A surefire WWE Hall of Famer who doesn’t actually care about the honor? That’s Chris Jericho alright.
Chris Jericho has been with AEW since its infancy, but he will always be associated with WWE for his run from 1999-2017. During this time, he held world titles, engaged in legendary feuds and created moments that will forever be cemented in company lore. No matter how far he distances himself from WWE, the connection will always exist.
Considering everything the Fozzy frontman has achieved with WWE, it is safe to say that he’s guaranteed for the Hall of Fame. That probably won’t happen as long as he’s a full-time member of AEW, but one day he will inevitably be recognized and honored alongside other industry legends.
However, in an interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Jericho addressed the possibility of not being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He partially attributed his indifference to the requirement of having a pre-approved speech and the fact that the Hall of Fame doesn’t actually exist (h/t Fightful for transcription).
I always like going against the grain. I loved when Axel Rose didn’t show up to the Hall of Fame and sent a note saying, ‘Not only am I not showing up, you’re not allowed to say my name.’ I love that s–t. That’s f–king rock N roll, man. I don’t really understand the point of a Hall of Fame. If you think I’m in it, that’s great. There is no real Hall of Fame, it’s all in WWE’s mind and their chambers of the mind. Does it really matter if I’m in it or not? I go up there and give some approved speech where you have five minutes to encapsulate 33 years. I was at the Hall of Fames when you had Hillbilly Jim talking for 45 minutes and you’re like, ‘F–king hell dude, you were on Saturday Night’s Main Event once. You don’t have a lot to say. Enough.’ Nothing against Hillbilly Jim, he’s a cool guy and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Then you get Undertaker, and he gets 50 minutes. I’m not interested in that at this point. It’s not a disrespectful thing. I don’t see the benefits of it and I kind of like doing opposite things.
Jericho obviously doesn’t care if WWE inducts him into the Hall of Fame. A real Hall of Fame would amplify WWE’s ability to celebrate their greatest of all time, but it doesn’t seem like that’s happening anytime soon, so Y2J will probably continue to remain indifferent.
Regardless of whether or not he is immortalized, Jericho will always be considered a WWE legend, so perhaps an induction holds little significance.
Swerve Strickland explained his thoughtful Bray Wyatt tribute at AEW Full Gear.
In November, one of AEW’s brightest stars, Swerve Strickland, competed in one of the bloodiest, most brutal pro wrestling matches ever broadcast at AEW Full Gear. He defeated Hangman Adam Page, making it an unforgettable night and arguably a career-defining moment.
That night, the 33-year-old stood out in another way by paying tribute to the late Bray Wyatt, who passed away earlier this year, with his gear design. They were simultaneously in WWE earlier in their careers.
In an interview on Not Sam Wrestling with Sam Roberts, Strickland explained his homage to Wyatt, saying he wanted to pay tribute to someone who was “ahead of his time” and show appreciation to someone who was loved (h/t Fightful for transcription).
I didn’t know Bray as close as a lot of people like Brodie Lee, there were people influenced by him from his time there, but some people have known him since FCW or NXT and they have that personal connection. To me, I remember when The Fiend was really going, there was a lot of chatter that it wasn’t for them, as a fan. I was like, ‘No, this is brilliant work.’ I don’t think people really appreciated the brilliance he was bringing to the screen and a lot of risks he was taking, week by week, which is not easy to do. Weekly television on two shows. It wasn’t just Raw or SmackDown, he was doing both shows with his material. Bringing that to the real world. I really appreciated that and I think he was ahead of his time. I just wanted to show appreciation that the love and influence wasn’t lost. I put that as part of my gear, and I was in the locker room with him during my time at 205 [205 Live], he always gave me hugs. He was awesome.
At one point, I had to help him with a Fiend mask. It was COVID and we were all in that box together. There were times I had to help him with that. There were times I would see him in Gorilla coming back when they were testing the red lighting after the show and getting that going. I’ve seen a lot of those processes with him. He was always a good brother in the locker room. He was fun, really cool.
That was one of those things of, ‘you’ve always influenced me through all of this.’ No matter what, if it was their taste or wasn’t, I’m a horror person, and I was really happy to see a new age of horror brought to the screen in an industry that I love and I was like, ‘Man, that was a revolutionary.’ I wanted to take a little piece of that into what I was doing that night. If anything, I feel like his spirit powered that match.
Strickland made a thoughtful gesture, clearly appreciating Wyatt’s abilities as his character in the wrestling ring. His larger-than-life persona endeared him to both fans and wrestlers, leaving an impact that will endure forever.
Say it ain’t so, Shayna. Also, Riho returned on AEW Dynamite from Montreal.
A long time ago, in a promotion not that far, far away, Adam Copeland and Christian Cage were thick as thieves. They came up together, made history as a tag team and then went on to be successful as singles competitors too. But times done changed since then, and we’re about to see the full extent of how much on AEW Dynamite tonight from Montreal.
When Copeland first made his well-publicized move to AEW a few months ago, he made it clear that he wanted to get the band back together, so to speak, and team with Cage for one last run. Christian, being the villainous sort, not so politely told him to “go f–k yourself.”
After Copeland took out Cage’s minions, the TNT Champion appeared to reverse course and see if his old friend would forgive and forget. But Copeland saw it coming and responded not just by laying Cage out but giving him the same expletive back in return.
As both men are proud Canadians, it’s only fitting that they meet in Montreal. Copeland was quoted as saying that it’s more important to him that their match take place in Canada than on pay-per-view, which says a lot. It should be captivating TV, for sure.
And it’s not the only thing this episode has going for it, not by a long shot. The AEW Women’s World Championship will be on the line as “Timeless” Toni Storm defends against Skye Blue. MJF and Samoa Joe will join forces to take on two of The Devil’s masked men. And there will be three more Continental Classic matches to boot.
We’re ready for this one to begin, so let’s light that fuse.
AEW Dynamite results from Montreal:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
Jon Moxley def. Rush by submission in a Continental Classic Gold League match, meaning others in the group are now in danger of elimination
A promo is shown for the Jay White-Jay Lethal match coming up later tonight
Renee Paquette welcomes Roderick Strong (and The Kingdom), who says that MJF is going to put the dagger into Samoa Joe’s back tonight and that actions have consequences .. but he’s not going to suffer his any more, as he discards his wheelchair
While Paquette waits to talk to MJF, she instead catches up with Hangman Adam Page, who admits that Swerve Strickland has beaten him but he still took something from Swerve he’ll never get back, and it’s not over between them; MJF pops out and congratulates Page sarcastically, and after some more pleasantries, they accuse each other of being the Devil, and Samoa Joe has to step in before they come to blows
The #AEW World Champion MJF & the former #AEW World Champion Hangman Adam Page take a painful walk down memory lane.
Swerve Strickland def. Mark Briscoe by pinfall in a Continental Classic Gold League match
Mariah May tells Paquette that her meeting with Tony Khan went well but says tonight is all about Toni Storm
Samoa Joe heads to the ring for his tag team match and soon finds himself surrounded on all four sides by the Devil’s minions, who then disappear … and on the big screen, MJF is shown laid out backstage, apparently by a bottle to the head
Moxley says he expected to win the Continental Classic because he’s the Ace of the World, but Swerve shows up to threaten him while Prince Nana laughs
Ben Mankiewicz does his thing, introducing “Timeless” Toni Storm
Toni Storm def. Skye Blue by pinfall to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship …
… but she’s confronted by a returning Riho, who drives her out of the ring and makes it clear she’s hunting that championship
AEW is returning to Canada in March for a four-city tour, and tickets go on sale Friday, Dec. 15
A hype video is shown for the Adam Copeland-Christian Cage main event
Jay White def. Jay Lethal by pinfall in a Continental Classic Gold League match
Christian Cage def. Adam Copeland by pinfall to retain the AEW TNT Championship, in large part due to Shayna Wayne hitting Copeland with the title belt
Image credit: All Elite Wrestling
Jon Moxley puts Rush to sleep, gets to 9 points
The announcers point out that a Moxley victory can start eliminating some people from contention to advance from the Gold League since he’ll be at nine points. They get right to the strikes once the bell rings, to the surprise of absolutely no one.
Rush hits a belly-to-belly throw and a dropkick to force Mox out to the floor. Into the crowd they go, with Rush maintaining his grip on the action.
Moxley finally retaliates by hurling his foe into the barricade and they fight way out past the floor seats again. One random security guard’s empty chair is used as a prop before they head back toward the squared circle.
Rush has Moxley down in the corner, the perfect place for him to do his tranquilo pose. Mox comes right back with double birds, letting his foe know exactly what he thinks of that, and the fans respond.
A Rush powerslam gives him a near fall, the first of the bout. Moxley offers a cutter as a reply, hammers Rush in the corner and follows with a superplex for a two count.
The battle goes outside again, which is unfortunate for Moxley as he is powerslammed into the barricade. Commercials arrive for side-by-side picture time.
Rush lands hard and is holding his leg when we return, with Taz noting both his legs are banged up. He powers through and hits a piledriver, forcing a kickout from Mox.
A superplex allows Rush to get another near fall, but his confident look is washed away when Moxley hits him with a suicide dive, and the ref tells both men they need to get it back in the ring.
They do so they can trade strikes, and a stiff forearm sends Moxley to his butt in the corner. He pops up to stop the Bull’s Horns on the way in but gets pummeled in the corner … until he hits a King Kong lariat. Mox executes the Death Rider but only gets two.
An undeterred Moxley switches to his bulldog choke, and though Rush fights it, he eventually goes out.
Image credit: All Elite Wrestling
Swerve Strickland joins Mox with 9 points, Mark Briscoe is mathematically eliminated
It’s win or the end of the tourney for Briscoe, and Swerve is one of the hottest stars in AEW right now, so that’s not good news for Mark. Briscoe tries to slow the pace and keep Strickland from getting any momentum, which seems wise.
Briscoe crashes home a high boot and chokes Swerve along the turnbuckles. Strickland fights back and earns the first near fall, but Briscoe sends him to the outside and hits a dropkick through the ropes.
Onto the apron they go, both landing shots until they spill to the floor. Briscoe is right at home there, but Swerve sends him over the barricade into the crowd and then suplexes him off the barricade back onto the floor. Ouch.
Strickland looks extremely confident after commercials, with the announcers noting that he really should since he’s been in full control for several minutes. He works over Briscoe’s left arm on the mat but gets a taste of Redneck Kung Fu.
A high boot in the corner lands for Briscoe, followed by a fisherman’s buster for a two count. Swerve fires through a flurry of offense for his own near fall, with the fans seemingly as surprised as Strickland to see Briscoe kick out.
A hard uppercut sends Strickland off the top rope to the floor, where Briscoe quickly finds him before delivering a huge lariat back in the ring. It’s two again, and that’s not great for him as Strickland lands the House Call … but not the 450 splash as Mark gets his knees up. He covers and sees Swerve kick out again.
Briscoe puts his foe back down and tries the Froggy Bow, but Swerve counters and nearly pins him. The fans come alive in appreciation as Justin Roberts announces that only five minutes remain.
Strickland executes a Death Valley Driver on the apron, then a Swerve Stomp back in the ring. Is it enough? Yes it is, as Briscoe is mathematically eliminated from the tourney.
Image credit: All Elite Wrestling
Toni Storm retains her title against a game Skye Blue
This is a big opportunity for Blue, who battles alone while the champ has both Luther and Mariah May supporting her at ringside. Both women have their moments in the opening mat exchanges, though an angry Storm ends that by hammering some forearm shots.
Blue is thinking tope but Storm greets her with a right hand. Toni gets on Luther’s shoulders and he runs along the floor so she can fling her challenger off the apron.
Storm lets Blue have it with some chops and delivers a hip attack along the barricade before ads slide in. The full broadcast returns to see Blue nail a high cross body for a two count, but Storm slows her right back down with a nasty suplex.
Blue sees the hip attack coming and hits a thrust kick, and her hip attack doesn’t miss. Code Blue is on target, and Storm barely manages to avoid a three count.
Headbutts from the champ stop whatever Blue has planned from the top rope, and Storm is able to execute a superplex. Storm’s hip attack hits, and when Blue tries to roll her up as a counter to Storm Zero, Toni counters with her own pinning predicament and holds Blue’s shoulders down for three.
Image credit: All Elite Wrestling
Jay White stays alive to advance from Gold League at Jay Lethal’s expense
Like Mark Briscoe earlier, Jay Lethal is in must win territory to stay alive to advance from the group. White is not, but he’d be in big trouble if he lost, so both men look a little cautious early on.
White is able to capitalize when Lethal tries to strut, but Lethal takes control of the next few minutes, earning a near fall and then getting to strut after all. Some back and forth exchanges lead to a DDT for White, and he covers for two prior to picture-in-picture action.
Lethal hits the first big move after we return with a tope suicida. He gets White in the fireman’s carry position and hits a rolling slam, then his big elbow off the top. Lethal covers but sees White strain to kick out in time.
Several kicks spin White around, but he fights out of the corner and hammers Lethal’s left knee in multiple ways. A sheer drop brainbuster leads to a cover, but Lethal kicks out in time.
The Lethal Injection is countered, so Lethal tries a rollup for two; White immediately bounces up for a chop block. As they jostle for position on the mat, Switchblade manages to roll on top of Lethal’s shoulders, and now Lethal is out of contention to advance.
Image credit: All Elite Wrestling
Christian Cage retains in grudge match with Adam Copeland thanks to Nick Wayne’s mom
Here we go. Copeland gets off to a strong start, knocking his former friend off the apron and into the barricade and smashing Cage’s head off the announce table. He’s fired up, for sure.
Cage begs off back in the ring, hearing boos from the fans. He tries for a low blow but Copeland sees it coming, stomping on his hand. The champ is hurled into the barricade multiple times, slumping down on a chair as Copeland breaks the ref’s count.
Cage finally gets some offense in, dropping Copeland’s throat on the barricade and tossing him over it before ads break up the flow. He remains in charge throughout the half-break and is measured as he keeps the pressure on.
The fans get on him as he rains down left hands in the corner, but Copeland bites his other hand and delivers a Russian leg sweep off the second rope — which doesn’t really land right, drawing some jeers from a few members of the crowd.
With Cage on the apron, Copeland climbs to the middle rope to deliver a diving clothesline. The champ fights back with a drop toehold, then returns to the ring with a frog splash that earns him a near fall.
Cage stalks Copeland and rushes in for a spear, but it’s countered by an Impaler for a two count. They fight up to the top rope, where Cage manages to get the upper hand until Copeland pulls on his right fingers and runs out for a Liger Bomb and a closer two count.
The champ thinks Killswitch, setting off a series of counters that ends with an inside cradle for two by Copeland … then another off a counter inverted facebuster.
Copeland switches gears applying a crossface that forces Cage to extend his leg to get a rope break. The challenger just mounts his foe and drops some bombs, and he’s got that look until Cage leaps over a spear to hit the Killswitch. That might be it, but Copeland is able to kick out.
With the ref taking a partial bump, Cage sees an opportunity and kicks him in the groin before grabbing his title belt. He misses his belt shot, but both men go for spears at the same time and end up down on the canvas.
That brings Nick Wayne’s mom to the ring, and she gets the TNT title belt. Alas, she decides to hit Copeland, probably for taking out her son, and Cage delivers another Killswitch. He stands over Copeland holding his title, then stomp’s Adam’s neck into the belt. The ref finally recovers and makes the three count.
Both WWE and AEW have different strengths to offer Kazuchika Okada if he decides to make a career move in 2024.
Few things capture the imagination of pro wrestling fans like big stars migrating from one promotion to another. In just the last few months, we’ve seen it play those scenarios play out several times.
Jade Cargill was a big deal as a homegrown AEW star who signed with WWE. CM Punk made huge waves by returning to WWE, something long thought to be a pipe dream. And hardcore wrestling fans are salivating over the opportunity to see Will Ospreay in AEW on a regular basis beginning next year.
Yet in terms of his status within his current company, no wrestler who’s rumored to be considering a change is bigger than New Japan’s Kazuchika Okada. Since his return in 2012, the Rainmaker has become “the man” for NJPW, carrying the company on his back and accomplishing pretty much everything meaningful there is to achieve.
That’s also why it’s easy to believe reports, like the one in Sports Illustrated this week, that Okada is thinking hard about joining a top U.S. promotion once his contract expires next year. At 36 years old, if Okada wants to prove himself in North America while he’s still in his prime, this is the time.
Both WWE and AEW are said to have interest in Okada, and why wouldn’t they? When one of the best wrestlers in the world, one with a proven track record of fantastic in-ring performances and undeniable presence, is available, it’s not hard to daydream of ways to put his talents to use.
The question, then, is a simple one: Would WWE or AEW be a better fit for the Rainmaker? Let’s run through the pros and cons for each company. Note that because wrestler pay never really gets disclosed, we’re not going to include financial considerations, real as they may be, as the assumption is that both companies would pay Okada what he’s looking for if they want him enough.
Okada to WWE
Pros:
If Okada was to join WWE, he’d have the knowledge that someone almost as prominent as he was in New Japan blazed a trail for him. That would be Shinsuke Nakamura, someone who is said to still be close with Okada. Just like soccer players often help players from the same country settle in at new clubs, Nakamura would be a big help easing Okada’s transition.
There’s no question that the WWE style, while expanding somewhat toward longer matches now that Paul “Triple H” Levesque is at the creative helm, would mean less wear and tear on Okada’s body. And while both top U.S. companies have experience using managers as mouthpieces for talent who could use a boost on the microphone — which could be important since Okada isn’t a fluent English speaker — WWE has the best in the business in Paul Heyman.
Above all, WWE is simply the best in class in the wrestling industry. Its video packages and presentation are second to none, and Okada’s chances of becoming a star who transcends pro wrestling are optimized if he signs there. Almost every North American wrestler dreams of making it on the biggest possible stage, and if Okada has a similar motivation if and when he makes the jump, he’ll have a hard time passing up that opportunity.
Cons:
Are we sure that Nakamura’s WWE tenure is one Okada will see as a blueprint for his own? Though Shinsuke has been around the main event scene at times and just had a world title shot against Seth Rollins at Payback (possibly not a coincidence, given WWE’s reported interest in Okada), he’s often been more of an upper midcard type, with a tendency to get lost in the shuffle for months at a time. Okada will rightfully expect more, but there are a lot of big players in WWE at the moment, especially with Punk back.
Even if each match is less strenuous on average, the WWE schedule remains a grueling one, and Okada would likely be working more dates overall than he ever has to this point. Does he want to do all the extra appearances and things that come with being a WWE Superstar?
Finally, there’s simply the big unknown. It’s reasonable to expect that more WWE fans know who Okada is than, say, a decade ago, but there are still tons of people who watch WWE and no other kinds of wrestling. The always online types will be excited about the Rainmaker’s arrival, and the company will do its best to make him seem like the top guy he is — announcers are certainly allowed to mention success in Japan on the air, for instance. Yet there’s always going to be the chance that Okada doesn’t have the impact he’d want or many would expect.
Okada to AEW
Pros:
There’s a comfort level AEW can offer that WWE simply can’t. The audience absolutely knows Okada, as he’s appeared on both weekly TV and pay-per-views in the past, along with both editions of the co-branded Forbidden Door cards with NJPW. A decent chunk of the locker room consists of people he’s been in the ring with at least once, and that’s not even counting Ospreay.
If Okada wants to keep doing the types of matches that rack up five-star ratings from Dave Meltzer, this is the company in which to do it. Tony Khan would certainly indulge the Rainmaker in some lengthy bouts, particularly on PPV where AEW is unafraid to go past the standard three-hour running time.
And if Okada’s end goal is becoming a world champ in a North American promotion, AEW is the place with a clearer path. Yes, there’s only one world title there as opposed to WWE’s two (or three, depending on how you feel about Roman Reigns’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, itself an amalgamation of two titles), and it’s sometimes been held for long periods of time. But even with the big names on AEW’s roster, it’s hard to picture Okada not having a place on a short list of serious contenders very soon after signing.
Cons:
AEW isn’t as hot as it was over the prior two years, so Okada would be joining at what is arguably its lowest point in its relatively short history. It’s possible that he would see that as an opportunity rather than a strike against it, and maybe an appeal to help it become the “in” thing in U.S. wrestling again would work. But it’s also possible Okada looks at AEW and sees a promotion that is simply not as attractive as it might have been at the beginning of 2023.
Familiar faces also could work both ways. Okada has already wrestled Kenny Omega, Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, and the list goes on. He’s had tremendous battles with Jay White and Ospreay. Been there, done that. Fans would no doubt want to see him run it back, but is that what Okada wants? True dream matches pitting him against wrestlers he’s never faces before mostly lie elsewhere.
If Okada decides to make a move, the decision between WWE and AEW is going to come down to his own personal preferences, which is as it should be. AEW offers more familiarity, both with the talent and the fans, as well as a greater chance that he’ll be positioned as one of the top stars sooner rather than later.
In WWE, Okada would likely have to modify his style a bit but would reap potential benefits in terms of less physical strain and a much higher upside in terms of becoming a household name outside of wrestling fans. He could also satisfy the diehards with never before seen pairings, but at the risk of becoming just another cog in a very big wheel.
He could also very well decide neither company feels right and remain in NJPW. Whatever choice Okada makes could end up telling us a lot about him as a person, and it’s going to be fascinating no matter which road he ends up taking.
He’s currently suspended by AEW and didn’t go by the name as a heel, but Jack Perry is keeping the Jungle Boy option open.
Before he was a detestable villain and well before he got suspended by AEW, Jack Perry won the hearts of wrestling fans as Jungle Boy. While his heel persona doesn’t use that moniker, it seems Perry wants to make sure no one else can either.
Wrestling Observer reported today that Perry had filed trademark applications for both “Jack Perry” and “Jungle Boy” with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The Jungle Boy application can be viewed online and covers its use in the usual manners associated with pro wrestling:
Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests; Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, personal appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, televised appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainer; Providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; Providing online interviews featuring a professional wrestling and sports entertainment personality in the field of professional wrestling and sports entertainment for entertainment purposes
Perry has been suspended since August for his role in the backstage altercation at All In London that eventually cost CM Punk his job with the company. It’s not known exactly when the suspension will end or when he might appear again on AEW programming.
One fan theory that has gained some traction is that Perry is already working again and could be the masked Devil that has plagued MJF for weeks. That reveal would pass the logic test, at least by wrestling standards, as Perry and MJF have some prior history that includes them facing off in a four-way AEW World Championship match earlier this year at Double or Nothing.
Even if he’s not the Devil, it seems unlikely that Perry would return as a babyface, so the Jungle Boy name is probably for later and not for now. But it’s interesting that he wants to hold onto it, giving him more options for his presentation for the rest of his career.
We’ll also see Skye Blue challenge Toni Storm for the AEW Women’s World Championship on AEW Dynamite tonight.
When you have some of the most prominent Canadian pro wrestlers around on the roster, it’s never a bad time to swing through Canada. That’s what AEW Dynamite is doing tonight, with a card that has the potential to keep viewers entertained throughout.
Can Christian Cage cope with Adam Copeland’s rage?
Anyone who’s been a fan of pro wrestling for more than about 10 years knows all about the long friendship between Adam Copeland and Christian Cage, and the last few weeks of AEW programming have been an excellent primer for everyone else. The question was never whether they were going to face off but when.
Montreal seems like the perfect place. And really, this is a problem of Cage’s own making, as he prodded at Copeland until he snapped. Angry Adam is perhaps the best version of him, as no one does a deranged look quite like him.
Can Copeland take the TNT Championship, or does the Patriarch have one last trick up his sleeve?
Can Skye Blue take gold from “Timeless” Toni Storm?
Considering that Toni Storm just won the AEW World Championship again at Full Gear, it seems unlikely she’d lose it this quickly. But considering the run that Skye Blue is on, you can’t fully rule it out.
Always a talented performer, Blue has found her groove by switching from a happy-go-lucky persona to a darker and more driven character, with AEW explaining the change by her exposure to the House of Black’s mist. She could have easily just turned heel, but her tweener positioning is more interesting.
Will that be enough for her to take a title from Toni? Probably not, but we’re anxious to see what goes down tonight.
Will we learn more about the Devil when MJF and Samoa Joe face two of his (her?) masked men?
The identity of the Devil has kept AEW fans engaged for months now, with the masked person and their small army of goons messing with MJF and others at every turn. The AEW World Champion jumped at the chance to get physical with his attackers, and will get the chance to do so on Dynamite alongside protector/contender Samoa Joe.
While you’d expect MJF and Joe to prevail over whoever it is they’re facing (AEW is humorously promoting the match as them vs. “The Devil’s masked men”), the big question is whether there will be more tidbits to latch onto on who might be under that Devil mask.
[lawrence-related id=42081]
Will there be any Gold League upsets in the Continental Classic?
The Continental Classic continues in Montreal as well with three more matches in the Gold League. On paper, all three of tonight’s pairings have a clear favorite, but could there be an upset brewing in one of them?
Keep an eye on Jon Moxley vs. Rush. It would behoove AEW to create some doubt about who might advance from the group by having the top stars face some adversity, and something about Moxley’s excellent promo after his last match just makes us think maybe he’s going to stumble before righting himself.
AEW Dynamite comes our way from the Bell Centre in Montreal at 8 p.m. ET tonight, and we’ll have live results and updates here on Wrestling Junkie starting at that time.
Some intriguing matches also got set up for Dynamite and Final Battle on AEW Collision this week.
Saturday night’s alright for fighting, and tonight, it’s more than alright for fighting in a tournament. The Blue League of the Continental Classic takes center stage tonight on AEW Collision from Erie, Penn.
Most notably, Bryan Danielson makes his debut in the Classic as he’s only recently been cleared to compete. He’s back now, and he can compound the misery of one Eddie Kingston by beating the Mad King tonight.
Maybe Eddie is having some remorse over putting both of his championships up for grabs in this tourney, eh?
Get ready, Erie. Here we go.
AEW Collision results from Erie:
Brody King def. Claudio Castagnoli by pinfall in a Continental Classic Blue League match, going to six points after his first two matches
Abadon def. Kiera Hogan by pinfall; after the bell, the lights go out and come back on to reveal TBS Champion Julia Hart standing in the corner, then disappearing when the lights go off and on again
Samoa Joe is interrupted backstage by Roderick Strong, who insists MJF is the Devil and tries to convince him that the tag team match MJF agreed to on Dynamite is a setup; Joe simply laughs and walks away
“SAMOA!!!!!!!!
Joe.”
Despite the severe neck trauma Samoa Joe has inflicted on Roderick Strong, Roddy still wants to offer the former #ROH World TV Champ some advice.
Andrade El Idolo def. Daniel Garcia by pinfall in a Continental Classic Blue League match, sending Andrade to three points and dismaying Matt Menard, who was sitting in with the commentators
Willie Mack throws out a challenge to Wardlow for next week after seeing what Wardlow did to his friend, AR Fox
After the damage Wardlow inflicted on AR Fox last week on #AEWDynamite, Fox’s tag partner, Willie Mack, has challenged Wardlow to a match!
Strong dedicates The Kingdom’s match to his best friend, Adam Cole
The Kingdom def. Iron Savages by pinfall, with Strong getting in a shot after the bell before stumbling back to his wheelchair
Ethan Page says he’s refocused himself and wants to check off a bucket list item, challenging Kenny Omega to a match next week to determine who is the true King of Canada
"All Ego" Ethan Page just threw down an epic challenge to Kenny Omega to determine who is the best Canadian Wrestler!🇨🇦🇨🇦
Next week on #AEWCollision In Montreal – Page versus Omega!
Willow Nightingale and Mercedes Martinez exchange words in recorded promos
Buddy Matthews and Malakai Black def. Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal by pinfall; afterward, FTR hits the ring and violently declines Black’s invitation to join the House of Black, though it ends badly for the top guys and Black mocks them for having no one to come to their aid
Earlier this week, Toni Storm is upset Renee Paquette is interviewing her instead of RJ City, and Storm warns Skye Blue before throwing Renee’s own shoe at her
Feeling upstaged by Skye Blue at her Award Ceremony, Timeless #ToniStorm is ready to get in the ring to defend the #AEW Women's World Championship against @Skyebyee THIS WEDNESDAY on #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!
Danhausen back in the ring and some unexpected teamwork were highlights of this week’s AEW Rampage.
It’s Friday night, and you know what that means!
Well, most Fridays, anyway. AEW Rampage shifted to Saturday last week for reasons, but is back in its familiar night and time this week. What are we looking at? Men’s and women’s trios matches, for starters, including what should be an incredible lucha-flavored showdown.
Let’s cross body our way into the action.
AEW Rampage results:
Orange Cassidy, Hook, Danhausen and Trent Beretta def. The Dark Order (Evil Uno and Alex Reynolds), Matt Menard and Angelo Parker by pinfall, with Wheeler Yuta joining the announcers midway through the match and not too pleased with the outcome
Renee Paquette joins Saraya, Ruby Soho and Anna Jay, and Anna tells Angelo Parker he can’t go to the ring with her, plus Saraya still doesn’t want him seeing Ruby
Ahead of tonight’s trios matchup, Saraya gives her team a bit of a pep talk! But is everyone on the same page here?
Paquette talks to Kris Statlander, Hikaru Shida and Skye Blue, with Shida forced to play peacekeeper between the other two and cheerleader as well ahead of tonight’s trios match
The Don Callis Family (Powerhouse Hobbs, Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher) def. local talent in a quick squash match, and Callis taunts the Golden Jets afterward
Prince Nana and Brian Cage talk about the Mogul Embassy being on a roll, and Nana tells The WorkHorsemen they have a chance to impress them tonight and possibly earn spots on the team
Kris Statlander, Hikaru Shida and Skye Blue def. The Outcasts (Saraya and Ruby Soho) and Anna Jay by pinfall, with Blue getting the pin after some surprisingly good teamwork with Statlander
A replay is shown of this week’s Continental Classic matches from Dynamite, and tomorrow night’s tourney matches on Collision are promoted
Penta El Zero Miedo, El Hijo del Vikingo and Komander def. The WorkHorsemen (JD Drake and Anthony Henry) and Brian Cage by pinfall, due in large part to Cage walking out on his teammates after accidentally being hit by a Henry kick
Sounds like it’s mostly lawyers along with Bryan Danielson on the AEW disciplinary committee.
Yes, Bryan Danielson is part of the AEW disciplinary committee that recommended to Tony Khan that the company should part ways with CM Punk. But no, the American Dragon is not in charge of that committee, so the buzz from the last few days that perhaps Danielson played an outsized role in Punk’s firing appears to be overblown.
Clarification on this topic comes from the best possible source: Danielson himself, appearing today on the Maggie and Perloff show on CBS Sports Radio. When asked by the hosts about a Fightful Select report that first broke the news about Danielson being part of the disciplinary committee, he admitted that was indeed the case.
What Danielson wanted to explain, however, is that there are more than three people on the committee and he is not in charge of it.
“You know how the internet is, like … some people would say I was the head of the disciplinary committee,” Danielson told the hosts. “And I’m like listen. I mean there were more than three people involved in this decision, but most of them were all lawyers. To say that I was the head … I don’t even have a college degree. I’m not in there bossing people around or anything like that.”
Danielson also confirmed what the initial Fightful report stated, which is that it was a difficult decision to recommend terminating Punk’s deal, saying he had a lot of “empathy” for him.
Certainly, there don’t appear to be any hard feelings on Danielson’s end for the time both men were in AEW together.
“I’m grateful for the time he was able to spend in AEW,” he said. “He did a great job for us, and so, yeah, I wish him the best in his future, and I hope his run there [in WWE] goes well.”
Jox Moxley’s outstanding post-match promo gave his definition of AEW and his thoughts on his place among wrestling’s elite.
Jon Moxley famously hasn’t taken much time off during his time in AEW. And unfortunately for Mox, his schedule for the rest of 2023 is pretty full considering he’s part of the first ever AEW Continental Classic tournament.
Moxley has done just fine in his two round robin matches so far, getting the maximum six points with victories over Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal. It’s just that his road to the knockout portion of the tourney only gets tougher from here, as he still has to face Swerve Strickland, who also sits at six points, plus Jay White and Rush, who each have wins to their credit.
On top of that mountain to climb Moxley says he’s pretty banged up and not in the best mind set. As he explained in a promo AEW dropped today, though, he’s not going to stop because he views himself as the standard by which all others are measured.
“This kind of thing, this is what AEW was built on, man. Two guys in the ring, the best wrestlers in the world giving it their all, feeling that feeling of when you’ve given every ounce of yourself in the ring and pushing the limits and pushing the boundaries, and making the people stand up and go ‘oh my God, what did I just see?’ Feeling that connection with the audience that loves wrestling as much as we do, that’s what AEW is about.
“Somebody’s gotta step up and win this tournament and show the world exactly what AEW is, exactly what All Elite Wrestling can be. And that’s just gonna have to be me, because anybody can say whatever they want, but I’m the ace of the world, b—h, and that’s just the way it is.”
Strickland and White also shot great promos after their tournament matches, and it’s kind of a shame that AEW didn’t put them on TV. Nevertheless, Moxley’s serves as both a mission statement for the company and a personal declaration, and if you weren’t into the Continental Classic yet, speeches like this could definitely get you there.
