Tag: Adam Copeland

AEW Collision results 02/10/24: The Stone Pitbull gets Freshly Squeezed

Toni Storm and Deonna Purrazzo each picked up victories on AEW Collision near Las Vegas as well.

Las Vegas sure has been the center of attention for all kinds of sports, unscripted and otherwise, this week. We’d like to think AEW Collision is part of it, even though it’s technically not in Las Vegas, but in nearby Henderson.

That’s really not that big a distinction, honestly. The point is that it’s somewhat out of the way of being swallowed up by all things surrounding the big football game on Sunday. And it appears some of AEW’s most compelling subplots will be furthered on this show, including the great program between Toni Storm and Deonna Purrazzo.

We’ll also see the latest visitors from CMLL as they continue their battle against the Blackpool Combat Club. And the Forbidden Door will stay open for what we assume will be the main event, as Orange Cassidy takes on Tomohiro Ishii.

That sounds like a very fine appetizer before tomorrow’s big game. Let’s check it all out from the top.

AEW Collision results from Las Vegas:

  • Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley def. Esfinge and Star Jr. by submission
  • Mox gets on the mic afterward and says whether it’s CMLL or any other team in the world, anyone who steps up gets stepped on; that boast brings FTR to the ring, and it doesn’t take long for fisticuffs to break out, and it takes referees, officials and other wrestlers to break it up

  • Daniel Garcia def. Shane Taylor by submission
  • Highlights from Dynamite show Darby Allin and Sting winning the tag team titles, then getting attacked by the Young Bucks
  • Lexy Nair talks to Eddie Kingston, who chastises the Bucks and Bryan Danielson for taking the spotlight away from others; as a result, he’s challenging Danielson to a match at Revolution, and if Eddie wins, Bryan has to shake his hand

  • Brian Cage def. The Outrunners by submission; afterward, the Vegas Golden Knights mascot Chance does the Nana dance with Prince Nana and gets laid out by Cage, which in turn brings Hook to the rescue to battle Cage to the back

  • Roderick Strong and The Kingdom talk some smack to Tomohiro Ishii, who is in no mood to shake hands with them

  • Adam Copeland joins Tony Schiavone in the ring to discuss the pros and cons of challenging for each title when he’s joined by Garcia, who notes that he’s also been picking up plenty of wins; Copeland proposes they battle it out on Dynamite, with the winner going on to challenge Christian Cage for the TNT Championship, but he also warns Garcia that he’s going to get a beating next week

  • Renee Paquette talks to Stokely Hathaway, who says there are only two badasses in the women’s division, Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale, and they want him to get them a match against Julia Hart and Skye Blue
  • Brody King def. Mark Briscoe by pinfall, helped in part by a timely distraction from Julia Hart, who also attacks Briscoe after the match with a metal spike
  • Bryan Keith warns everyone in AEW that they’ll have to pay up
  • Deonna Purrazzo def. Kiera Hogan by pinfall
  • Toni Storm def. Queen Aminata by pinfall in a match that’s probably a little tougher than the champ would have figured; afterward, Timeless Toni says she’ll be releasing a new film on Dynamite and warns Purrazzo as well
  • Orange Cassidy def. Tomohiro Ishii by pinfall to retain the AEW International Championship
  • After the bell, The Kingdom attacks Cassidy, but Ishii hustles back to prevent more than one move, as does a chair-wielding Trent Beretta

AEW Dynamite results 01/24/24: Adam Copeland survives Minoru Suzuki

AEW Dynamite also set up a tag team title match and new challenges for Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page.

It’s time to light the fuse for a dream match kind of night on AEW Dynamite from Savannah.

Actually, no, scratch that. Adam Copeland vs. Minoru Suzuki is more like a fever dream, the product of some random half-awake ranting at some point. It’s not a pairing we ever thought to even ask for at any point, honestly.

Yet it should be great. The Rated-R Superstar taking on Murder Grandpa is not the kind of thing Copeland’s “Cope Open” matches have typically been to this point, which is him working with talent that doesn’t always get enough exposure.

Suzuki is pretty much the exact opposite of that. But Copeland has also said he wanted the Cope Open to be unpredictable, and tonight’s showdown definitely qualifies in that respect.

Speaking of unpredictable, that term should also apply to Toni Storm and Deonna Purrazzo having a face-to-face interview. The AEW Women’s World Champion has been typically dismissive of The Virtuosa ever since her arrival in AEW, but Purrazzo has had the type of in-ring success that is pretty much unavoidable now. Add in some real life history between them (whether Timeless Toni chooses to remember it or not) and you have the makings of a fun program.

We’ll also hear from Sting and Darby Allin, see Thunder Rosa in action again, scissor with The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass, and much more. Light the fuse.

AEW Dynamite results from Savannah:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Samoa Joe tells Hook to get to the back of the line for a world title shot
  • Hangman Adam Page def. Penta El Zero Miedo by pinfall with Joe watching from the commentary table; afterwards, Page yells “I am taking that from you” to Joe
  • Renee Paquette speaks with Orange Cassidy, who says it’s fine that Roderick Strong wants to challenge him at Revolution, but he’s also going to keep wrestling in the meantime, including this week on Collision

  • The Young Bucks have arrived, saying they’ve fixed catering, and they give Top Flight of not being at the show on time or wearing their credentials

  • Wardlow def. Trent Beretta by pinfall; Best Friends hit the ring to prevent a post-match beating, and the Undisputed Kingdom convinces Wardlow not to press the issue at the moment
  • Adam Copeland cuts a promo for his main event meeting with Minoru Suzuki and says you can sum it up with three words: grit your teeth
  • Renee Paquette sits down with Deonna Purrazzo and Toni Storm, who exchange some verbal jabs and real shoe-throws
  • Jon Moxley puts over the titles and victories the Blackpool Combat Club has piled up but says they spend zero time celebrating, because that’s the way they stay as hungry as they need to be; Mox says he will beat and pulverize everyone who isn’t willing to step up and give their all this year, and he’s very believable when he says it

  • Taya Valkyrie and Johnny TV reintroduce themselves, and Valkyrie challenges Purrazzo to a match next week, vowing to send her to “the back of the line”
  • Swerve Strickland def. Jeff Hardy by pinfall
  • Paquette is caught in the middle as Swerve and Hangman nearly come to blows, and she tells them that they’ll get to choose the match for the other man next week on Dynamite in a pair of “Dealer’s Choice” bouts

  • Thunder Rosa def. Red Velvet by pinfall
  • Darby Allin and Sting hold court, discuss going after the tag team titles
  • Big Bill and Ricky Starks accept the challenge from Allin and Sting, apparently because they’re happy the face painted duo mentioned them by name
  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass def. Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage and Gates of Agony) by pinfall to retain the AEW World Trios Championship, getting some help from Bullet Club Gold to prevent chicanery
  • One final Serena Deeb highlight video is shown before she returns on Saturday
  • Adam Copeland def. Minoru Suzuki by pinfall
  • After the match, Copeland offers a show of respect to Suzuki, who refuses it, and says he’s still coming for Christian Cage

Samoa Joe says title shots will need to be earned, Hook needs to get to the back of the line

Looking spiffy in a suit, the AEW World Champion says from now on, title opportunities must be earned. Your favorite superstars are all going to battle it out for the right to challenge for his gold.

Alas, Joe says all it’s going to mean is an opportunity to have the worst night of their life. A man who kind of experienced that last week interrupts, as Hook makes his way to the ring … with a mic in hand, unusually.

Hook says he lost and shakes Joe’s hand, promising that he’ll see Joe again. But the champ isn’t as gracious, asking for security to get “the unworthy” out of the ring. A few arm drags and such later, Hook leaves on his own instead of being escorted out by guards.

Hangman Adam Page goes to 3-0 in 2024 by beating Penta El Zero Miedo

With the announcers reminding us the rankings are returning Saturday, that makes this match a little more important, as does Samoa Joe watching on guest commentary. Page scores the first near fall after a rolling shooting star press, then goes to work in the corner.

Joe taunts Hangman a bit but Page stares daggers at him in return. A bottom rope legdrop (yes, that’s right) earns a two count for Penta, and he escapes a Deadeye attempt to trade strikes. A double clothesline finally sends both men down to the mat, perfect for sending us to picture-in-picture.

The full broadcast returns just in time to catch Penta flying to the outside, though he has to pull up on a second aerial move inside the ring and gets caught with a Death Valley Driver for two. Penta fires right back with another near fall before zeroing in on Page’s right arm.

Hangman hurls his foe away and then connects on a Liger Bomb for another two count. A series of counters leads to a Made in Japan by Penta, and Hangman barely kicks out in time. Joe is shown looking a little upset, perhaps hoping Page would be pinned.

Out to the apron they go, where Penta is hit by the Deadeye and a moonsault to the floor. Back in the ring, Penta evades one Buckshot but not the second, and the cowboy is your winner.

Deonna Purrazzo, Toni Storm share some of their past, but a violent future awaits

The AEW World Champion is in black and white, and while she admits they have a past together, Toni says that doesn’t mean Deonna can waltz right to the front of the line. Storm admits that Purrazzo might be the best technical wrestler in the world, but it’s not going to help her if they meet.

The Virtuosa says she didn’t come to AEW to make friends but to become champion. It just so happens that Storm used to be her friend, but Purrazzo will gladly take her apart limb by limb. Deonna also doesn’t want to face this “delusional sham” but the version of Toni that was once one of the best in the world.

Purrazzo says Storm should look at her ankle because it should look a lot like hers, and the two women reveal identical tattoos. Toni doesn’t take kindly to that and throws a shoe at Deonna, who throws it right back and tries to apply the Venus De Milo. The champ needs to be bailed out by Luther and Mariah May, and Deonna poses with the title belt before tossing it to the butler.

Darby Allin convinces Sting to pursue tag team gold before he hangs it up

Allin tells the story of when Sting first was announced as coming to AEW, rolling around in the ring at his house and telling the Icon “you still got it.” He thinks the fans would agree that’s still the case, and with the rankings coming back, Allin believes they should take advantage of that and challenge for the tag team titles.

Sting says alright, I’m all in. No, not that All In, sorry. But clearly he’s on board with going after Big Bill and Ricky Starks.

Adam Copeland survives, pins Minoru Suzuki

The crowd starts a “holy s–t” chant right away, anticipating the chops and forearms that come soon enough. Suzuki tries for a Gotch style piledriver but get back body dropped instead.

Suzuki goes for an armbar across the top rope but ends up eating a big boot. He catches Copeland with a knee coming toward the apron and drags Adam out to the floor. They go stumbling back through the barricade together in painful fashion.

Both men barely beat the ref’s 10 count, sliding in together at nine. Suzuki laughs, as he does, before they start smashing each other with elbows and forearms on their knees, then up to their feet. Here come the slaps, which end up knocking them both down at the same time.

Suzuki slugs his way into an armbar attempt, but Copeland counters with an Impaler. Dueling chants break out for each man as they rise slowly again. Copeland heads in for a spear but is countered by a Fujiwara armbar, forcing Copeland to a rope break.

Now Suzuki goes for a rear choke in the corner, but Copeland gets loose and hits a spear for a close two count. Suzuki scoots over and applies a sleeper with his legs hooked in as well. Copeland nearly escapes it before sinking to his knees with his face turning purple.

After the ref checks him once, Copeland is up and manages to hit the Killswitch, which is enough to win it.

 

AEW Dynamite preview 01/24/24: Murder Grandpa comes for Adam Copeland

Also on AEW Dynamite from Savannah, Swerve Strickland and Hangman Adam Page will be in action tonight.

Thank goodness it’s been a quiet week in pro wrestling and we can all just concentrate on the shows, right? Sarcasm aside, it’s time to get back to actual matches and stories and such tonight on AEW Dynamite in Savannah, including a match we never thought we’d see.

Adam Copeland vs. Minoru Suzuki sounds like something from a wrestling sim

Though Adam Copeland has been using his “Cope Open” challenge matches each week to help highlight younger talent, he certainly is going in a different direction this week against Minoru Suzuki. Yes, we can barely comprehend that we’re typing that either.

This is a matchup between two legends from very different backgrounds and parts of the world, and it’s likely a once in a lifetime deal. That works for us.

Hangman and Swerve seem like they’re still tied together

Even though Swerve Strickland has already defeated Hangman Adam Page twice, the ill will between them is palpable and ongoing. Both men are in action tonight against different foes (Swerve vs. Jeff Hardy, Hangman vs. Penta El Zero Miedo) that you’d expect them to beat.

But then what? The reason they can’t break free from each other right now is that they both have their eyes and hearts set on the AEW World Championship held by Samoa Joe. Can one of them definitively move in line in front of the other, or might there be a Triple Threat match in their future?

What will Toni Storm and Deonna Purrazzo say when they’re face to face?

Deonna Purrazzo has only been All Elite for a few weeks and she’s already catapulted herself right into the mix for the AEW Women’s World Championship. Her bemused exasperation with the wrestler who holds that title, Toni Storm, is understandable: The Virtuosa knew Toni before she was Timeless, after all.

The guess here is that these two would have a heck of a title match against each other, but AEW is wisely taking things fairly slow and giving them more chances to interact. We’ll have a big one tonight on Dynamite, with the two women in a face-to-face interview that should be entertaining.

Also slated for Dynamite from Savannah:

  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass defend their Trios titles against the Mogul Embassy
  • Wardlow takes on Trent Beretta
  • We’ll hear from Sting and Darby Allin live

Set aside two hours to light the fuse starting at 8 p.m. ET, or simply join us back here at Wrestling Junkie for live Dynamite results as they happen.

AEW Collision results 01/13/24: House of Black keeps FTR down bad

Even with Daniel Garcia to help, FTR couldn’t overcome the House of Black on AEW Collision.

There’s a really, really cold football playoff game right now. You know where it will be much warmer and still plenty entertaining? In Norfolk, the site of tonight’s episode of AEW Collision.

While there are a few interesting matches on the card tonight, the main event figures to be FTR and Daniel Garcia teaming to face the House of Black. The House has been messing with FTR for some time now, claiming to be the only ones who love them.

But Garcia proved that wrong when he came to the duo’s rescue after an assault by … yes, you got it, the House of Black. Guess it’s tough love.

It may be an unlikely team-up, but it’s one that works as Garcia tries to balance his love of dancing with his road back toward being more pro wrestler and less sports entertainer. FTR can definitely help him with that. Let’s see if they do that and come out with a win tonight.

AEW Collision results from Norfolk:

  • Adam Copeland is out in his gear, meaning it’s time for the Cope Open; he asks who will step up, and he gets … Lee Moriarty, who gets a short hype video before he takes on Copeland
  • Adam Copeland def. Lee Moriarty by submission; after the match, Copeland returns to the mic and warns Christian Cage that “I’m still coming for your scrawny ass”
  • Lexy Nair asks FTR and Daniel Garcia if they can get along well enough to deal with House of Black, and they seem to be like-minded enough about what they’re doing that it won’t be a problem

  • Nair talks to Sammy Guevara and Chris Jericho ahead of their tag team title match on Battle of the Belts
  • Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage and Gates of Agony) def. Lance Archer and The Righteous by pinfall to retain the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship; afterward, Prince Nana calls his team the greatest ROH six-man tag team champs of all time and scoffs at Bullet Club Gold before challenging them for the next episode of Dynamite
  • Staying busy tonight, Nair talks to Preston Vance, who gets interrupted by Roderick Strong (and The Kingdom) and ends up angrily telling Strong they can fight next week
  • Dustin Rhodes def. Willie Mack by pinfall
  • Bullet Club Gold is definitely up for Mogul Embassy’s challenge

  • Rhodes is none too happy about Christian Cage interrupting his backstage interview with Renee Paquette, and even Killswitch and some insults about Dusty Rhodes won’t stop him from daring Cage to put his TNT title on the line next Wednesday
  • Hangman Adam Page def. JD Drake by pinfall
  • Deonna Purrazzo def. Red Velvet by submission
  • Hook def. … uh, someone by submission and tells Samoa Joe “I’ll see you Wednesday”
  • House of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews and Malakai Black) def. Daniel Garcia and FTR by pinfall
  • After the bell, King goes after Daddy Magic Matt Menard, who was out doing guest commentary, but Garcia and FTR come back in swinging chairs and are able to chase the House from the ring … except for King, who takes the Big Rig/Shatter Machine

AEW Dynamite results 01/10/24: Sting thrills Daily’s Place as Young Bucks loom

Will we be seeing Sting and Darby Allin vs. some AEW EVPs at Revolution?

Oh yeah, it feels so good
To be back where we belong
Oh yeah, it feels so good
This is where we started from

Thanks for that, New Edition. Those immortal words are echoing through this writer’s skull as we get ready to take in AEW Dynamite Homecoming from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville.

You might remember this as the pandemic-era home of AEW, the place where everyone buckled down and got through some very difficult times thanks to the Power of Pro Wrestling (don’t try to trademark that, I’ve already filed). It was the place where talent simply worked through it, the spot where The Gunns went from “Who are those lads with Billy on the right-hand side of the ring every week?” to actual weekly TV types.

On a sadder and more serious note, it’s also where the world at large got to know the late Mr. Brodie Lee better, which has gone into the thinking behind some of the matches on tonight’s card, according to Tony Khan. Yes, there are some random-ish eight-person tag matches, but they feature people important to Lee, and that is a cool touch.

Some of the more prominent singles matches may not have that kind of story behind them, yet they still could cook. Ricky Starks vs. Sammy Guevara for the first time ever? Sure. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Hangman Adam Page? Of course!

We’re also on Day 10, give or take, of Mercedes Watch, so there’s that too.

Plenty of reason to tune in. Light the fuse, Daily’s Place!

AEW Dynamite results from Jacksonville:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Hangman Adam Page def. Claudio Castagnoli by pinfall
  • A short compilation of Brodie Lee highlights from Daily’s Place is shown, along with an explanation of how his two hand-picked proteges are in action tonight
  • Orange Cassidy, Preston Vance, Dustin Rhodes and Adam Copeland def. Brian Cage, Gates of Agony and Lance Archer by pinfall, with Vance pinning Cage after some turmoil between Archer and the Mogul Embassy members during the match
  • Renee Paquette talks to Bullet Club Gold about the Undisputed Kingdom, and The Acclaimed stops by to repeat their suggestion that they form a “Bang Bang Scissor Gang superfaction,” and you can tell Austin Gunn is still on board with the idea
  • Samoa Joe says he has changed the title challenge protocol, but that doesn’t stop Swerve Strickland, Hangman and Hook from all throwing their hats in the ring
  • Paquette is with Toni Storm and Mariah May, and the champ is both dismissive of May and a little disturbed by the arrival of Deonna Purrazzo

  • Sammy Guevara def. Ricky Starks by pinfall
  • Sammy shakes Ricky’s hand after the match, but it’s a ruse for an attack by Big Bill that also draws in Chris Jericho … all while “Judas” blares the whole time
  • Willow Nightingale, Kris Statlander, Anna Jay and Thunder Rosa def. Saraya, Ruby Soho, Skye Blue and Julia Hart by submission as Anna Jay gets Skye Blue to tap out to the Queenslayer
  • Wheeler Yuta fires back at the “disrespect” he’s been shown by Eddie Kingston and makes it clear he’d like to face Kingston for his Continental Crown Championship on Rampage
  • Roderick Strong def. Bryan Keith by pinfall
  • Adam Cole gets on the mic after Strong’s win and goes over the Undisputed Kingdom mission statement again

  • Paquette talks to Purrazzo about Storm, and Deonna gets a Collision challenge from Red Velvet

  • Darby Allin and Sting def. Konosuke Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs by pinfall
  • Schiavone gets in the ring to ask Sting who his last opponent will be, but the answer is interrupted by the more clean shaven Young Bucks, who linger on stage with their music playing before leaving

Hangman Adam Page does enough “Cowboy S–t” to beat Claudio Castagnoli

Upset as he has been recently, Hangman takes it right to Claudio as soon as the opening bell sounds. That’s not a bad idea, but you’re not going to just overwhelm the Swiss Superman, and sure enough Castagnoli takes control once the fight gets inside the ring.

Or is he just pissing Hangman off more? Page no sells some shots in the corner and marches forward, and they trade hard shots until Page ends up going for the Giant Swing.

Claudio goes for the Sharpshooter next, but he almost gets rolled up when he transitions to a crossface. Castagnoli fires right back with a Death Valley Driver, and both men are slow to rise.

Page breaks out with a fallaway slam as the fans applaud to egg him on. He kips up and hits a springboard lariat, then follows with a plancha and some right hands on the floor.

Once they’re both back inside the ropes, Page is caught on a corner charge and slammed hard over the top rope and onto the ramp. That couldn’t have felt good.

After some side by side ads, Page ends up right back on the ramp, and not by choice. Claudio punches him up to the stage, but the Cowboy sends him back toward the ring and then into it with a running lariat.

Castagnoli sees the Buckshot coming, however, and gets a near fall with a popup uppercut. The battle goes back to the floor, where Claudio catches Hangman and smacks him into a wall (yes) before getting countered with a DDT.

Page hits a moonsault off the wall, then counters a Tombstone with one of his own back in the ring. Castagnoli kicks out, though, and the match rolls on.

After sending Page face first into the top turnbuckle, Castagnoli hits a running uppercut and more of them in the corner. A big short arm lariat leads to a cover, but Page isn’t ready to be pinned yet.

Hangman pops up to deliver the DeadEye, but is somewhat slow to cover and only gets two again. They both end up ascending or trying to, and Claudio’s Ricola Bomb is countered with a hurricanrana. Two doses of the Buckshot are enough to keep Castagnoli down for the three count.

Samoa Joe has more than one person pursuing his title

Were some people tiring of MJF? It sure sounds like it as the current champion is getting “thank you Joe” chants. The champ says he’s making some changes to the title challenge protocol, saying people won’t have to whine in the ring or on social media.

Instead, you bring your record and reputation to the “championship committee,” and if they deem you worthy, you get an express pass for Joe to “stomp your ass out.” Wait, that doesn’t sound like a prize!

For anyone who wants a piece of him, the champion will be waiting. Of course, all that is unlikely to go unanswered, and sure enough, Swerve Strickland and the Mogul Embassy pop out on stage. Strickland boasts that he took Hangman’s spot, and just like that was, it isn’t personal between Swerve and Joe. He just wants the championship and he’s going to take it.

After winning the title, Swerve says he’ll be happy to make things personal between them. Of course, he already has a personal issue that somehow still isn’t done, and that’s with Hangman, who joins them. He also vows to make the AEW World Championship his in 2024, and Joe simply laughs as Page and Strickland stare holes in each other.

Page turns to Joe and says he hasn’t forgotten what Joe had done to him, and he’s going to take the title from him for it. After everyone leaves, Joe simply holds the belt aloft.

He’s not done, though. Hook’s music hits and the FTW Champion comes to the ring to have his own staredown with Joe. “One week,” Hook says before leaving.

Sammy Guevara rocks Ricky Starks for a big win

These two have never been in the ring for a singles match before, and they start off a little cautiously as a result. Guevara is the first to step on the gas, forcing Starks from the ring with a dropkick and dropping a moonsault on him from the top rope.

The battle goes to the apron, where neither man can impose his will into Sammy starts landing some nasty chops. Starks shrugs those off and slams Guevara hard onto the apron as side-by-side commercials slide in.

(They wasted Ricky’s awesome rope walk spot during the ads, darn them.)

Guevara seems to have a rally going now and gets a near fall right after the full broadcast is back. Sammy wants to climb but Ricky doesn’t want to let him, and Starks sets off on a flurry of offense that leads to his own near fall.

Starks’ great counter wrestling allows him to score another two count, but Guevara manages to nail him with a couple of superkicks and pulls off an inside cradle to get the dub.

Sting has one more crazy spot in him as he and Darby Allin top the Don Callis Family

Ric Flair and Don Callis are ringside with their respective teams, and this is going to be hard to recap since it immediately breaks down with fighting into the crowd in two different directions. No DQs, falls count anywhere for this one.

Takeshita is hitting rolling Germans on the floor on poor Darby as we get picture-in-picture action. Sting is faring even worse … until Allin gets tossed by both his foes and does like three revolutions before hitting the mat.

Sting comes back into the ring on fire but gets smacked down quickly by Takeshita. Flair decides to step in and chop Hobbs, which does nothing, but he thumbs Powerhouse in the eye and buys Sting enough time to recover.

All four men brawl up to the stage, and it feels like something nuts is going to happen. Sure enough it does, with Allin hitting a Coffin Drop on Takeshita from high up in the stands.

Hobbs hoists Sting and carries him down a walkway in front of the stands, but the Icon turns the tables with a Scorpion Death Drop down through some tables. Sting rolls over and throws an arm on top of Hobbs, and he stays undefeated as the ref counts to three.

Adam Copeland on Griff Garrison match: ‘Because long after I’m gone, Griff Garrison will be there’

Adam Copeland explains why squash matches with young AEW talent wouldn’t serve them nearly as well.

Count Adam Copeland among those who feel one of the important parts of a veteran wrestler’s late career is to help give younger talent the experience of being in the ring with someone more seasoned — even if that means a match where the younger wrestler gets in a decent amount of offense.

Copeland was just in that situation on the most recent episode of Collision, when he issued an open challenge and ended up facing Griff Garrison. You might have expected Copeland, one of the most decorated performers in the business today, to simply steamroll someone still in their 20s.

Instead, the match went around five minutes, with Garrison scoring some close near falls. Some observers questioned why Copeland would agree to that, with the insinuation that it might make him look weak.

But as Copeland explained while appearing on Busted Open Radio, his thought process is that it simply is better for someone like Garrison to go a few minutes with someone like him, as the same process helped him learn when the roles were reversed early in his own career (h/t Fightful for the transcription).

Because long after I’m gone, Griff Garrison will be there, and just like Bad News Brown showed me, or just like Rick Martel showed me, you just like Tom Prichard showed me or Pat Patterson showed me or Michael Hayes showed me or Bret Hart showed me, I’m in that stage of my career. So if I can get in there with Griff Garrison, what is a 30-second match gonna do for Griff Garrison? But suddenly now, you get a couple like, ‘Woah, he almost took that thing.’ Well now you add in the element of the story, like, Copeland took this kid maybe a little lightly, and there’s something to him. It’s also an opportunity for him to get on a microphone. It’s an opportunity for reps in front of an audience that will have eyes actually watching because there’s a character in there that they know. That to me is all that needs to be said. If he can get in there and we have five minutes of time in there, I feel like he can learn more in the five minutes than he would in probably 200 matches with people of the same experience. I know that sounds kind of cocky and egotistical, but that’s the way it was for me when I was his age.

Copeland added that he’s love to keep doing matches like this, naming Dante Martin, Lee Moriarty and Zak Zodiac as potential future opponents.

It’s definitely a big change from what Copeland has been doing most recently in AEW, which is a program with fellow greybeard and good real life friend Christian Cage. It’s worth noting that Cage’s personal storyline includes a mentor role for Nick Wayne, so both men are definitely looking out for the next generation of AEW wrestlers as they navigate what should be the final few years of storied careers.

AEW Collision results 01/06/24: The House always wins, Sting does too

Sting said farewell to Charlotte and the House of Black got the last laugh on FTR on AEW Collision.

The sad thing about a legend saying goodbye over an extended period of time is that every time they compete, it’s the last time somewhere. That’s the glass half empty view. The glass half full version is that it allows fans in many different places to say goodbye when the show comes to them, which is the case for AEW Collision tonight in Charlotte.

It’s a city that has no lack of history with Sting, of course, but with Revolution and his retirement match coming up in just a few months, this will be the Icon’s last stop in the Queen City. He should get a heck of a reaction as a result, and it’s very cool that he’s in action alongside Darby Allin tonight.

There’s other fun stuff planned, including a title defense by Eddie Kingston and some words from Adam Copeland. Not a bad way to spend a snowy/rainy winter Saturday evening, so on to the action.

AEW Collision results from Charlotte:

  • Ric Flair comes out ahead of this match, to the delight of the North Carolina crowd (and the dismay of many other, probably)
  • Darby Allin and Sting def. The Workhorsemen by pinfall
  • A hype video is shown for the Darby Allin and Sting match against The Don Callis Family on Dynamite
  • Eddie Kingston def. Trent Beretta by pinfall to retain the AEW Continental Crown Championship
  • Tony Schiavone asks Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale (and Boots) about Stokely Hathaway, but Willow quickly pivots to both of them getting off to a good start to 2024

  • Hook says it’s time to start looking for another championship, and he’s got his eyes on the biggest one of all: Samoa Joe, he’s coming for you

  • The Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) def. Bryan Keith and Komander by pinfall in a Proving Ground match
  • Renee Paquette talks to Jay White and The Gunns, who quickly get a visit from The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass; Anthony Bowens plays mediator and suggests that big factions are the way to go, and Austin Gunn admits to Paquette that “it makes sense”

  • Adam Copeland responds to Christian Cage’s assertion that he should get to the back of the line and been handed all of his opportunities, but Copeland says when it comes down to it, he just works harder; Adam does say he will earn his title shot starting tonight and makes an open challenge, answered by Griff Garrison and a slap to the face, and we’ve got a referee in there so let’s go …
  • Adam Copeland def. Griff Garrison by submission; Cole Karter tries to ambush Copeland after the match but gets a spear for his efforts
  • Flair puts over Sting and Allin taking on Konosuke Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs next week on Dynamite, and Sting treats us to a “retro promo” for the match as well

  • Skye Blue def. Kiera Hogan by pinfall
  • Serena Deeb warns everyone once again that the professor of pro wrestling is ready to return
  • Prior to his match, Claudio Castagnoli says he’ll fight Hangman Adam Page on the upcoming episode of Dynamite
  • Claudio Castagnoli def. Andrew Everett by pinfall
  • Lexy Nair checks in with Ricky Starks and Big Bill ahead of Ricky’s match with Sammy Guevara on Dynamite, and Bill says they’ll defend their titles at Battle of the Belts against Guevara and Chris Jericho
  • FTR def. House of Black (Buddy Matthews and Malakai Black) by pinfall; Daniel Garcia comes down with a chair to prevent Brody King from interfering, but House of Black gets some payback on Garcia and FTR during a post-match assault

Adam Copeland says he may have 2 years left as an in-ring performer

He’s already pushed off forced retirement once, but Adam Copeland knows he can’t compete in AEW forever.

Adam Copeland has been playing with house money for several years when it comes to his wrestling career, but he knows that can’t continue indefinitely.

Copeland, then known as Edge in WWE, thrilled fans everywhere when he made an appearance in the 2020 Royal Rumble after nine years of retirement due to serious neck injuries. He became a semi-regular presence until his contract expired last September, when he quickly made the move to AEW.

One of the reasons Copeland gave for making the change was his feeling that WWE wanted to use him as a special attraction, wrestling only on occasion. He wanted to be a more consistent presence, and a recent interview shines more light on the urgency behind that mind set: Copeland knows the clock is ticking on his wrestling career.

While appearing on Notsam Wrestling with Sam Roberts, Copeland gave his thoughts on exactly how much time he feels he has left in the ring (h/t Wrestling Observer for the transcription).

Even though it’s been four or five years back now, it’s not like I got another four or five in front of me, I know I don’t. We’re looking at like a two-year window here to be able to get as much done as I can get done, tell as many stories as I can, try and help talent along the way with that.

Copeland just turned 50 in October, so if he’s literally talking two years, he’ll be 52 when he wraps things up. His daughters will be 12 and nine at that time, so it would be perfectly understandable if he wants to call it a career at that point.

In the meantime, AEW seems perfectly happy with featuring him on a weekly basis, including his still ongoing feud with real life friend turned bitter storyline enemy, Christian Cage. We should all enjoy it while we can, because Copeland himself is reminding us this ride won’t last that much longer.

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AEW Worlds End 2023 live report: The Devil in the details

Get the vibe of AEW Worlds End from amidst the live crowd from Wrestling Junkie’s Rob Wolkenbrod.

LONG ISLAND, NY — Entering Worlds End, it felt like a pay-per-view AEW needed to hit out of the park. The second half of the company’s 2023 left something to be desired, with lagging ticket sales, unfortunate injuries to Adam Cole, Kenny Omega and MJF, and backstage controversies remaining constant.

Filling the Nassau Coliseum wasn’t an issue Saturday night; AEW fans loaded the arena waiting on their favorite “scumbag,” the culmination of the Continental Classic and the next step of Christian Cage and Adam Copeland’s feud. The rest of the card had little fanfare since AEW glued it together within the last week, and it showed from the start of the main show until the main event matches.

At the same time, Worlds End was always billed as a three-match show featuring the three longest-running storylines in AEW. Along with the impending reveal of the Devil, the final 90 minutes of the five-hour show held all the eggs in the basket.

But even though fans were awaiting the identity of the person under the mask, questions loomed about MJF’s injury status. Was it his final night wrestling for a while? Did AEW extend his contract into 2024 and beyond? Tony Khan said he can’t comment on the AEW future of the Long Island native after the show, so take that as you will.

AEW answered questions beyond that during Worlds End, though, creating an interesting night of pro wrestling to close 2023.

AEW Worlds End results from Long Island:

  • Willow Nightingale def. Kris Statlander by pinfall in a solid match with a bumpy finish at the end.
  • A vignette teases Serena Deeb’s return to the ring.
  • Killswitch wins the battle royal to become the No. 1 contender to the TNT Championship. Not sure anyone expected Trent Beretta to be the runner-up over Danhausen, and it made the ending anticlimactic.
  • Hook def. Wheeler Yuta by submission to retain the FTW Championship.
  • Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia and Mark Briscoe def. Jay White, Jay Lethal, Brody King and Rush by pinfall. Danielson and White stepping into the ring together created one of the best pops of the night, and King was very over with the crowd.
  • Miro def. Andrade El Idolo by submission in a relatively slow-paced match. During the post-show press conference, Tony Khan confirmed that El Idolo’s contract with AEW will expire at the end of the year, making that the former WWE United States Champion’s final match with the company.
  • Toni Storm def. Riho by pinfall to retain the AEW Women’s Championship. Storm’s impeccable character presentation highlighted a fine match.
  • Swerve Strickland def. Dustin Rhodes by pinfall. The atmosphere changed on a dime when “Big Pressure” played, waking a mild crowd from the last two matches. Rhodes also replaced Keith Lee, who was replaced an hour before the show due to injury.
  • Sting, Darby Allin, Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara def. Konosuke Takeshita, Will Hobbs, Ricky Starks and Big Bill by pinfall. Boos toward Chris Jericho dominated this match, with various chants his way that made it to air and some explicit ones the live broadcast might not have registered.
  • Julia Hart def. Abadon by pinfall to retain the TBS Championship. A “This is spooky chant” rang out early, but the match work kept the crowd quiet.
  • Adam Copeland def. Christian Cage to win the TNT Championship. This show needed a hard-hitting, storytelling-focused match, and the crowd was lively for it. Copeland’s cross body in the crowd received a wild reaction, but the “We want fire” chants were arguably the popular aspect of the night.
  • Christian Cage def. Adam Copeland to win the TNT Championship. The live crowd had mixed feelings about Cage winning back the title within minutes after Killswitch gave up the contract. It surprised many, but it also served as a way to keep the feud going and shift the momentum back in the Patriarch’s favor.
  • Eddie Kingston def. Jon Moxley by pinfall to win the Continental Classic. This was the grueling, hard-hitting match everyone expected with stiff strikes and some tough spots, including the suicide dive that seemed to hurt Kingston more than Moxley.
  • Samoa Joe def. MJF by submission to win the AEW World Championship, ending the 27-year-old’s record title reign, in a match where the now former champion was clearly hurting and even had an audible scream of pain. After the match, Adam Cole revealed himself as the Devil, with Wardlow, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett as his goons.

AEW Worlds End live notes from Long Island:

  • Allowing Sting to receive an ovation in one of his last matches was a nice touch and a needed atmosphere changer after a forgettable eight-man tag match.
  • The reveal of Cole as the Devil was deemed anticlimactic by some of the crowd. It failed to elicit a huge reaction, perhaps because people had suspected Cole to be the man behind the mask all along. However, at times, the proper call doesn’t need to send shockwaves.
  • Throughout the night, the crowd felt like a sleeping giant. They wanted something to cheer for, and they wanted to react loudly. It arguably took until Copeland vs. Cage for that to happen, though, which was too long.

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AEW Worlds End results: Adam Copeland beats, then quickly loses to Christian Cage

It looked like Adam Copeland beat Christian Cage at AEW Worlds End, but his triumph was fleeting.

There’s no waiting here: Adam Copeland attacks Christian Cage during his entrance and smashes him into one of the big video panels. As he continues beating the Patriarch to the ring, he chokes the champ with his own shirt as the crowd gets an early “we want tables” chant going, followed by “TLC.”

Cage is whipped into the steps, hitting his knees hard as he flies over. He barely avoids getting his head stomped on the steps and heads into the crowd and up the steps. Nick Wayne tries to jump in but gets some right hands for his trouble. Copeland jumps off the section 104 portion of the stands and lands on his foe, slapping five with fans on his way back down to the ringside area.

The champ finally gets the momentum back in his favor, pulling off what Copeland tried on him on top of the steps. He kicks out at two after a cover but is bleeding over his left eye.

Cage grabs a kendo stick and Shayna Wayne laughs as he nails his former friend on the back, then chokes him with Copeland’s head between the top two ropes. The stick is pressed into Copeland’s neck as well, but he manages to kick out at two again.

Nick Wayne grabs some chairs and slides them into the ring, and Cage flexes before doing a Boston crab while sitting on a chair across the back of Copeland’s neck. The champ finally misses with a metal rod and is dragged down backward by Copeland, who proceeds to go to town with a kendo stick.

Copeland locks in a crossface with the help of the rod before leaving to look for more plunder. He brings a ladder into the ring and places it across one corner. Cage gets catapulted into the bottom of it, but he surprises his foe with a kendo stick shot and slams him back down.

They battle to the top of the ladder, now standing in the corner, and Cage hits a sunset flip powerbomb that gets him a near fall. Copeland rallies to hit a DDT on a chair in the center of the ring, but Nick Wayne prevents him from hitting a Conchairto, and Cage’s low blow with a chair nearly steals a win.

A table is set up in the corner by the Patriarch and his “son,” and he looks like he wants a spear. Copeland leapfrogs it, however, throws two chairs in Cage’s face and spears the champ through the table instead. The cover is made but Shayna Wayne pulls the ref out of the ring.

Nick Wayne hits a running shot with the title belt and then Wayne’s World, barely missing a table on the floor. Both men stumble backwards into each other and Cage hits the Killswitch … but Copeland manages to kick out at the very last second.

Cage and Nick Wayne pour lighter fluid on the table, setting it ablaze, but Copeland spears Cage and ends up relighting the table. Nick Wayne is powerbombed into the flaming table and nearly misses it.

Climbing back in the ring, Copeland avoids a belt shot and kicks Cage in the groin. Whispering “go f–k yourself,” Copeland hits the Killswitch and gets the three count and the title.

Speaking of Killswitch … the former Luchasaurus won a Battle Royale during the pre-show to earn a title shot and lays out Copeland. He wants to cash in the contract, but Cage tries to convince him to hand it over … which he does.

Cage quickly fills it out and tells the ref to start the match. He spears Copeland and gets the pin to re-win the TNT Championship.

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