Orange Cassidy will replace Eddie Kingston at NJPW Collision in Philadelphia due to injury.
NJPW announced Sunday that Kingston is off next Sunday’s card, and that Cassidy will replace Kingston in his scheduled singles match against Gabriel Kidd.
NJPW did not disclose the nature of Kingston’s injury.
In addition, should Cassidy retain the AEW International Championship on Wednesday’s Dynamite against Buddy Matthews, Cassidy vs. Kidd will be for the International title.
The full cards are now finalized for both of NJPW’s Collision events.
Saturday’s Capital Collision show in Washington DC and Sunday’s Collision in Philadelphia will both air as pay-per-views on FITE TV. Saturday’s event can be purchased for $19.99, Sunday’s for $14.99, or both can be bought as a bundle for $29.99.
The lineups:
NJPW Capital Collision, Saturday, April 15, 6:30 p.m. Eastern time on FITE TV PPV —
NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship: Motor City Machine Guns defend against Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi, Aussie Open in a triple threat match
NJPW Strong Openweight Championship: KENTA defends against Eddie Edwards
Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi vs. SANADA & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Tomohiro Ishii vs. El Desperado
NJPW World Television Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. defends against “Filthy” Tom Lawlor
David Finlay vs. AR Fox
Fred Rosser vs. Juice Robinson
Chuck Taylor, Lio Rush, Rocky Romero, Clark Connors & The DKC vs. KUSHIDA, Volador Jr., “Speedball” Mike Bailey, Gabriel Kidd & Kevin Knight
Pre-show match: Shane Haste & Bad Dude Tito vs. Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson
NJPW Collision in Philadelphia, Sunday, April 16, 5 p.m. Eastern time on FITE TV PPV —
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Lio Rush & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Aussie Open & TJP
IWGP US title number one contender’s tournament: Lance Archer vs. Juice Robinson
Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi vs. KENTA & Chase Owens
Orange Cassidy vs. Gabriel Kidd
Fred Rosser & Rocky Romero vs. SANADA & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste & Bad Dude Tito vs. “Filthy” Tom Lawlor, Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs
ROH Pure Rules match: Alex Coughlin vs. Tracy Williams
El Desperado & Volador Jr. vs. Delirious & Kevin Knight
Three title matches will make up tonight’s live edition of AEW Battle of the Belts IV from Kingston, Rhode Island.
New Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions The Lucha Brothers will defend their titles for the first time as they face TNT Champion Powerhouse Hobbs & QT Marshall. The two won the titles at last Friday’s Supercard of Honor.
Hobbs picked up title defenses over Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix in recent weeks with Marshall assaulting Alex Abrahantes both times.
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy will look to continue his successful run of title defenses as he faces Dralistico. If he wins tonight, it will be number 17.
After her face-to-face sit-down with Taya Valkyrie on Rampage, TBS Champion Jade Cargill will defend against Billie Starkz. With a win, Cargill will remain undefeated in her two-year career and enjoy her 21st title defense. Starkz will be looking for her first AEW win (0-6).
**********
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy defeated Dralistico to retain
Dralistico was joined ringside by his brother, Rush, and others. Cassidy appeared with Best Friends at his side.
It took a few moments, but they broke into fast action until OC took a break to cool off on the floor. Cassidy walked the ropes and did an arm drag with one hand in his pocket.
Everyone who came to the ring with both Dralistico and OC, they all ended up brawling with each other to the back because Jose shoved Cassidy off the top rope at one point. It was down to one on one action between Dralistico and Cassidy. The program cut to a short commercial break from here.
When they were back from break, we saw OC hit Dralistico with cross body press and a Michinoku Driver II for two. The crowd started chanting for Cassidy a bit later. Jose was still at ringside, by the way. Dralistico used a springboard codebreaker on Cassidy for two.
OC reversed a suplex into jawbreaker to tip the match in his favor. The two would start fighting on the top ropes next. Dralistico nailed Cassidy with a big headbutt before taking him down with a wild hurracanrana from one rope to the other, launching Cassidy into the ring. He’d lock OC in La Mistica but couldn’t get Cassidy to tap. The crowd chanted more for Cassidy. Cassidy went for the Beach Break but Dralistico reversed it into a Canadian Destroyer for two.
On the floor, Cassidy did the Orange Punch to take out Jose. He’d do the same to Dralistico in the ring moments later, cracking him with a loud Orange Punch that laid Dralistico out for the win. Cassidy retains.
Malaki Black appeared on screen afterwards. He said he thought Cassidy quite talented, but he could tell that losing to House was eating him alive. He said that was good, because the House of Black wasn’t done with him just yet. Buddy Murphy appeared and said that if they put their titles on the line, why doesn’t Cassidy put his title on the line in a match.
A promo package for Jay White aired next. It covered what happened between him and Ricky Starks on the latest episode of Dynamite.
Mark Briscoe backstage interview
Briscoe was asked about his match last week and he said that he wouldn’t be looking to the past but looking forward from now. Jay Lethal then appeared from off screen. He talked with Briscoe about how long they’ve known each other and how connected they’ve been over the years, so Lethal invited Briscoe to join up with him. It sounded like a good deal to Briscoe, so he shook on it with Lethal.
Then, suddenly, Sonjay Dutt, Jeff Jarret and Singh appeared alongside Lethal. They were happy about Briscoe joining them, but it seemed like Briscoe didn’t realize that was going to happen. Lethal used a bait-and-switch technique: Lethal presented the “team” as just he and Briscoe, not Lethal’s entire enterprise. To be continued.
TBS Champion Jade Cargill defeated Billie Starkz to retain
Starkz is just 18 years old, has been wrestling for four years but is also an honor roll student in high school. She wrestled Yuka Sakazaki last year at Korakuen Hall for Tokyo Joshi Pro.
Cargill did not seem impressed with Starkz and got in her face early on. Starkz wouldn’t back down. Cargill took charge and at one point bent Starkz over her knee and spanked her. The champion worked Starkz over as the show cut to commercials.
When the show came back, the crowd was chanting for Starkz as Cargill held her in a headlock. When Cargill went for Jaded, Starkz got up on her shoulders and turned around to do a frankensteiner. She’d then knock Cargill off the apron with a running boot.
Later, back in the ring, Starkz unloaded more offense on Cargill, including a flatliner for two. She went for a swanton bomb off the top but Cargill put her knees up. There was a bit of miscommunication on one of the final spots, but Cargill would clean it up and put Starkz away with Jaded for the win. Cargill retains.
Taya Valkyrie appeared after the match and went for Road to Valhalla (or Cargill’s Jaded), but Cargill escaped and rolled to the floor. Valkyrie taunted Cargill and co. from the ring as the opposite crew went to the back.
Michael Nakazawa & Brandon Cutler segment
Cutler posed a question: What do you do when the people who stood up for bullies aren’t there to stand up for you anymore? He said they have to stand up and be elite. Michael Nakazawa just said “No more!”
******
When the show returned from commercial break, The Lucha Bros. and QT Marshall & Will Hobbes spoke with Mark Henry ahead of the match. Pentagon said the Lucha Bros were the best tag team in the world.
ROH’s Bobby Cruise came out to make formal introductions for this Ring of Honor-sanctioned title match.
ROH Tag Team Champions Lucha Bros. defeated Powerhouse Hobbs & QT Marshall
ROH’s Caprice Coleman joined the AEW commentary team for this match.
Fans chanted for Pentagon before action got underway. Penta did CIERO MIEDO in Marshall’s face a few times. The crowd chanted “Q-T SUCKS!” They sounded like they enjoyed booing him. The two had another wobbly exchange before Marshall tagged out to Hobbes, who quickly ate a foot in the face from Rey Fenix on the opposite side of the ring. When Hobbs went for a lariat, he missed and decked Marshall, knocking him to the floor. Fenix caught him with a suicide somersault senton through the ropes.
The crowd got behind the Lucha Bros. later in this, as Hobbs and Marshall took the upper hand and put the boots to Fenix. More chants of “Q-T SUCKS!” broke out.
Fenix nailed Marshall with a super kick and tagged out. Penta and Hobbs traded chops. Marshall and Hobbs then took Penta out with a double shoulder block before the match went to commercials.
Marshall and Hobbs were in control until the commercial break was over. Penta hit an enzuigiri kick but Marshall got involved and neutralized Penta for a moment. Later, Penta laid Marshall out with a sling blade before putting Hobbs down with a backstabber before finally tagging out to Fenix.
Fenix came in and cleaned house. Huge rolling savate kick in the corner before an assisted springboard hurracanrana. He and Penta worked in some double-team offense to try and put Marshall away. Fenix landed a splash onto Marshall but Hobbs broke up the count.
Marshall did a handspring kick and would later take Penta out with a Diamond Cutter. Fenix reappeared with a Code Red. Everyone was sold like they were KO’d for a few moments.
Penta and Hobbs got into it when the guys were back to their feet. They traded hard shots. The Lucha Bros would gang up on Hobbs and take him down before a super-assisted splash on Hobbs and a Canadian Destroyer on Marshall. Fenix only earned a two-count. Hobbs powered up and took the Lucha Bros out with huge lariats.
Fenix rebounded and caught Marshall with a ricochet kick to take Marshall out. The QTV people started jumping up and down, and took Alex Abrahantes out on the floor. Marshall misted Fenix and pinned him with his foot on the ropes but Fenix counted out again. He’d finally score the win with a hurracanrana on Marshall for the win. The Lucha Bros. retain their titles.
Orange Cassidy will induct Excalibur into the GCW Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Sunday, April 2.
GCW announced late Wednesday that Cassidy, AEW’s International Champion, will induct Excalibur at the event set for the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. The ceremony will air live on FITE+ at 3 p.m. Eastern time.
*Indie HoF Update*
EXCALIBUR will be inducted into the #IndieHof by ORANGE CASSIDY!
Plus Christopher Daniels (Kazarian) Cheerleader Melissa (Prazak) Jimmy Jacobs (Shelley) Mike Modest (Blaustein) Paul London (TBA)
Sun 4/2 – Noon The Millenium Biltmore Live from @Wrestlecon
AEW’s lead broadcast voice since its 2019 inception, Excalibur is also the co-founder of Pro Wrestling Guerilla, widely considered the most influential independent pro wrestling promotion in the country.
Real name Marc Letzmann, Excalibur had a seven-year career as an independent wrestler prior to becoming a commentator. He wrestled on PWG’s first show in 2003.
The 2023 class of the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame includes these entrants and inductees:
Excalibur [Orange Cassidy]
Paul London [TBA]
Cheerleader Melissa [Dave Prazak]
Jimmy Jacobs [Alex Shelley]
Mike Modest [Beyond the Mat director Barry Blaustein]
Christopher Daniels [Frankie Kazarian]
GCW and Orange Crush magazine established the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2022. The first class consisted of Jerry Lynn, Homicide, Dave Prazak, LuFisto, Ruckus, and Tracy Smothers.
An International Championship match has been added to this Wednesday’s Dynamite.
Orange Cassidy will defend the championship against The Butcher. This past week on Dynamite, Cassidy teamed with Darby Allin and Sting to defeat Butcher, Blade, and Kip Sabian in trios action. Cassidy has defended the International title in recent weeks against opponents such as Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal, and Big Bill.
Other matches added to Wednesday’s show include Ruby Soho vs. Willow Nightingale, Dalton Castle and The Boys against the Blackpool Combat Club, and Matt Hardy vs. Jack Perry. Earlier on Saturday, a match for the IWGP United States title was also added, with Kenny Omega defending the title against Jeff Cobb.
Here is the updated lineup for Wednesday’s show:
IWGP United States title: Kenny Omega (c) vs. Jeff Cobb
AEW International title: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. The Butcher
Adam Cole vs. Daniel Garcia
Ruby Soho vs. Willow Nightingale
Blackpool Combat Club vs. Dalton Castle and The Boys
A six-man tag team match has been announced for Dynamite.
Tony Khan revealed on Monday that Sting, Darby Allin, and Orange Cassidy will team up to face Kip Sabian and The Butcher & The Blade on Wednesday’s show.
Allin & Cassidy defeated The Butcher & The Blade on Saturday at AEW House Rules from Troy, Ohio. Butcher & The Blade then attacked Cassidy & Allin backstage at the show.
Tony Khan posted a video of Butcher and The Blade issuing a challenge to Allin, Cassidy, and a partner of their choosing for a six-man tag match against them and Kip Sabian for Dynamite.
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin will team up at Saturday’s House Rules show.
In a match announced on social media by owner, CEO, GM, and head of creative Tony Khan, Cassidy and Allin will face The Butcher and The Blade in a tag team bout on Saturday’s House Rules show.
Cassidy is coming off a successful title defense against Jeff Jarrett on this week’s Dynamite, while Allin took part in an in-ring promo segment with AEW World Champion MJF on the same show.
House Rules will be AEW’s second-ever house show, and the kickoff event of the House Rules tour. The show is set for Hobart Arena in Troy, Ohio.
Three matches are now official for the show. The lineup:
AEW House Rules, Saturday, March 18 —
Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. The Firm’s Big Bill & Lee Moriarty
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. vs. Anna Jay
Orange Cassidy & Darby Allin vs. The Butcher & The Blade
AEW All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy will look for the 14th defense of his title when he faces Jay Lethal on Wednesday’s Dynamite.
This will be the third time the two have squared off with each winning one match. Cassidy defended the title against him in mid-January on Dynamite, one of two singles matches Lethal has had this year.
Both men were involved in last Sunday’s four-way for the AEW Tag Team titles at Revolution. AEW head Tony Khan justified the match on Twitter, saying the first match was a big box office success and their second meeting was AEW’s most-watched match of 2023 thus far:
Given that -the series is tied 1-1 -the challenger is the last man to pin the reigning champion cleanly -the 1st fight was a big box office success -their 2nd fight was AEW's most watched match of 2023 (over 1.2 million viewers):
After losing in a Texas Death match to Hangman Page on Sunday, Jon Moxley will team with Claudio Castagnoli to take on Dark Order’s Alex Reynolds & Jon Silver. Leading up to the Sunday bloodbath, the Blackpool Combat Club and Dark Order had been at odds.
Page will be on the show to share some thoughts following his big win.
Chris Jericho, Daniel Garcia & Sammy Guevara of the Jericho Appreciation Society will take on Top Flight & AR Fox. Jericho lost to rival Ricky Starks on Sunday while the other five men weren’t on the pay-per-view.
After aligning with Saraya and Toni Storm after her loss in the AEW Women’s title four-way Sunday, Ruby Soho will take on Skye Blue. While the two have teamed together before, this will be their first-ever singles match.
The two new additions join the previously announced TNT title match between new champion Wardlow and no. 1 contender Powerhouse Hobbs.
Here’s the current lineup for Sacramento, California:
TNT Champion Wardlow defends against Powerhouse Hobbs
Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara & Daniel Garcia vs. Top Flight & AR Fox
AEW All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy defends against Jay Lethal
Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Alex Reynolds & John Silver
13 matches will make up Tuesday’s AEW Dark including a tag team match featuring AEW All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy & Danhausen.
In their first-ever traditional tag team match in AEW, the unusual duo will take on The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake). Cassidy will defend his title against Big Bill on Wednesday’s Dynamite.
Ahead of their latest opportunity to win the AEW Tag Team titles at Sunday’s Revolution, Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal will team with Satnam Singh against Jackson Drake, Jay Malachi & Oliver Sawyer.
After losing in a bloody one-on-one match against Jon Moxley Wednesday, Evil Uno will return to singles action against J. Spade while Action Andretti will look to rebound after Friday’s loss to Sammy Guevara against former ROH TV Champion Tony Deppen.
Here’s the full 13-match lineup, comprised of matches taped in January and this past Sunday at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida:
Adrian Alanis vs. Shane Taylor
Skye Blue vs. Dream Girl Ellie
Top Flight, AR Fox & Matt Sydal vs. The Trustbusters (Ari Daivari, Sonny Kiss, Jeeves Kay & Slim J)
Willie Mack vs. Joe Keys
Lee Moriarty vs. Vary Morales
Orange Cassidy & Danhausen vs. The WorkHorsemen
Parker Boudreaux vs. Joe Ocasio
Shawn Dean vs. Invictus Khash
Evil Uno vs. J. Spade
Jeff Jarrett, Satnam Singh & Jay Lethal vs. Jackson Drake, Jay Malachi & Oliver Sawyer
The All-Atlantic Championship will be defended on AEW Rampage.
Orange Cassidy will defend his title against Lee Moriarty on the show.
AEW set the match up with a backstage segment posted to social media on Thursday. Lexy Nair attempted to interview Stokely Hathaway in the back but they were interrupted by Danhausen and Cassidy.
Cassidy is just the second wrestler to hold the All-Atlantic Championship. After defeating PAC to win the belt in Toronto last October, he has since defended it successfully 10 times.
AEW Rampage this week was filmed on Wednesday from the El Paso County Coliseum. The advertised lineup for the show is as follows:
All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy defends against Lee Moriarty w/ Stokely Hathaway
Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta) vs. Kip Sabian and The Butcher & The Blade
Notable matches scheduled for the show include The Dark Order vs. Serpentico, Peter Avalon & Ryan Nemeth. Brooke Havok will also return to AEW for the first time in nearly two years when she faces Emi Sakura in singles action.
Rush & Preston Vance, The Butcher & The Blade, Skye Blue, Ari Daivari, and Tony Nese will all be in action as well.
This week’s episode was filmed Wednesday, January 18, 2023, from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.
AEW Dark: Elevation airs at 7 p.m. Eastern time on YouTube. The advertised lineup for the show is as follows:
Dark Order’s Alex Reynolds, John Silver, & Evil Uno vs. Serpentico, Ryan Nemeth & Peter Avalon
The Butcher & The Blade w/ The Bunny vs. David McCallion & Richie Slade
Ari Daivari & Tony Nese w/ Mark Sterling vs. Big Fonz & Jordan Cruz
Skye Blue vs. Zoe Dubois
La Faccion Ingobernable’s Rush & Perro Peligroso Preston Vance vs. Papacito Negro & Papacito Blanco
Join on-camera personality Denise Salcedo on her weekly Speak Now Pro Wrestling post-show where she covers AEW Dynamite every single Wednesday here on F4W Online.
Matches announced for the show:
–Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Jay Lethal –AEW All-Atlantic Championship.
—The Young Bucks(Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) vs. Top Flight(Darius Martin & Dante Martin)
–Jake Hager vs. Ricky Starks
–Willow Nightingale vs. Toni Storm
–Darby Allin(c) vs. KUSHIDA – AEW TNT Championship
It’s Wrestling Observer Live Saturday with Jim Valley, the last WOL of 2022.
We go out in style with SmackDown and the return of John Cena and Charlotte, an attack by Uncle Howdy and jealousy in The Bloodline. We’ll preview AEW’s swing through the northwest this week with Seattle on Wednesday and Portland, OR on Friday.
It’s New Year’s Rasslin Eve. Who’s the wrestler of the year? Match of the year? What was the trend in wrestling in 2022. What do those terms even mean? We’ll wrap up looking at the good things in wrestling this past year and look forward to 2023. Happy New Year, everyone!
An All-Atlantic title match has been announced for AEW Battle of the Belts V.
Orange Cassidy will defend the All-Atlantic title against Kip Sabian, which will take place on January 6. The two have been feuding in recent weeks, with Sabian expressing interest in obtaining a title match.
On Wednesday’s Dynamite, Sabian said that since he eliminated Orange Cassidy from the trios battle royal on last week’s Rampage, he should be next in line for an All-Atlantic title match. Instead, Cassidy chose Best Friends teammate Trent Beretta as the next challenger. The two had their match on Friday, with Cassidy retaining the title.
After the match, Kip Sabian emerged from commentary to defeat Atiba. At one point in the match, Penelope Ford gave Sabian Cassidy’s elbow pad that he had discarded in the previous match. Sabian then won after hitting an Orange Punch.
Battle of the Belts V will air immediately after next Friday’s live edition of Rampage.
The Bryan & Vinny & Craig Show is back with tons to talk about including Rampage with Shibata vs. Orange Cassidy, our weekly live Q&A with questions from our chat and Bryan’s Super Followers, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
The surprising match made for Friday’s AEW Rampage between AEW All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy and NJPW’s Katsuyori Shibata was a request from Shibata.
Dave Meltzer revealed the news on Wednesday night’s Wrestling Observer Radio.
According to Meltzer, Shibata told AEW that he wanted two matches in the company: one of them against Cassidy and the other being against Bryan Danielson. Shibata was free this week and thus, they made the Cassidy match for Friday’s live show from Atlantic City, New Jersey. It’s unknown if there is a planned date for the Danielson match.
WOR: Dave gives an update on the two matches Katsuyori Shibata has requested in AEW.
Shibata made a surprise appearance on Wednesday’s Dynamite, appearing after Cassidy’s three-way title defense victory over Rey Fenix and Luchasaurus. He made the save for Cassidy as PAC was beating him down after the match. Because Cassidy won, he got to choose his dream opponent for Friday. Shibata pointed at Cassidy and the title, and Cassidy handed him the contract to sign.
There is a history between the two in AEW as in another surprise appearance, Shibata saved Cassidy from a beatdown from United Empire following Cassidy’s loss to Will Ospreay at June’s Forbidden Door.
At April 2017’s Sakura Genesis, Shibata collapsed backstage following his match with then-IWGP Champion Kazuchika Okada. It was later learned Shibata suffered a subdural hematoma and was temporarily paralyzed on the right side of his body. The hematoma was serious enough for many to believe his in-ring career was done.
Shibata did return to the ring on the final night of the 2021 G1 Climax tournament in a surprise, wrestling Zack Sabre Jr. in a five-minute exhibition match under UWF rules. He then took on Ren Narita at January’s Wrestle Kingdom 16 in his first official match since the Okada bout. Friday will mark his first match since then.