Tag: Kris Statlander

Triangle of Madness segment, new signees debut part of updated AEW Dynamite lineup

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

A Triangle of Madness segment has been announced for this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite.

At last week’s AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage, Thekla, Julia Hart & Skye Blue defeated AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander and AEW Women’s World Tag Team Champions Harley Cameron and Willow Nightingale. In the final moments of the match, Thekla pinned Statlander to secure the victory for her team with Statlander later saying they weren’t done with the trio.

FTR is also set to face off against the rising talents Alec Price & Jordan Oliver ahead of their Tag Title defense against Mark Davis and Jake Doyle. Price and Oliver signed with AEW after being presented with contracts from AEW World Champion MJF at an indie show this past Friday.

AEW Dynamite lineup | This Wednesday | Orlando, Florida

  • Kenny Omega vs. Josh Alexander
  • AEW World Champion MJF appearance
  • Swerve Strickland vs. Kevin Knight
  • Mina Shirakawa & Toni Storm vs. Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford
  • The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta & Daniel Garcia) vs. The Don Callis Family (Rocky Romero, Hechicero & Lance Archer
  • Triangle of Madness (Thekla, Hart & Blue) appearance
  • Samoa Joe vs. Speedball Bailey
  • FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. Alec Price & Jordan Oliver

AEW reveals opponents for Collision trios match

Posted on by Joseph Currier

AEW has revealed who Kris Statlander & The Babes of Wrath will be facing on Collision this weekend.

It had already been announced that Statlander, Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron would be teaming up for a trios match on Saturday’s Collision episode. AEW has now confirmed that Hyan, Maya World & VertVixen will be their opponents.

This matchup is happening just a few days before the Maximum Carnage edition of AEW Dynamite, where Statlander, Nightingale & Cameron are scheduled to face Triangle of Madness (Thekla, Julia Hart & Skye Blue).

Statlander, Nightigale & Cameron hold all of the women’s gold in AEW at the moment with Statlander being Women’s World Champion, Nightingale being TBS Champion, and Nightingale & Cameron holding the Women’s Tag Team titles.

Hyan and Maya World are recent AEW signees, while VertVixen remains a free agent.

Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas is hosting this show as part of Collision’s month-long residency at the venue. Three matches have been booked so far:

AEW Collision (Saturday, January 10) —

  • TNT Champion Mark Briscoe defends against Hechicero
  • Komander vs. El Clon
  • Kris Statlander, Harley Cameron & Willow Nightingale vs. Hyan, Maya World & VertVixen

AEW Worlds End preview & predictions: The end comes for us all

Posted on by Mike DellaCamera

Image: AEW

Editor’s Note: The following is an opinion-based preview and reflects that of the author and not the website.

Another year in the books, friends. All in all, it was a pretty rough one for, well, just about everyone. But we soldier on, marching slowly into the sea. As always, a sincere thank you to anyone who’s read even a single word I’ve written over the past 365 days and an extra thanks to the site editors who keep letting me do this.

Extra, extra thanks to my wonderful wife, my sounding board, who patiently listens as I explain why Diddy is somehow a talking point on “the wrestling show that’s somehow always on.” I love everyone, but love her most of all.

With all that said, let’s run down the final big AEW show of the year: tonight’s Worlds End from Chicago, Illinois (8 PM PPV start time).

Continental Classic semifinals & finals

If you’re like me and toil away in the white collar mines, this is also the season of end-of-year check-ins: a famously delightful and productive exercise (sic). Personally, it’s the highlight of my year, especially if you’re someone I work with and happen to be reading this (I actually like my job very much).

In that spirit, it feels like the right moment to check in on the remaining four wrestlers and where they stand now and going forward.

  • Jon Moxley: The formerly loathed leader of the Death Riders is dangerously close to being loved again. This run was supposed to burn off goodwill and to sandpaper the audience into rejecting him. Instead, it reminded everyone why he’s the company’s emotional constant. He bleeds, he loses, he stays true to himself and keeps going. That still plays. Moxley will be embraced again; it’s just a matter of how loud it’s going to be when it happens.
  • Konosuke Takeshita: He’s already held the International Championship and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, but he’s still circling something bigger. Takeshita’s problem has never been credibility; it’s been timing and commitment. If 2026 isn’t the year AEW finally lets Takeshita define himself outside of utility, matches of the night, and faction warfare, then the promotion risks turning inevitability into a missed opportunity.
  • Kyle Fletcher: Same question as Takeshita — How long can they reasonably hold off crowning him World champion? That’s no longer a rhetorical question. Fletcher has crossed the line from “promising” to “ready” and every month he isn’t positioned as one of the absolute top stars feels more deliberate rather than patient. The Don Callis association has done its job. The reps are there. The confidence is through the roof. Everything one would need to be a champion exists inside the young Aussie. At some point, AEW has to decide whether Fletcher is the pillar he is, or just another name they were high on for a while. The real challenge will be balancing his ascent with Takeshita’s without sacrificing either.
  • Kazuchika Okada: We know what Okada is in AEW. He’s settled into a reliable upper-mid card act that, on occasion, can reach back and create something great. He isn’t asked to do that often, nor does he seem to have a particular interest in doing so. There might be another classic or two left in him, but they’ll be fewer and far between. 

Predictions: Fletcher over Mox, Okada over Takeshita, Fletcher over Okada to win the CC

Mixed Nuts Mayhem: Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia, Wheeler Yuta & Marina Shafir) vs. The Conglomeration (Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy & Roderick Strong) and Toni Storm

A match called “Mixed Nuts Mayhem” (!?!?!?!?) was added on Christmas Day. I will not be previewing it. There are limits. The sickest thing Tony Khan has ever done.

Prediction: I abstain.

Darby Allin vs. Gabe Kidd

The older I get, the saltier I become. That’s not exactly a profound or unique statement, but a true one. I have less and less patience for the Gabe Kidd type. The repeated insistence that he is, in fact, a madman? None of it works for me, brother.

As the year went on, it became clear that Kenny Omega made their Wrestle Kingdom match work through the sheer force of his own greatness. The man held together by tape and love dragged an incredible match out of a slightly above-average wrestler. There’s a non-zero chance that was the last ‘Kenny Omega Match’ we’re going to get. Gabe Kidd! January optimism turned December disappointment — same as it ever was. 

Allin occupies a rare space in wrestling. He exists almost entirely outside of the World title scene yet constantly elevates whatever he’s involved with. He’s now the “big name” others are brought in to have big matches with. He has become a true attraction. This little freak somehow achieved a 99th-percentile outcome before his body gave out which is a remarkable talent.

Prediction: Allin

AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR defend against Bang Bang Gang in a Chicago street fight

Austin Gunn has, no pun intended, a bit of the juice. He can be corny, funny, serious, and he can come out to “Many Men.” Once he figured out who he was as a performer, the in-ring work followed. Watching someone put it together in real time is always a treat, and it’s clear who the breakout star of his family is.

The Bang Bang Gang are fun, loud, and still figuring out how seriously they want to be taken. FTR has long since solved that problem. A street fight narrows the talent gap temporarily. It lets Juice Robinson’s manic charisma shine through and gives Gunn more room to lean into his natural swagger.

Eventually, this becomes what most FTR matches are: a lesson in timing, positioning, and why fundamentals still matter, even when the rules might not.

Prediction: FTR

AEW Women’s World Tag Team Champions Babes of Wrath defend against Mercedes Mone & Athena

The Babes of Wrath have become something surprisingly compelling. They’re a team built on vibes, volume, and Willow Nightingale’s undeniability. Harley Cameron certainly brings an energy, though a brand that I grow less fond of as time passes, but this act only works because Willow is a genuine star hiding inside a fun enough gimmick. At some point, that tension between her joy for life and drive for success must be resolved, or she’ll never reach the heights she deserves.

Across the ring are two wrestlers who seem like they wandered in from a more serious division. Mercedes Mone and Athena have nothing to prove. They have collectively done it all while their opponents have barely done anything. What they do need is purpose. Athena continues grinding away in largely unseen ROH. Mone floats in and out of programs, parading her collection of belts while seething about the one she can’t win. This is a transitional program, nothing more, nothing less. Even though Mercedes and Athena should never, ever lose to The Babes, somehow they will.

Prediction: Babes of Wrath retain

AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander defends against Jamie Hayter

Jamie Hayter is trapped where Kris Statlander used to live: talented, credible, clearly capable of more, but unable to shift the energy around her. Blood and Guts was a proper spectacle, but that was a group effort. Her injury layoff didn’t just stall her momentum; it erased it. The in-ring work still hits. The strikes are still crispy. Between the bells remains vibrant, but everything surrounding it feels inert. Timing is everything in pro wrestling and Hayter’s timing has been cruel. 

Statlander is no longer a what-if. She’s established. She’s bona fide. She wrestles like someone who belongs at the very top. Her reign has been about legitimacy more than spectacle. It’s solid more than spectacular. For a wrestler who spent years lost in the creative wilderness, that consistency is everything.

If you’re frustrated with Hayter’s position, Statlander is the proof of concept. This is what making it out the other side looks like. Hayter doesn’t need to win to benefit here (though it wouldn’t hurt); she needs to remind people who she is. Statlander needs to keep doing what she’s been doing: beating excellent wrestlers clean and stacking wins.

Prediction: Statlander

AEW World Champion Samoa Joe defends against Swerve Strickland, Hangman Page and MJF in a four-way

Strip away the noise, the borrowed outrage, the winking-at-the-camera seriousness, and what you’re left with is a ridiculous amount of star power sharing one ring. That’s the frustrating part. This didn’t need help.

Samoa Joe is gravity. He warps the match simply by standing there, turning every exchange into something consequential. Swerve is violence with intent, a main eventer who has long since crossed the moral event horizon and never looked back. Hangman remains AEW’s emotional barometer, even when his righteousness becomes something more interesting and dangerous. MJF is still the company’s great disruptor, incapable of existing in a scene without bending it toward himself, sometimes for better, often for worse.

If we could wipe away the last few weeks of Diddy-related promo work, this match would be much better served. All they needed to do was ring the bell for this to feel special. I can’t shake the feeling that we’re in for another MJF title reign, especially with Dynamite Diamond ring wearing Bandido waiting for the winner on January 14.

Prediction: MJF

Former WWE star Dakota Kai announced for indie return

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The former Dakota Kai is getting back into the ring.

Since her release from WWE back in May, Kai has been on a break from wrestling. That will be ending soon, though, with Pro Wrestling Eve announcing that Kai will be competing at its Wrestle Queendom VIII show on March 8, 2026. She is being billed as “Charlie” and is set to challenge AEW star Kris Statlander for the Eve International Championship.

Wrestle Kingdom VIII is happening on International Women’s Day in 2026. The show will be held in London, England at Indigo at The O2.

It remains to be seen if this will be Kai’s first match back or if she will be taking more bookings before then. During a stream on her “charliegirl” Twitch channel this September, Kai said she missed wrestling and would be returning after taking some time away.

“I miss wrestling, you guys. We’re going to get back into it,” she said. “It’s just one of those things where it’s been nice to have a little bit of a break. I’ve been doing it for a long time, longer than the last seven years I was with WWE, you know what I mean? So it is nice to take a step back… but I really do miss it.”

Along with streaming on Twitch, Kai co-hosts a podcast with WWE’s Zelina Vega.

Pro Wrestling Eve is a UK-based women’s wrestling promotion that has existed since 2010. Will Ospreay is involved with helping the promotion behind the scenes.

Wrestle Queendom is Eve’s biggest event. The name of the show is a takeoff of NJPW’s annual Wrestle Kingdom spectacular.

AEW Full Gear preview & predictions: One Title After Another

Posted on by Mike DellaCamera

Image: AEW

Editor’s Note: The following is an opinion-based preview that reflects the views of the author and not the website.

I can feel AEW’s autumn fog lifting.

They ripped off a killer Blood and Guts last week and followed it up with a mostly solid week of TV, highlighted by the announcement of this year’s Continental Classic: AEW’s reliable creative defibrillator. Every year, the tournament gives Tony Khan a stable, crowd-pleasing tentpole to book around, and I’m hoping this installment brings the same spark.

Historically, the CC has triggered a significant shift in how hot the product feels. Suddenly, the matches are crisper, the promos tighten up, and the entire show carries a renewed sense of urgency. It’s the closest thing AEW has to flipping the ‘ON’ switch.

Hopefully the switch gets hit this Saturday from scenic Newark, New Jersey. Let’s run through the matches and predictions for this Saturday’s AEW Full Gear (8 PM Eastern main card start on PPV) and see how things shake out

Jon Moxley vs. Kyle O’Reilly in a no holds barred match

Hopefully, the end of Blood and Guts reawakened something inside Kyle O’Reilly and reminded him of what and who he is — the violent artist. He felt unleashed and at home in that match, capped off by the full-on moment of tapping out Jon Moxley in a bed of broken glass.

As Moxley does with everyone, he dragged the violence out of O’Reilly, and I pray he dragged it out for good. I’m sure the Conglomeration version of O’Reilly has its fans, but I am not one. That’s not an act to be taken seriously. The post-show promo after that match was a great start, and this week’s Dynamite was an incredible follow-up.

I’m excited to see what the NHB stipulation brings. If this lands, KOR is suddenly, and unexpectedly, a key player in AEW’s upper mid-card. What a wonderful development that would be. Mox has done a remarkable (and honestly shocking) amount of losing for a company ace. If he loses again, O’Reilly might be making a climb up the AEW pecking order.

And I’ll end with a question: Is this a Roderick Strong heel turn?

Prediction: Moxley wins

Darby Allin vs. PAC

This is a match with two men who have no regard for the integrity of their spinal columns. Allin’s bump freak proclivities require no explanation or exposition, but PAC is right there with him when it comes to the willingness to being spiked on his head. An enthusiastic and frequent vertebrae compressor, his absence from TV allows us to forget that no one is willing to eat a DDT quite like our newly short-haired king.

This pairing is long overdue. PAC is at his best when he gets to be cruel; Darby is at his best when someone tries to kill him. Even if there was no story between these two, the pairing is one worth watching. Instead, we have something compelling: Darby’s continual antagonism of the Death Riders and PAC’s desire to bend him (and everyone really) into a pretzel.

Pencil in a few groan-inducing bumps, Darby nearly paralyzing himself, and the slow realization that AEW will absolutely let these two try to fold each other like beach chairs.

Prediction: Darby Allin

Babes of Wrath (Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron) vs. Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart & Skye Blue) vs. Timeless Love Bombs (Toni Storm & Mina Shirakawa) vs. Megan Bayne & Marina Shafir

The winning team gets to pick a stipulation for their semifinal match in the Women’s World Tag Team title tournament.

A four-way like this should feel like a showcase of a thriving division and, in most cases, it does. The Babes of Wrath bring energy and personality every time they show up, even if they skew too close to a comedy act for my liking (Willow should be champion).

The Sisters of Sin know who they are and what the act should be while the Timeless Love Bombs (lol) are pure camp and charisma. Full credit to Toni Storm for effortlessly slotting down from the main event scene to lend serious weight to the tournament. Bayne and Shafir work well as two unique forces of nature thrown together by circumstance. With more time to gel and unite in storyline, the accidental pairing of monsters could realistically anchor the division through its infancy.

And that gets to the heart of it: this still feels like a collection of potential rather than a field of established contenders. There’s talent everywhere, but not enough definition. If even one or two of these teams had been given a month more build or a reason to exist beyond the bracket, this could feel like a true showcase instead of a promising sketch. This division certainly isn’t struggling; it sometimes lacks the connective tissue needed to feel cohesive.

Prediction: Bayne & Shafir

Kenny Omega & Jurassic Express (Jack Perry and Luchasaurus) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) & Josh Alexander

This feels like it only exists to keep The Elite on the treadmill while AEW tries to figure out where the hell to point Kenny Omega next.

On Josh Nason’s podcast, we ended up talking about the diminishing supply of “true Kenny Omega matches” left, and he said something that stuck with me: every Omega match should feel like an event. Given the miles on his body, there’s no room for throwaways.

That’s why this match worries me. It doesn’t feel like it’s building to a spectacle; it just feels like a placeholder. Kenny doesn’t need elaborate stories or six weeks of promos. You can have him point at Josh Alexander, Kevin Knight, or Takeshita and say, “Let’s go” and boom, you’ve got something meaningful. Instead, we’re back in Elite-adjacent territory and the last time AEW went down that road, the returns were…uneven, to be kind.

Jurassic Express is here because AEW still thinks that brand has juice (they don’t) and think Alexander is excellent at professional wrestling (he is!). The Bucks seem like they won’t be joining the Don Callis family, and that’s what will cost them the match.

Prediction: Kenny Omega and Jurassic Express

Casino Gauntlet match for the inaugural AEW National Championship

My favorite part of writing these columns is the moment I hit “Submit Draft.” My second favorite part is coming up with the titles. And ironically, this column’s title was the only time I enjoyed referencing AEW’s ballooning championship collection (For my PTA heads, my other working title was ‘A Few Small Championships’).

Between AEW and the specter of ROH, there are simply too many belts for any of them to carry weight. Scarcity gives championships meaning and hierarchy gives a roster shape. AEW keeps adding gold like it has a hidden quota to hit, and every new belt chips away at the value of the others. The pecking order gets muddied as we inch toward a future where anyone even moderately competent has hardware. That’s not prestige, that’s clutter.

Prediction: I don’t know, probably Bobby Lashley? Don’t make me do this one.

TNT Champion Kyle Fletcher (w/ Don Callis) defends against Mark Briscoe in a no DQ match

If Briscoe loses, he will be forced to join the Don Callis Family.

Even though this feud still has a little juice left, it’s past its expiration date. This is their third PPV meeting of the year and while the first two matches ranged from good to genuinely great depending on your taste, the rivalry has been stretched thin. The heat just isn’t there anymore. If AEW wanted this to truly matter, the moment to put the TNT title on Briscoe was WrestleDream. That was the peak. Everything since has been diminishing returns.

The TNT Championship isn’t a title that benefits from a year-long saga and in this case, it’s been secondary to the feud the entire time. We’d celebrate a Briscoe triumph even without a belt attached. What people want is simple: Briscoe finally giving the smug prince of the Callis family his long-overdue comeuppance.

But stretching this any further won’t add meaning and continues to dilute what once could have landed with weight. Imagine if Briscoe had won the title months ago? That would have been ideal. Nevertheless, his time is now.

Prediction: Mark Briscoe

AEW World Tag Team Champions Brodido (Bandido and Brody King) defend against FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) (w/ Stokely)

This match rules on paper: compatible styles, clearly evident chemistry, and, most importantly, the existence of Bandido. The man is a pro wrestling treasure with so much physical charisma, it’s sickening. Everything he does is must-see (he pinned Okada for god’s sake!). If that doesn’t tell you what AEW thinks of his future, nothing will.

FTR has been in an almost endless holding pattern, and, at long last, it seems like they have real forward momentum. Brodido, meanwhile, is still fresh and fun. The problem with fresh and fun is that it has a finite shelf life. History tells us that thrown-together tag teams rarely sustain momentum forever, no matter how good they are. AEW also loves the quick-hit shock run to give the unexpected team a little pop, then slide the belts back to the long-term pillars when it’s time to resume the Serious Stories™.

Here’s the twist, though: Brodido is too fun and too popular to cut off this early…which is exactly why FTR needs to win. A heel FTR paired with Stokely Hathaway has infinitely more long-term juice as champions than as chasers and beating such a popular team cements them as heels. Brodido can stay hot without the belts; FTR needs them.

Prediction: FTR

AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander defends against Mercedes Mone

This is the biggest test of Kris Statlander’s career. Can she go 15+ minutes with the women’s division’s version of the Best Bout Machine? Statlander has always been at her best when she’s pushed. When the moment demands something more, she finds it.

Winning the title was a genuine shock; the Toni Storm match at WrestleDream validated that surprise. But this? This is the one that seals the deal. A win over Mone establishes Statlander not just as champion, but as a made woman on top of the card for as long as she wants it.

As for the endless and agonising online whining about Mone collecting belts, please. Breathe some fresh air. Many of the titles she’s holding come from companies so small they barely have websites, let alone Wikipedia pages. The idea that putting their belts on a legitimate global star is “bad for their business” is galaxy-brained nonsense. If anything, she’s giving these titles oxygen and relevance they couldn’t dream of on their own.

More importantly, those complaints miss the entire point of the character. She’s collecting belts precisely because she can’t win the one that matters: the AEW Women’s World Championship. The overcompensating, the theatricality, the bravado are all armor covering the fact that she feels incomplete without that title. She’s chasing validation she can’t quite grasp, and she knows it. If you can’t see that this is interesting character work, try activating your frontal lobe.

Prediction: Kris Statlander

AEW World Champion Hangman Page defends against Samoa Joe in a steel cage

Samoa Joe brings a gravity that few on the roster can. The second he steps into a segment, the air gets heavy and the stakes rise. A steel cage is the perfect setting for him. When you wrestle Joe, there is no escape.

There’s a slight problem in this case: Page has his own propensities towards violence and a bloodlust all his own. He’s not afraid to be trapped in a cage with Joe, just like he wasn’t afraid to have a Texas Death Match with Jon Moxley. Sure, he’s the babyface champion now, but the other side of his coin is stained in blood.

Hangman’s reign has been good. Characterising it as boring might be a little short-sighted. No reign could ever match the catharsis of his ascent, capped by pulling the World title out from the briefcase and into the light. We’ll always remember that, but we need something to remember what happened after. 

It would be a remarkable surprise for Hangman to lose on Saturday, but there’s too much meat on the bone. He’s never better than when he leans into his brutal side, and the cage allows for that. Page’s run at the top continues.

Prediction: Hangman Adam Page

Wrestling Weekly: Bob Caudle memories, John Cena in MSG, AEW Full Gear predictions

Posted on by Victor Sosa

Image: WWE

It’s the Friday edition of Wrestling Weekly with Vic Sosa and Les Thatcher.

We lost a piece of wrestling history this week with the passing of legendary announcer Bob Caudle. Les talks about getting to know Bob in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, working with him there, and in Smoky Mountain Wrestling.

We’ll also look at John Cena’s final WWE Raw at Madison Square Garden, and give our predictions for AEW Full Gear.

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend~!

Click here to listen (sub needed)

Winners crowned in chaotic first-ever women’s AEW Blood and Guts match

Posted on by Josh Nason

The women of AEW made history Wednesday by competing in their first-ever Blood and Guts match as part of a special edition of Dynamite.

The team led by the Triangle of Madness got their hands raised at the end of the match after Toni Storm surrendered for her team.

The beginning of the end saw Marina Shafir throw a mirror at Storm’s head as she was running in for a hip attack. Shafir then stepped on the glass and used it in stomping Mina Shirakawa’s chest, who had Megan Bayne in a bat-assisted figure four. Shafir then judo tossed Shirakawa onto the glass and held her in place as Bayne whipped Shirakawa’s back with a title belt.

Storm was helpless to assist as she was held back by Thekla, Skye Blue and Julia Hart. Storm eventually surrendered and was then beat up by the heels afterward.

The 12-woman bout featured nearly all of AEW’s top female talent including AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander, Storm, TBS Champion Mercedes Mone, Bayne, Willow Nightingale and others. Statlander and Mone were not part of the end as they had made their way to the outside of the cage where Statlander took out the TBS Champion with a Samoan drop off one of the trusses through a table.

*********

Mone and Statlander, who will meet next Saturday at the Full Gear pay-per-view, had several interactions. Mone made it a point of being grossed out by the blood and later brought in several of her many title belts to hand to her teammates to use on their opponents.

As expected, the match opened up the show from Greensboro, North Carolina, with the men’s Blood and Guts match set for the main event slot. Also as expected, the match featured weapons like a chair, a trash can lid, a belt, a kendo stick with barbed wire, a pool cue, a bag of tacks, and more.

Shafir, a standout in the match, attempted to up the ante after she entered, dragging Statlander outside the cage and counter-clotheslining her on a bed of nails. Storm was the last entrant after Shafir and started hitting women with clutched pearls before Shafir no-sold them and went on the offensive. Storm later got her revenge, wrapping her hands in tape and then sticking broken glass to them for punches.

Blue was busted open early during her opening salvo with Nightingale with her face and upper torso nearly completely covered in red after a few minutes. Statlander was also bleeding at one point as were Bayne, Shafir and Shirakawa.

In another notable spot, Jamie Hayter and Blue were fighting on the top rope when Hayter power bombed Blue through a table that didn’t break, followed up by an elbow drop that also didn’t fully break the table.

The infamous Mone puppet also appeared, hiding a pair of brass knuckles held by Harley Cameron. Cameron, Hayter and Nightingale were not involved in the finish.

Penelope Ford and Queen Aminata, both injured in recent weeks and pulled from the match, made brief appearances.

Order of Entry:

  • Willow Nightingale and Skye Blue
  • Julia Hart
  • Harley Cameron
  • Thekla
  • Jamie Hayter
  • Megan Bayne
  • Kris Statlander
  • Mercedes Mone
  • Mina Shirakawa
  • Marina Shafir
  • Toni Storm

Wrestling Weekly: AEW shifting into Full Gear, Jey Uso’s championship desperation

Posted on by Victor Sosa

Image: WWE

On a new edition of Wrestling Weekly, Les Thatcher and Vic Sosa look at how AEW followed up another incredible PPV with last Saturday’s WrestleDream, their thoughts on the Women’s Tag Team title tournament, and Jon Moxley’s fear of submission holds.

In WWE, is Jey Uso willing to stop at nothing for another chance at the World Heavyweight title? Could Becky Lynch be headed toward a match with a referee?

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend~!

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

World title match official for AEW Full Gear

Posted on by Josh Nason

TBS Champion Mercedes Mone will get her second shot at becoming AEW Women’s World Champion as she will challenge Kris Statlander at next month’s Full Gear.

During Wednesday’s Dynamite in a backstage segment with Renee Paquette, Statlander accepted Mone’s challenge that was issued at last Saturday’s WrestleDream. Mone currently holds 12 championship belts and hosted a championship celebration during Dynamite that was upended by Statlander and Harley Cameron that saw Mone’s face smashed into a cake and her put through a table.

The match is the first official bout for the pay-per-view.

On Saturday, Statlander was celebrating her title defense over Toni Storm when Mone interrupted her moment and told her to get out of her ring. Statlander relented but returned to lay Mone out after her record 11th simultaneous title victory over interim ROH Women’s TV Champion Mina Shirakawa.

It will be their third-ever singles meeting. They have twice squared off for the TBS title during Mone’s record run, once at last year’s Full Gear and again at Worlds End. In both cases, Mone picked up the win.

Mone unsuccessfully challenged then-Women’s World Champion Storm at this past July’s All In Texas in her only shot at the gold.

Current AEW Full Gear lineup | Saturday, November 22 | Newark, New Jersey

  • AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander defends against Mercedes Mone

World title challenge issued for AEW Full Gear

Posted on by Josh Nason

After being embarrassed by AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander at WrestleDream, TBS Champion Mercedes Mone has issued a title challenge to Statlander for November’s Full Gear pay-per-view.

After Statlander was celebrating her title defense over Toni Storm Saturday, Mone interrupted her moment and told her to get out of her ring. Statlander acquiesced, but returned after Mone won her record 11th simultaneous title to gain a measure of revenge, laying Mone out and sending her packing.

Later in the night, Mone issues the challenge in a backstage promo. Statlander has yet to answer as of this writing.

Once official, it would be their third singles meeting. They have twice squared off for the TBS title during Mone’s record run, once at last year’s Full Gear and again at Worlds End. In both cases, Mone picked up the win.

Mone unsuccessfully challenged then-Women’s World Champion Storm at this past July’s All In Texas.

Mone will look to add to her record with a 12th title on Sunday at a Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, indie show against Jody Threat.

Full Gear is set for Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday, November 22.

Wrestling Weekly: Seth Rollins & future plans in WWE, AEW WrestleDream thoughts

Posted on by Victor Sosa

Image: WWE

It’s time for a new Wrestling Weekly with Les Thatcher and Vic Sosa.

There are lots of questions in WWE with the apparent injury to Seth Rollins last Saturday at WWE Crown Jewel like where Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed go from here, plans for Survivor Series and beyond, and not to mention who is going to face off against CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Title.

We look at all those things and give our predictions for AEW’s WrestleDream.

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend~!

Click here to listen (sub needed)

AEW Collision live results: Kris Statlander & Toni Storm face-to-face

Posted on by Josiah MacDonald

The build to this month’s AEW Women’s World title match at WrestleDream will be in full effect on tonight’s AEW Collision from Lakeland, Florida, with a special start time of 7 PM Eastern.

Reigning champion Kris Statlander and former champion Toni Storm will have a face-to-face- confrontation ahead of their rematch at the pay-per-view.

Eddie Kingston returns to singles action for the second time since he returned from injury as he faces LFI’s Dralistico.

The Don Callis Family will be well represented as Rocky Romero, Lance Archer & Hechicero take on Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly while Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher & Josh Alexander go heads-up against Johnny TV & MxM Collection (Mason Madden & Mansoor).

Kevin Knight of JetSpeed will take on either Dax Harwood or Cash Wheeler of FTR.

Former AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter faces Anna Jay while ROH Tag Team Champions LFI (Rush & Sammy Guevara) return to the main roster to round out the card.

**********

The opening promos aired, with the highlight being Eddie Kingston complaining about doing the opening promo, and claiming he was going to use the frustration and take it out on Dralistico. Orange Cassidy was left after a promo from Kyle O’Reilly, and PAC walked up to challenge him to a match for AEW Dynamite, and Orange Cassidy agreed.

The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Daniel Garcia, & Claudio Castagnoli) (w/ Marina Shafir & Wheeler Yuta) vs. Jay Lethal, Adam Priest, & Tommy Billington

The Death Riders attacked the opposing team when they were posing, but Jay Lethal was the one aware enough to turn the tables on Garcia and hit a dive on Claudio Castagnoli. Jon Moxley hit a suplex on Tommy Billington on the floor, and began to tear apart the young wrestler in his own corner. Billington escaped the grasp of Moxley after a few minutes to tag out to Adam Priest, who had no fear in attacking the larger Moxley.

Priest was tossed with a Gorilla Press into the guard rail by Claudio Castagnoli as they went to break. When they came back Moxley was biting the nose of Priest, and Jay Lethal decided to end that with a forearm. Castagnoli nailed Lethal with a hard forearm in response, and Garcia was left to continue the beating on Priest. Castagnoli tagged in and continued where he left off with the gorillia press into the guardrail, hitting several hard European uppercuts. Priest dodged a shoulder block in the corner, and Castagnoli crashed into the ring post.

Priest made the tag to Tommy Billington who hit a series of elbows and a dropkick off the top rope. Billington hit a snap suplex that reminded me of Bret Hart, and a flying headbutt for a 2-count. Garcia and Billington attempted a crossbody at the same time and crashed into each other. Jay Lethal and Moxley tagged in, and the two veterans started fighting for the first time in the match, but Lethal was slowed down when he went for a flying elbow and Moxley caught him in a choke.

Priest and Billington were pulled from the ring, and Garcia was saved by Moxley from a Lethal Injection by Lethal as Lethal escaped Moxley. Moxley hit a cutter, and Garcia locked on the Dragon Tamer and Moxley hit a curb stomp on Lethal forcing the submission.

Result: The Death Riders

–Matt Menard got in the face of Daniel Garcia again, asking him if this was who he really was. Garcia finally spoke to him, grabbed a mic, and said that he didn’t hate Menard, but if he kept hanging around him, he would be a loser like Nigel McGuinness, and now he was a winner for joining the Death Riders. McGuinness looked on, insulted, but stayed at the commentary booth.

–A recap video aired of Jon Moxley and Darby Allin’s feud, with Moxley insisting that he was going to make Allin quit. A short video also aired about Kris Statlander and Toni Storm, hyping their match at AEW WrestleDream.

–The Matriarchy were backstage with Nick Wayne being checked out by a doctor. Wayne said he was going to be cleared. The doctor said his ankle was still swollen and tender, and it would be another 6-8 weeks for him to be ready. Nick Wayne disagreed with this, and Mother Wayne and Kip Sabian said that he was not a normal healer, and that he was a lion, so they needed to find a real doctor.

Anna Jay vs. Jamie Hayter

This match started with some basic wrestling, and attempts to hit a hip toss being blocked by both, with Anna Jay hitting a kick to Hayter’s face and hitting a snap suplex. Hayter blocked an attack in the corner and drove Jay’s face into the mat and ran at her, but Jay hit a flatliner out of the corner. Hayter hit a stun gun onto the ropes as they went to break.

Both women were exchanging forearms in the middle of the ring when they came back from break. Jay hit a basement dropkick on Hayter for a 2-count. Jay went for the Queen Slayer but Hayter rolled back into a pinfall attempt. Hayter hit a dropkick off the middle rope and a shotgun dropkick in the corner before hitting a Saito Suplex for a 2-count. Jay hit a blockbuster on Hayter for a 2-count and went for the Queen Slayer again, but Hayter slipped out and tossed Jay over her shoulder before pulling her up into a Haterade lariat for a pinfall.

Result: Jamie Hayter

–I think something went wrong in this match, as Jay seemed to be rocked at one point, but they got through it, and ended up getting to the finish.

–Max Caster was backstage and said that his losing streak was finally over. Big Bill walked up and said that he beat Caster quickly, and Caster wasn’t anything. Bowens walked up and said he finally agreed with Bill. Bowens claimed that he was the true star between him and Caster, and Keith decided that Bowens needed a beating too, so Bowens and Caster both agreed to a match against Bill and Keith, before realizing that they had to team with each other, and they walked away insisting that they were not the Acclaimed (they are the Acclaimed though.)

La Faccion Ingobernables (Sammy Guevara & Rush) (w/ Dralistico) vs. Shayne Stetson & Cha Cha Charlie

Rush and Guevara killed these two local talents, with Rush violently throwing Stetson around the ringside area, and then violently hitting the Horns before tagging out to Guevara who crushed Charlie with a senton bomb.

Result: La Faccion Ingobernables

–As Guevara and Rush were posing, Eddie Kingston’s team hit, and he came down for his match against Dralistico.

Eddie Kingston (w/ Hook) vs. Dralistico (w/ Rush & Sammy Guevara)

Dralistico hit a judo throw on Kingston, who smiled and looked on. Guevara joined commentary, applauding the throw. Kingston demanded Dralistico fight him and an exchange of chops and kicks began, with Dralistico hitting stiff shots, including a knee on Kingston who was draped on the apron. When they came back from break, Dralistico was hitting a hard chop on Kingston before hitting a dropkick to the knee of Kingston, causing him to fall to the mat.

Dralistico hit the ropes and Kingston hit an STO that woke up the crowd, as they cheered Kingston on. Kingston screamed for Dralistico to chop him, and Dralistico hit a forearm instead, nearly knocking him out. Dralistico hit a code breaker that sent Kingston crashing to the floor. Sammy Guevara stood up and looked to go after Kingston, so Hook came over and kept him at bay. Kingston ducked a kick attempt by Dralistico and Kingston responded with the Backfist to the Future for the pinfall.

Result: Eddie Kingston

Kingston looked way better in this match than he did his AEW All Out match, and is starting to look like his normal self now, which is good, because Eddie Kingston is great.

–Tony Schiavone announced that Kota Ibushi would be making his debut on AEW Collision next week, facing Josh Alexander, which is a match I can’t wait to see.

–A recap video aired of Andrade El Idolo and El Clon joining the Don Callis Family.

MxM Collection (Mansoor, Mason Madden, & Johnny TV) (w/ Taya Valkyrie) vs. The Don Callis Family (Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita, & Josh Alexander) (w/ El Clon)

MxM Collection held an open challenge and were not happy about who they were facing, knowing that they might be in over their heads. Takeshita proceeded to murder Johnny TV with a forearm, and he quickly tagged out to Monsoor, who Takeshita also killed with a forearm. Fletcher hit a yakuza kick on TV, leading to Valkyrie screaming in horror on the floor.

Madden, however, used his size and hit lariats on Takeshita and Fletcher. Unfortunately this led to their whole team posing, which resulted in them all being hit with German suplexes and Fletcher hitting a tope sucidia on Madden. Takeshita hit a blue thunder bomb on Johnny TV. Mansoor dodged a Yakuza kick but got destroyed by a top rope back suplex, a wheelbarrow suplex by Takeshita, a C4 Spike by Alexander, and a sheer drop brainbuster by Fletcher. I think he is dead, folks.

Result: The Don Callis Family

–Truth Magnum, Turbo Floyd, and Dalton Castle were backstage, and Castle said that he didn’t think he could top the performance they had last week, as it was the greatest thing the AEW audience had ever seen. He felt the pressure of having to repeat it, and had an existential crisis, but the Outrunners picked him up, literally, and walked him away, as he realized he was in good hands. This was hilarious.

–Jamie Hayter was backstage with Queen Aminata and Lexy Nair, but before they could talk, The Triangle of Madness attacked and said that they had their own three words for them, “Triangle of Madness.” Not as intimidating as Blood & Guts, to be honest.

Kevin Knight (w/ Mike Bailey & Willow Nightingale) vs. Dax Harwood (w/ Cash Wheeler & Stokely Hathaway)

Wheeler made it look like he was going to wrestle, and Harwood attacked from behind. The fans chanted “Bald” at Harwood, who seemed mildly annoyed by it, but did not let it distract him the way it does Ricochet. Harwood crashed into the ring post after missing a shoulder block. Harwood rolled to the floor to recover, allowing Knight to be distracted by Wheeler, and Harwood came back in and started exchanging chops with Knight.

Knight rolled under a lariat and hit a flying lariat of his own before hitting a tope to the floor on Harwood. Harwood chopped hard in response, almost sending Knight from the apron into the ring. Harwood switched tactics and went for a piledriver on the apron, but Knight back body dropped him on the apron. Harwood went to powerbomb Knight on the apron, but he was pulled towards the guardrail and both Knight and Harwood fell over the guardrail into the front row as they took a break.

Knight hit a sunset flip that Harwood rolled through but Knight popped up and hit a DDT for a 2-count. Harwood hit some hard chops and both men ended up on the corner, but Knight hit a series of forearms to drop Harwood but Knight crashed into the raised feet of Harwood, who rolled Knight up for a 2-count. Harwood hit a series of chops and hard forearms before hitting a Hansen style lariat, but Knight got back up and hit a pop up sit out spinebuster.

Knight hit a superkick, but Harwood blocked a second and went for a powerbomb. Knight countered it into a sunset flip for a 2-count. Harwood hit a slingshot powerbomb out of a hurricanrana attempt for a 2-count. Knight hit a dropkick after Harwood hit the ropes, before hitting a springboard clothesline. Knight went for the UFO splash, and as Cash Wheeler tried to interfere, Willow Nightingale pulled Wheeler from the apron and Mike Bailey hit a springboard moonsault on Wheeler. Stokely Hathaway tried to stop the UFO Splash, getting in the ring, but Knight ignored him and flew over a standing Hathaway into the UFO splash on Harwood for the pinfall win.

Result: Kevin Knight

–Stokely Hathaway got in the face of Willow Nightingale, and she tried to powerbomb him, but FTR held onto the feet of Hathaway while Megan Bayne came out and laid out Nightingale. Bayne and Penelope Ford posed with FTR and Hathaway, seeming like they are now teaming.

–Sky Flight recapped their loss to Hechicero and the Don Callis Family at AEW All Out, saying they were going to get back on track when they challenge Shane Taylor Promotions for the ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championship.

–Toni Storm and Kris Statlander had their face-off to build their match at AEW WrestleDream. The both laid down in the ring, with Statlander claiming it wasn’t personal. Statlander said that she respected Storm, but they have never faced each other in a one on one match, and since Statlander is a fighting champion, like Toni was, she was giving her a shot at the title. Statlander promised to keep her title, and said that as much as she liked Toni, she was going to hit her so hard she’ll be sent back into black and white times.

Storm claimed that it was heartbreaking for her to lose her title, but that there was no one no more deserving than Statlander. Storm meant to test just what kind of woman that Statlander was, and while Statlander said it wasn’t personal, Storm said that the AEW Women’s World Championship was personal for her. She said there was no one she would rather lose to than Statlander, but there was no one she would rather beat for that title too. The shook hands and didn’t let go, promising that they could start the fight now, but the Triangle of Madness ran out and started attacking both women.

They laid out both women, and Thekla claimed that neither Statlander or Storm ever beat her, and they were not done. Harley Cameron ran out from the audience and tackled Thekla, while Storm and Statlander laid out Hart and Blue, leading to Storm and Statlander having a temporary alliance, as Storm, Statlander, and Cameron take on the Triangle of Madness next week on Collision.

–A Samoa Joe and Hangman Adam Page recap aired, including the killer promos that Hangman and Joe cut on Dynamite on Wednesday to setup their main event match for WrestleDream.

The Don Callis Family (Rocky Romero, Hechicero, & Lance Archer) vs. Orange Cassidy & The Paragon (Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong)

Kyle O’Reilly started the match with Hechicero, which is suddenly a singles match I never knew I needed to see, but now want to see thanks to the submission attempts. This was a great technical exchange with several submission attempts until Hechicero grabbed the ropes. Hechicero tagged out to Romero and O’Reilly tagged Strong in, who hit a very hard chop on Romero before dumping him into his own team’s corner. Orange Cassidy and Kyle O’Reilly double teamed Romero, but Strong was not happy with Cassidy’s weak strikes, so he tagged in hit a hard chop on Romero.

Lance Archer came in and laid out both Paragon members while Cassidy went for a flying crossbody but Archer caught him and threw him into both Strong and O’Reilly before throwing Strong across the ring. Archer tagged out to Romero when they came back from break and Strong hit a pop up gut buster on Romero. Hechicero stopped him from tagging out to O’Reilly, but Strong hit an Olympic slam on Hechicero and tagged out to Orange Cassidy.

Archer claimed that Orange Cassidy “done messed up” while Cassidy dodged him with a low bridge. Cassidy started exchanging strikes with Romero, hitting a flying crossbody and as he went for a DDT, O’Reilly blind tagged in and destroyed Romero with a rolling elbow when Cassidy hit Stundog Millionaire. O’Reilly and Hechicero exchanged some holds, allowing Romero to come in and hit an enziguri, but O’Reilly locked the octopus stretch on. Archer broke it up, but Strong hit a flying knee on Archer while Orange Cassidy hit the Orange Punch, and the Paragon hit the high low, allowing O’Reilly to lock an armbar on Romero for the win.

Result: Orange Cassidy & The Paragon

–Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita, El Clon, and Josh Alexander came out and posed on at the ramp, staring down Kyle O’Reilly, who he is defending the TNT title against next Tuesday on AEW Dynamite for Title Tuesday.

Final Thoughts

This was a pretty by the numbers AEW Collision with nothing too outstanding, but one thing I have noticed is that Kyle Fletcher is all over this show since his main event match with Hangman Adam Page at AEW All Out. It seems like they are really trying to position him as the star of AEW Collision, and it is working, as he comes across as the world champion in waiting. Good episode this week with lots of build for Title Tuesday. Some of this build could have been done on Dynamite a bit more effectively, especially with the matches being announced, as Moxley and Ishii, for example, could help sell some tickets if fans knew about it on the more watched show. That said, lots of matches were announced here for Dynamite and Collision next week. More of this, please.

Full lineup for AEW Collision revealed

Posted on by Josh Nason

Following Thursday’s AEW Collision taping in Lakeland, Florida, the full lineup for this Saturday’s episode is now revealed.

The following is the non-spoilers lineup:

  • AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander and Toni Storm will have a face-to-face talk ahead of their rematch at WrestleDream.
  • The Death Riders will continue their recent run of trios action as Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli and Daniel Garcia take on Jay Lethal, Adam Priest and Tommy Billington.
  • Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions LFI (Rush & Sammy Guevara) will take on Shane Stetson and Cha Cha Charlie in a non-title match.
  • The Don Callis Family will be represented in two trios matches as Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher & Josh Alexander will take on Johnny TV & MxM Collection while Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly battle Rocky Romero, Lance Archer & Hechicero.
  • Former AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter will take on Anna Jay.

The new additions join the previously announced Eddie Kingston vs. Dralistico, and a member of FTR taking on Kevin Knight.

AEW Collision lineup | Saturday, October 4 | 7 PM Eastern

  • Kris Statlander and Toni Storm face-to-face
  • Eddie Kingston vs. Dralistico
  • Kevin Knight vs. either Dax Harwood or Cash Wheeler
  • ROH Tag Team Champions LFI (Rush & Sammy Guevara) vs. Shane Stetson & Cha Cha Charlie in a non-title match
  • Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher & Josh Alexander) vs. Johnny TV & MxM Collection (Mason Madden & Mansoor)
  • Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly vs. Don Callis Family (Rocky Romero, Lance Archer & Hechicero)
  • Jamie Hayter vs. Anna Jay

Women’s World title match added to AEW WrestleDream

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The AEW WrestleDream card has another new addition with a Women’s World title defense now set for the Saturday, October 18 event.

Kris Statlander will defend the AEW Women’s World Championship against Toni Storm at WrestleDream in a new match announced during Wednesday’s sixth anniversary edition of Dynamite.

Storm defeated Tay Melo on Dynamite, then took the mic and challenged Statlander to a title match at the pay-per-view. After winning the Dynamite mixed tornado tag main event with Darby Allin over Wheeler Yuta and Marina Shafir, Statlander responded to Storm’s challenge and accepted the match.

Statlander became the Women’s World Champion by winning a four-way also involving Storm at All Out last month.

Three matches are now official for WrestleDream. The updated card is listed below. Our full play-by-play coverage of Wednesday’s sixth anniversary Dynamite is available here.

AEW WrestleDream, Saturday, October 18 —

  • AEW World Champion Hangman Adam Page defends against Samoa Joe
  • AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander defends against Toni Storm
  • I Quit match: Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin

Wrestling Weekly: What’s next after AEW All Out & WWE Wrestlepalooza?

Posted on by Victor Sosa

Image: AEW

The Friday Wrestling Weekly with Vic Sosa and Les Thatcher has arrived.

Coming off a well received AEW All Out and Wrestlepalooza that didn’t get WWE the greatest review from their new PLE partner, we look at what’s on the horizon for both companies.

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend~!

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