit a pop-up Samoan Drop for a nearfall. Okada hit his big dropkick, but Mortos immediately sat up. Okada hit a spinning lariat before landing the Rainmaker for the win and 3 points.

We got a video package highlighting Technicolor Toni Storm’s return to Dynamite before her match tonight.

Toni Storm defeated Shazza McKenzie

My hope was that Timeless Toni was a thing of the past, but Cactus Jack seems to be lost in Cleveland. (Google it, kids.)

Storm hit the hip attack and the Storm Zero for a quick win. After the match, Storm grabbed the mic. She never thought she would see the day, but she is officially All Elite. Alrighty then.

We got a recap of Mariah May beating Mina Shirakawa to retain her Women’s Title on Dynamite. Cameras caught up with May backstage after the match. May didn’t care that Toni Storm was back and promised to bury any woman who came after her title, including telling Thunder Rosa to name a time and place.

Thunder Rosa was backstage with Tony Schiavone. Rosa knew that she was a champion in her heart before Toni Storm entered the frame. She introduced herself to both of them before leaving. Rosa got back to business, naming the time and place to Mariah May. She challenged May to a Tijuana Street Fight for the Women’s Title at Worlds End.

#1 Contender Match for AEW World Tag Team Titles – Action Andretti & Lio Rush defeated Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) (w/Leila Grey)

A good match with four guys I’ve been wanting to see highlighted more in the tag division, and a solid conclusion to this TV angle. Andretti and Rush are a good team of jerks, and I believe Rush has the promo ability to get the team over.

Tag Champs Private Party told these two teams to fight it out, and the winner would get a future title shot.

Dante caught Rush in a pinning predicament to start the match. Darius and Andretti tagged in and fought to a stalemate. All four men ended up in the ring before Andretti and Rush hit dual handsprings to send Top Flight to the floor.

After the break, Dante fought to his corner to make the tag to Darius. Darius ran wild on both men, vaulting his brother over both himself and Rush to hit a tornado DDT off of Dante’s chest. Rush and Andretti came back with a flurry of strikes and a double Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. They played misdirection on Dante to take him down with a lariat.

We got a dive train that ended in Rush diving into Dante and Leila Grey on the floor. Both Martins went to check on Grey, allowing Rush and Andretti to jump them. Rush hit the Final Hour frog splash, and Andretti followed up with the springboard 450 splash to score the win and the future tag team title match.

We got a recap of the promo from last week’s Dynamite between Mercedes Mone & Anna Jay ahead of their TBS Title match on this week’s Dynamite.

Kris Statlander defeated Tootie Lynn

St. Louis chanted for the hometown woman Lynn, but Statlander got the crowd on her side with a loooooong delayed vertical suplex. Statlander hammered Lynn with a lariat and hit the Staturday Night Fever for the win in her return to television.

We got a snippet of a Dustin Rhodes promo hyping the Double Bullrope match at Final Battle, where he and Sammy Guevara will defend the ROH World Tag Team Titles against The Righteous. Rhodes warned the Righteous about what would happen for saying his father’s name.

FTR narrated a video package hyping the Fight For The Fallen event on January 1st, with proceeds from the show to be donated to charity efforts in the Carolinas after the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.

The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd), Daniel Garcia, Komander & Orange Cassidy (w/Alex Abrahantes) defeated The Varsity Athletes (Ari Daivari, Josh Woods & Tony Nese) & MxM Collection (Mansoor & Mason Madden) (w/Mark Sterling)

This was a ton of fun. We need more babyface armies running wild in big tag matches like this, as the crowd was red hot for the closing stretch.

Matt Menard joined commentary. Woods and Garcia, two former ROH Pure Champions, started the match. Cassidy hit a Stundog Millionaire on Nese before Komander vaulted off of his back to hit a rana on another Athlete. Madden distracted Komander on the top rope before MxM got the heat on him to take us to the commercial break.

We came back to the Athletes clearing the ring before they got dragged to the floor. Sterling cut off a Komander dive, allowing the rare quintuple-team manuever from the Athletes and MxM for a nearfall. A Pier Six brawl broke out before Cassidy and Garcia ran wild. Komander hit the rope walk dive, tagging in Cassidy on the way across. Cassidy laid out Sterling and Woods with Orange Punches for the win.

Don Callis was backstage, unhappy at the results from Rampage where Powerhouse Hobbs got the win in a tag team match and laid out Konosuke Takeshita after the match. Callis confirmed that Hobbs vs. Takeshita for the International Title was set for Worlds End and promised that Kyle Fletcher would punch his ticket to Worlds End tonight after he beat Mark Briscoe in the main event.

Continental Classic 2024 Blue League Match – Mark Briscoe [6] defeated Kyle Fletcher [9]

An excellent match, as Fletcher has separated himself from the pack as tournament MVP so far. The build to the finish was fantastic, as Briscoe survived all of the tactics Fletcher used to get his points thus far and got the win in the closing seconds of the time limit. My match of the tournament so far, and an excellent example of round-robin tournament wrestling.

This Saturday night’s main event is an important match in the Blue League, as a win here would guarantee Fletcher a spot in the playoffs at Worlds End.

Don Callis joined commentary to praise his charge Fletcher. Fletcher got in the faces of the people in the front row before dropping Briscoe with a shoulder block. Fletcher worked on Briscoe for a while until Briscoe fired up with some strikes. Briscoe pulled Fletcher to the floor before hitting a tumbleweed dive to the floor. Briscoe rolled Fletcher into the ring, where he came back with a leg lariat. They do-si-do’ed on the apron before Briscoe hit a blockbuster and a Cactus Jack elbow off the apron.

Briscoe pinballed Fletcher around ringside before Fletcher backdropped his way free of a Jay Driller attempt. Fletcher dropped Briscoe over the barricade, then cannonballed onto Briscoe over the barricade. Briscoe came back with a chop before superplexing Fletcher off the barricade to the floor.

After a commercial break, Fletcher kept Briscoe down before Briscoe came back with strikes. Briscoe hit an exploder suplex and a Fisherman Buster for a nearfall. Fletcher hit a half-and-half suplex, but Briscoe fired out with a lariat and a Death Valley Driver. Fletcher cut off the Froggy Bow, but Briscoe knocked him off the top rope. Fletcher got the knees up on the Froggy Bow, but Briscoe moved out of the way of an elbow drop.

Fletcher avoided a Jay Driller and hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. Briscoe fought out of a Last Ride powerbomb but took two big boots in response. Briscoe hit a big chop and went for the Cut Throat Driver, but Fletcher clawed at Briscoe’s eyes and rolled up Briscoe with his feet on the ropes. The referee caught him, but Fletcher countered another Jay Driller attempt with a Brainbuster for a nearfall. The announcers noted that Fletcher used those methods to score two of his wins in this tournament.

Briscoe fought out of the top rope Brainbuster, and Briscoe hit the Cut Throat Driver. Briscoe couldn’t make the cover as Fletcher rolled away to the floor. Briscoe hit a Froggy Bow to the floor and followed with a Froggy Bow in the ring for a nearfall. The one-minute call was made, and both men went for flash pins. Fletcher shoved Briscoe into the referee and tried a low blow, but Briscoe caught the leg and hit the Jay Driller to score the win.

The announcers had noted that on Dynamite, FTR had challenged the Death Riders to face them tonight on Collision. Both teams had been in the building all night, and it was here where we cut to the Death Riders in the back with a camera. Wheeler Yuta manned the camera as Moxley, Castagnoli, and PAC jumped FTR as they were leaving the building. Well, they stuck bags over their heads and dragged them outside before we heard sounds of guys getting beat up.

(This felt completely divorced from the show, and the tone of it felt off for the World Championship act. I get that they’re building to the Death Riders vs. FTR in some form for the January 1st show, but these past few weeks have been an odd way to get there.)

International Women’s Cup qualifier finals, Continental Classic bout set for next AEW Collision

Posted on by Matt Boone

The finals for AEW’s International World Cup qualifier are set for next week’s Winter is Coming edition of AEW Collision.

Willow Nightingale defeated Serena Deeb in the semifinals on Saturday’s Collision and will move on to face Jamie Hayter, who earned her way into the finals earlier this week with a victory over Queen Aminata on the December 4th AEW Dynamite.

The winner will move onto to the four-way International Women’s Cup at the January 5th Wrestle Dynasty event that will feature talent from AEW, Stardom, CMLL and Ring of Honor.

The Continental Classic will continue as The Beast Mortos will take on reigning Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada in Blue league action. Saturday’s episode saw Mortos win in lopsided fashion against Aaron Solo in a non-tournament match.

Mortos is still looking for his first points in the tournament.

Here is the updated card for AEW Collision Winter is Coming:

  • International Women’s Cup qualifier finals: Willow Nightingale vs. Jamie Hayter
  • Continental Classic Blue League: Kazuchika Okada vs. The Beast Mortos