NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 results: Naito, Okada, Finlay win big

Who got their hand raised in Tokyo Dome? We’ve got you covered with full NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 results.

If the calendar has flipped to January and a few days have passed to let it sink in, that can only mean one thing: It’s time for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom. The annual Tokyo Dome show is the biggest event in Japanese wrestling each year, and it’s a pretty big deal for fans around the world provided they can set their schedules accordingly.

As is tradition, Wrestle Kingdom 18 is headlined by an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match, this time with a bit of a student vs. teacher vibe as Sanada tries to fend off Tetsuya Naito. The final match on any Wrestle Kingdom card tends to set the direction for New Japan for months, but that may be true this time around more than ever.

U.S. fans will get to see two very familiar and accomplished faces from AEW. Bryan Danielson takes on Kazuchika Okada in a non-title match that could outshine even the main event, while Jon Moxley tangles with both Will Ospreay and David Finlay for a brand new championship.

More title bouts are up and down tonight’s card — seven in all out of 10 matches (plus the traditional New Japan Ranpo to kick things off). It should be a long but very exciting show.

We’ve got our sleep schedule rearranged and consumed our caffeine, and will be recapping the whole event right here.

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 results:

(please click on any match with a link for full details)

  • Great-O-Khan, Taiji Ishimori, Toru Yano and Yoh win the KOPW 2024 New Japan Ranbo, meaning they head to New Year Dash to compete for the Provisional KOPW 2024 Championship
  • Catch 2/2 (Francesco Akira and TJP/The Aswang) def. Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney) by pinfall to become the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, aided greatly by TJP’s transformation into The Aswang
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Zack Sabre Jr. by pinfall to become the new NJPW World Television Champion
  • Yuya Uemura def. Yota Tsuji by pinfall
  • House of Torture (Evil and Ren Narita) def. Shota Umino and Kaito Kiyomiya by pinfall, with the help of plenty of interference from the rest of House of Torture and a timely shot from a push-up bar
  • Tama Tonga def. Shingo Takagi by pinfall to become the new NEVER Openweight Champion
  • Nic Nemeth (known as Dolph Ziggler in WWE) and brother Ryan Nemeth are shown making their way to “VIP seats”
  • Guerrillas of Destiny (Hikuleo and El Phantasmo) def. Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi) by pinfall to become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions and retain the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship
  • El Desperado def. Hiromu Takahashi by pinfall to become the new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion
  • David Finlay def. Will Ospreay and Jon Moxley to become the inaugural IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion
  • On his way out, Finlay makes a point of stopping in front of Nic Nemeth, and after exchanging words, he shoves Nemeth; that touches off a brawl that continues until and even after they are pulled apart
  • Kazuchika Okada def. Bryan Danielson by pinfall
  • Tetsuya Naito def. Sanada by pinfall to become the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion
  • After the match, Naito is attacked by EVIL and Dick Togo, but Sanada helps fight them off

Bryan Danielson says he will break Kazuchika Okada’s arm at Wrestle Kingdom

Bryan Danielson has vowed the most direct kind of payback against Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom.

Is turnabout fair play when it comes to injuries in pro wrestling? Bryan Danielson seems to think so.

The American Dragon is preparing to face Kazuchika Okada in one of the most highly anticipated matches on the NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 card at the Tokyo Dome. As he reminded viewers during the final press conference before the event, they fought not all that long ago at Forbidden Door last summer in Toronto.

Danielson won that match, submitting Okada, but also revealed later that he broke his right arm before the finish. Ahead of Wrestle Kingdom, Danielson skillfully turned that real life ailment into fuel for motivation for the rematch (h/t to NJPW Global for press conference quotes).

You may or may not know, but we’ve wrestled before. It was a couple of months ago, and he broke my arm. I wrestled 10 more minutes and then I made him tap out. Now when you’re grappling, why do you tap out? You tap to avoid breaking a bone. To avoid permanent injury. Okada tapped to avoid something I had already.

That led to me not being able to carry my son, it led to a tag match where he broke my orbital bone, led me to not being able to drive my kids to school and now to here. So am I angry? Yes. Am I hungry for revenge? Yes. But am I grateful for these injuries? Yes. Every injury I’ve had has made me a better wrestler. Every time I’ve come back, I was better. He broke my arm, I came back better. Fractured my orbital, I came back better. Injuries cause you to get better. I’ve said I was going to break Okada’s arm for two reasons. I want revenge. But I also want to see if breaking his arm will break him or make him better. And after I break his arm, I’ll kick his f–king head in.

Adding a bit more intrigue to this matchup are reports over the last two months about WWE’s increased interest in signing Okada. He didn’t sound like a man ready to leave NJPW in his video interview this week, saying that, “There’s no good wrestling outside NJPW, in my opinion, because I’m here.”

Still, just the idea that this could be the Rainmaker’s Wrestle Kingdom swan song has perked fans up even more to the idea that his match with Danielson could be something truly special. Danielson is certainly doing his part to heighten that sentiment too.

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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: All the winners from Long Island

Get live AEW Worlds End results for the year-ending pay-per-view from Long Island.

It’s time to see how AEW will look going into 2024, with plenty of big matches in store for AEW Worlds End. And in the hometown of AEW World Champion MJF, will he even leave Long Island with the title?

It’s a legitimate question given the status of his health and contract. There’s every chance that Samoa Joe could walk out of Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum as the top champion in AEW, which is something not many probably would have predicted at the start of the year.

Many fans will also be watching to see if the Devil gets involved in the main event, with insiders suggesting their identity will be revealed before the end of the night. That only figures to make MJF’s chances of retaining his beloved Triple B even shorter.

Another highlight should be the Continental Classic final between Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley, two men who know each other extremely well even in an industry in which saying that is something of a trope. Can the Mad King throw off his bad luck in the biggest spots, not to mention his winless record against Mox, and finally come through?

We’ll also see both women’s championships defended (finally), another grudge match between Adam Copeland and Christian Cage, and much more from Long Island. We’re raring to go, so hopefully you are too.

AEW Worlds End results from Long Island:

(click or tap on any match with a link for full details)

  • Claudio Castagnoli, Mark Briscoe, Daniel Garcia and Bryan Danielson def. Brody King, Jay Lethal, Rush and Jay White by pinfall; King also got into it with Daddy Magic who was on guest commentary
  • Miro def. Andrade El Idolo by submission after CJ Perry turns on Andrade and assists her husband during the match
  • Toni Storm def. Riho by pinfall to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship
  • Dante Martin says he’s looking to become a titleholder and gets the latest pre-emptive challenge from Orange Cassidy
  • Swerve Strickland def. Dustin Rhodes by pinfall in an unusually long match after Strickland attacked Rhodes before the bell and stomped his ankle on top of a cinderblock
  • Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Darby Allin and Sting def. Big Bill and Ricky Starks and The Don Callis Family (Powerhouse Hobbs and Konosuke Takeshita) by pinfall
  • Julia Hart def. Abadon by pinfall to retain the AEW TBS Championship, with Skye Blue making an assist
  • Adam Copeland def. Christian Cage by pinfall in a No DQ match to become the new AEW TNT Champion; after the match, however, Killswitch (who won the Battle Royal during the pre-show to earn a title shot) attacks Copeland from behind …
  • … and he hands the contract to Cage, who quickly fills it out tells the ref to start a new match, and spears Copeland to win the title back by pinfall
  • Eddie Kingston def. Jon Moxley by pinfall in the AEW Continental Classic final, becoming the first ever AEW Triple Crown Champion
  • Samoa Joe def. MJF by submission to become the new AEW World Champion, despite some attempted assistance by Adam Cole
  • After the match, the ring is surrounded by the Devil’s masked men, and Cole and MJF are quickly overpowered; the lights go out and come back on to find Cole sitting on a chair — he’s the Devil, and the masked men are Wardlow, Roderick Strong and The Kingdom

AEW Worlds End 2023 predictions: Who ends the year with a win?

Vaughn Johnson picks winners for all the matches on Long Island at AEW Worlds End.

Alas, we have reached the end of a roller coaster year for AEW with the promotion’s final pay-per-view offering, World’s End.

Will AEW end close out 2023 with a bang, or will it stumble to the year’s finish line?

Let’s run through the show match-by-match and offer some predictions.

AEW Dynamite results 12/27/23: Eddie Kingston triumphant, MJF betrayed

Several more parts of the Worlds End picture slid into place on AEW Dynamite in Orlando.

The AEW Continental Classic approaches what should be an explosive finish with the Gold League and Blue League finals tonight on AEW Dynamite in Orlando.

The Blue League final is a story of regret turned possible redemption, as Eddie Kingston tries to make it all the way back from losing his first two matches after including both of his championships in the tournament. Standing in his way? None other than Bryan Danielson, who has essentially wrestled his way through with one eye as AEW played up a real life injury.

In the Gold League final, it will be not two but three men vying for one spot in the overall final at Worlds End. Jay White, Jon Moxley and Swerve Strickland would all be worthy representatives, but only one can prevail in their three-way bout to go for the Triple Crown Championship on Saturday night.

There are some other interesting things planned for tonight outside the tourney too. MJF and Samoa Joe will fight two of the Devil’s masked men — for real this time. We think. Lexy Nair will have a sitdown interview with Christian Cage and Adam Copeland, who can’t wait to tear each other apart at Worlds End.

So this should be anything but a calm go home show, or at least it doesn’t appear that way. Let’s find out, shall we?

AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash results from Orlando:

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

  • Jon Moxley def. Jay White and Swerve Strickland in the Continental Classic Gold League final
  • A video package shows us Continental Classic highlights from Collision and hypes up the meeting tonight between Bryan Danielson and Eddie Kingston
  • Strickland tells Tony Schiavone how badly he wanted this but says he proved he was one of the best, and he addresses how Keith Lee has been looking for him for a match at Worlds End
  • Renee Paquette asks Mariah May about her attack on Riho last week, which Mariah simply says was supporting Toni Storm; May also tells the world her in-ring debut will be on next week’s Dynamite and 2024 will be all about her, which leads to Riho and Toni Storm hitting the ring in quick succession and Riho diving off the top rope to hit Storm (and Luther) on the floor
  • Top Flight and Action Andretti are keeping their heads up despite their loss to The Acclaimed, and look surprised when they get challenged by Orange Cassidy, Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero for a match on Rampage
  • Miro throws out a challenge to Andrade El Idolo for Worlds End which apparently is already official
  • The Don Callis Family has its Boxing Week celebration and says hello again to Sammy Guevara, but their reunion turns into chaos that draws in Chris Jericho, Big Bill, Ricky Starks, Darby Allin and Sting
  • Roderick Strong and The Kingdom try to show Paquette their evidence board that points to MJF as the Devil, and Strong insists he’ll prove it
  • Eddie Kingston def. Bryan Danielson by pinfall in the Continental Classic Blue League final; Moxley comes to the ring afterward to check on Danielson and also has a mic, pointing out how many people love Kingston but also setting into a passionate exchange between the two men
  • Christian Cage waits for Adam Copeland so their sitdown interview can start, but Copeland is only in the mood to throw hands, and their scrap leads all the way down a long hallway and requires damn near the entire locker room to break them up
  • Skye Blue def. Kris Statlander by pinfall thanks to interference by Julia Hart; Willow Nightingale saves Statlander from a post-match beating and Abadon also makes a brief appearance
  • Ruby Soho has a match with Marina Shafir on Rampage, while Saraya has a new friend
  • The Devil’s masked men def. MJF and Samoa Joe by pinfall to become the new ROH World Tag Team Champions, but a bigger bummer for MJF is that Joe is apparently working with the Devil

Jon Moxley overcomes the odds, beats Jay White and Swerve Strickland to win the Gold League

How often will two of the three combatants get to try to settle this among each other? That’s something to watch as Moxley and Swerve quickly pair off. Mox ends up throwing both of his foes into the crowd, then brawling with Swerve and dropping White crotch first on a barricade.

Strickland bites Moxley’s forehead and smashes him with a running knee shot while Mox is helpless seated on a steel chair. Those two battle up into the first section of seats off the floor, repelling White again when he tries to join in … but only momentarily as Switchblade comes roaring back as soon as the others are occupied with each other.

White suplexes Moxley into a steel chair along the ringside barricade, rolling Strickland back into the ring and covering for two. A suplex into the barricade gets another two count, but Swerve is able to battle back with a running knee shot from the apron.

Strickland picks up the pace against Moxley only to get rakes across the back. He bites Mox’s fingers in response and follows with a running lariat.

Swerve nails Mox in the back of the head with an elbow and hits the griddy. He kicks White in the head and backdrops Moxley out to the floor on top of him. Strickland hits a diving frog splash onto both foes that gets the crowd on its feet.

After some picture-in-picture action, Mox goes diving to the floor to take out Swerve. A flurry of right hands crash down on Strickland’s face, as well as Moxley’s teeth on his forehead. A piledriver leads to a cover, with Moxley switching to mat wrestling immediately after Strickland kicks at two.

Swerve’s jump from the top is greeted by a kick to the gut, then a DDT for another near fall. White has been out of the action completely for several minutes, but he arrives just in time to smash Swerve with a chair.

That leads to an extended flurry of kicks from Strickland, but his somersault splash can’t win it because Mox comes right behind him to hit a stomp, and all three men are down for more side-by-side commercials.

It’s a legit three-way battle when we return, with no one quite able to gain the upper hand. White brings a steel chair into play, setting it across the pads in one corner. Alas, it’s him who ends up getting shoved into it, and Strickland nearly rolls up Moxley to win it.

Swerve and Mox start smacking each other with open hand shots before Strickalnd opens up with two pump kicks and a discus lariat. He whips Moxley into the corner but gets shoved to the floor by White.

Mox takes advantage with a clothesline and a Death Rider to White, and Strickland can’t get back in the ring fast enough to break up the pin. Moxley is on to the Continental Classic final at Worlds End.


The Don Callis Family’s Boxing Week celebration devolves into chaos

To a chorus of boos, Don Callis says this has been a difficult two weeks that he would not have made it through without his family. To show his appreciation, he has some Boxing Week gifts to give out to his crew, which of course consists of paintings of a way too buff version of him with each member of his team.

Callis says his family feels complete, but one person who may object is Sammy Guevara, freshly back from paternity leave. Guevara appears upset that Callis hasn’t spoken to him for a while, but Don has a painting for him too, showing Sammy holding his baby with the rest of the faction behind him.

Guevara says the Family members are big time stars but Callis makes all of their victories about him. Don turns it around and talks about his disappointment with Sammy for being gone so long, and he tells Guevara to choose between his real family and the Don Callis Family.

As he is wont to do, Don goes too far and says Sammy is about to be remembered as a big failure as a wrestler and a parent. That gets him shoved down, and when the rest of the Family attacks Guevara, Chris Jericho comes flying to the rescue with his bat, Floyd. They clear the ring and destroy the paintings, and with the fans urging them on, they hug before they get attacked by Big Bill and Ricky Starks.

The lights go out as they scrap, then come back on to reveal Darby Allin and Sting, who finally help drive off the tag team champs.


Eddie Kingston completes his comeback, defeats Bryan Danielson to head to the Continental Classic final

The winner here faces Mox for all the marbles on Saturday. Danielson hears some boos as he stays elusive in the early moments. He’s certainly living rent free in Eddie’s head for now.

A suplex and a tope suicida make for a great response by Kingston, who stays on his opponent on the outside. Hard chops crash into Danielson’s chest, and he’s thrown into the barricade before taking more of them.

Danielson finally gets an opening to unleash his own chops but is met by a bigger one that knocks him down. He bounces back to deliver a DDT on the apron and a flying knee to the floor. Picture-in-picture is next.

It’s Danielson who has taken control during the break, verbally berating Kingston while he kicks him. An exploder suplex make Bryan stop, and he hits a DDT when his spinning back fist is countered.

Kingston batters Danielson into the corner as the fans urge him on. He wants another exploder but is dragged to the mat for the LeBell Lock. Eddie is a long way from the ropes, but he’s moving forward and grabs the bottom rope for a break.

Danielson’s kicks lead to a snap suplex, but his attempt to come off the top rope is foiled by more chops. But Kingston ends up in the Tree of Woe, eating more kicks. What does Danielson have in mind next? It’s a superplex, but Kingston rolls over top of him and lands on his face, so both men are down or more side-by-side ads.

Kingston is landing chops at will as the full picture resumes, only to be hit by a shoulder capture suplex that forces him to kick out at two. Danielson’s upper chest is bright red, but Kingston can’t be feeling too good either as he takes a huge series of kicks to the chest.

Danielson’s running knee in the corner misses, giving Kingston an opening for a Northern Lights Bomb that comes close to ending it. Both men score some near falls before Bryan nails a Busaiku Knee, only to see Eddie kick out again.

Pulling up his eyepatch, Danielson appears bemused by the continuing chants for his opponent. He rains down hammer and anvil elbows that cause Kingston to fade. The ref checks on him, but he ends up getting stomped in the face and has to convince the ref again … with a middle finger to Danielson.

Kingston gets his second wind, firing through a flurry of offense that includes the spinning back fist. He follows with a powerbomb and a high stack, and against all odds, Eddie is through to the final.


Kris Statlander falls to Skye Blue, but Willow Nightingale still has her back

Stokely Hathaway joins the announce team to take in this one, though he scoffs at the idea that he’s been trying to recruit Statlander. Kris definitely isn’t taking it easy on Skye just because they used to be friends, bossing the early action.

Blue fights back by stomping Statlander into the corner but is quickly picked up for a delayed vertical suplex. They fight out to the apron, where Blue smashes Stat’s face down before picture-in-picture.

The full picture is back just in time for a Statlander near fall. Blue responds with a thrust kick and Code Blue, good for a two count.

Blue tries for a top rope hurricanrana but gets caught and eventually powerbombed, though she’s able to kick out at two. Shortly after, referee Aubrey Edwards is checking on Blue, totally unaware as Julia Hart gets in a cheap shot while Statlander is on the top rope. Blue delivers an Avalanche Code Blue, and Stat isn’t kicking out from that.

After the bell, Blue attacks Statlander again, and Hart joins in with a sliding lariat. Who’s coming to the rescue? It’s Willow Nightingale, who runs over both heels and sends them fleeing.


MJF loses his tag team titles, and Joe is in league with the Devil

Two of the Devil’s masked men take the ring for this tag team match, and MJF makes his way down too, but he sees Samoa Joe laid out backstage on the big screen and angrily says he’ll defend the titles alone (even with a brace on his left shoulder).

When the bell rings, MJF goes right after one of the masked men trying to unmask him. It doesn’t work, but he flips the other man out to the floor and hurls him into the steel steps. MJF goes for this guy’s mask but is hit from behind by a third man wielding a metal pipe.

A tag is made and the masked man hits the Heatseeker, and with his partner holding MJF’s feet, they make the pin and win the titles. All three goons stomp away on MJF, but even hobbling, Joe makes his way down with a steel chair.

Suddenly, the Devil appears on the big screen with the message “pleasure doing business with you” … which apparently is for Joe since he nails MJF in the back with the chair. Joe stands over MJF holding the world championship aloft as Dynamite goes off the air.

AEW Dynamite preview 12/27/23: Continental Classic finals, MJF and Joe vs. the Devil’s men

Will Jon Moxley, Swerve Strickland or Jay White emerge from the Gold League on AEW Dynamite tonight?

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Although we’ve come to the end of the road, still we can’t let go … of the Continental Classic, that is (h/t forever to Boyz II Men). The tournament has come to its penultimate installment, giving us two potentially amazing matches tonight on AEW Dynamite at the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando.

In addition to the Blue and Gold League finals, MJF and Samoa Joe will finally get their hands on two of the assailants who have been plaguing them for weeks … maybe.

Who will emerge from the three-way battle to win the Gold League?

The Continental Classic Gold League has been a wild ride from the start, so it was only fitting that three men ended up tied atop the group. Jon Moxley, Jay White and Swerve Strickland will battle it out tonight to finally settle who moves on to the tournament final Saturday at Worlds End.

A case could be made for any of them to win, and it would be especially weird for Mox to not be involved in the crowning of a new champion. That said, it feels like Swerve’s time is now, and a victory here would be a big validation of that feeling.

Can Eddie Kingston make it all the way back from his rough start?

The story AEW has told with Eddie Kingston through the Continental Classic has been a good one. The Mad King put both of his titles on the line in the tourney, ensuring the overall winner would have three belts … then immediately regretted his decision after he lost his first few round robin matches.

Now that he’s made it to the Blue League final after winning three straight, he still has a huge hurdle to overcome in Bryan Danielson — whose narrative has also been compelling since he’s wrestled all his bouts with one eye covered. Something has to give tonight in Orlando, and while we’re leaning toward Kingston overcoming the odds again, that’s certainly no guarantee.

Will MJF, Samoa Joe finally get a real match with the Devil’s masked men?

While the identity of the AEW Devil was definitely the hottest thing going for a few weeks and fans are still curious about the eventual reveal, there can be little argument over the fact that the subplot has cooled a bit. Perhaps that will change when MJF and Samoa Joe get their long awaited pound of flesh tonight.

Except we’ve been here before and the Devil chose a sneak attack rather than a match. Will that change on Dynamite? We admit we’re curious.


Also scheduled for AEW Dynamite tonight:

  • Renee Paquette interviews Mariah May
  • Kris Statlander takes on Skye Blue
  • Christian Cage and Adam Copeland have a sitdown interview with Lexy Nair, and we’re sure nothing will possibly go wrong

We’re getting set to break away from taking it easy during the holidays to recap everything that goes down in Orlando tonight. Join us here at Wrestling Junkie at 8 p.m. ET if you’d like to follow along.

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AEW Collision results 12/23/23: Eddie Kingston, back from the brink

Also on AEW Collision, Thunder Rosa made a triumphant return from a long injury absence.

A quick confession: Pro wrestling isn’t part of my holiday traditions. But there’s no reason it couldn’t be, especially since tonight’s AEW Collision is coming to us so close to Christmas.

This is no throwaway show, either, thanks in large part to its status as the final night of Blue League competition in the AEW Continental Classic. Andrade El Idolo and Bryan Danielson are in the best positions to advance, since they enter the night with nine points each. But everyone else except Daniel Garcia is still mathematically alive, so these three matches should be dynamite. No pun intended.

We’re also only a week away from Worlds End, so there should be more parts of that card falling into place as well. Let’s see what this night brings, and if we don’t speak again before then, Merry Christmas!

AEW Collision results from San Antonio:

  • Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli go to a time limit draw in their Continental Classic Blue League match; Danielson advances to the Blue League final thanks to getting to 10 points
  • A highlight package of Gold League matches from this week is aired, interspersed with some of the post-match promos cut by Jay White, Jon Moxley and Swerve Strickland
  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass def. Top Flight and Action Andretti by pinfall to retain the AEW World Trios Championship, though it appeared Max Caster may have pulled the tights to help secure the victory, which is something to file away
  • Hook accepts the challenge from Wheeler Yuta for his FTW Championship on his turf at Worlds End next Saturday

  • Keith Lee def. Brian Cage by pinfall; after the match, Lee says he was taken out for almost two months by someone a year ago and that person hasn’t
  • Renee Paquette finds out Toni Storm doesn’t remember Mariah May, who says she will be making her in-ring debut soon, and Storm also sends a message to Riho

  • Christian Cage and Nick Wayne (but mostly just Christian) invite Shayna Wayne to the ring to explain why she helped Cage defeat Adam Copeland; she says that after seeing Copeland hit Nick with a steel chair, she did what any loving mother would do and protected her son, and that the only person who loves Nick as much as she does is the Patriarch; Cage says he will face Copeland at Worlds End in a No DQ match so he can put Adam down for the last time

  • Lexy Nair catches up with the tag team champions, who immediately suggest Kenny Omega is too scared to face them; Chris Jericho stops by and promises to take their titles, regardless of who his partner will be and when the match might take place

  • Daniel Garcia def. Brody King by pinfall in a Continental Classic Blue League match, eliminating King from advancing to the group final, but …
  • … after the match, the lights go out and return to reveal Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews in the ring, which brings Matt Menard and FTR to the rescue; Dax Harwood makes it clear FTR wants House of Black in the ring
  • Abadon and Thunder Rosa def. Skye Blue and Julia Hart by pinfall
  • Eddie Kingston def. Andrade El Idolo by pinfall in a Continental Classic Blue League match, advancing to the group final against Danielson next week on Dynamite

AEW Collision results 12/9/23: Kenny Omega, Bryan Danielson in action

AEW Collision also saw Claudio Castagnoli and Eddie Kingston renew their heated rivalry in the Continental Classic.

AEW Collision has been a little up and down this fall after a certain you know who got bounced from the company. Some shows have been pretty star-studded, while others have felt like Dynamite-lite (hey, that rhymes). Happily, this feels like one of the former even though it’s a pre-recorded show that went down earlier this week in Montreal.

For starters, there’s a tremendous grudge match between Claudio Castagnoli and Eddie Kingston, with some high stakes as it’s part of the Continental Classic. Bryan Danielson and Andrade El Idolo will also face off in a tournament match of their own.

And hey, why go to Canada without a match between two guys trying to prove they are the best from the North? Kenny Omega and Ethan Page will do that tonight as well.

We’re assuming you haven’t read any spoilers if you’re reading this, and we haven’t either, so let’s see what this night holds on TNT.

AEW Collision results from Montreal:

  • Eddie Kingston def. Claudio Castagnoli by pinfall in a Continental Classic Blue League match, staying mathematically alive to advance from the group with his first three points
  • We hear from Jon Moxley after his tournament victory over Rush, and he ponders whether Swerve Strickland is willing to do what it takes to stay at the top of the business
  • Hook’s interview with Renee Paquette is crashed by Wheeler Yuta, who Hook dismisses as someone who “kicked Shibata in the balls,” and the two men agree to fight under FTW rules
  • Willow Nightingale def. Mercedes Martinez by pinfall, then gets attacked by Martinez and Diamante after the bell until
  • Jake Hager is upset that Danhausen stick his beloved hat down his pants, but Matt Menard and Angelo Parker are fired up by being in Montreal; meanwhile, Saraya and Menard are still trying to keep Ruby Soho apart from Parker
  • Swerve Strickland cuts his Continental Classic promo and calls himself the leader of the whole company
  • Wardlow def. Willie Mack by referee stoppage in a match that included one ridiculous show of strength with Wardlow catching Mack in midair and powerbombing him
  • Malakai Black and the House repeat their assertion that FTR should have joined them
  • Kenny Omega def. Ethan Page by pinfall; the two wrestlers show each other respect after the match, but Big Bill lays Omega out with a big boot and Page is too beaten up to hustle over to retaliate
  • CJ Perry talks up Andrade’s resume and his chances of winning tonight, but she’s not thrilled about Miro’s attempt to force her into a traditional wife role
  • Julia Hart says she can see behind masks but can’t quite figure out Abadon
  • Penta El Zero Miedo and Komander def. Cool Hand Ang and Daddy Magic despite the fans being very behind the hometown duo
  • Keith Lee and Shane Taylor have a face to face exchange of pleasantries ahead of their meeting at Final Battle
  • Another Continental Classic promo shows everyone who wrestled this week on Dynamite
  • Andrade El Idolo def. Bryan Danielson by pinfall in a Continental Classic Blue League match, then joins the medical personnel in checking on a bloody Danielson afterward only to be run off by Castagnoli and Yuta

AEW Collision results 12/2/23: Bryan Danielson leaves Eddie Kingston down bad

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
  • Jon Moxley’s passionate promo from earlier this week is shown
  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Blue taunts Storm for her “midlife crisis” and says she’ll shove Toni’s shoe right up her ass
  • A hype video promotes next week’s Dynamite showdown between Adam Copeland and Christian Cage
  • El Hijo del Vikingo def. Kip Sabian by pinfall, then extends his hand but we don’t see if Kip accepts it
  • Shane Taylor barges in and challenges Keith Lee to a match at Final Battle, which Lee accepts

  • Miro tries to barge in and attack Andrade, but CJ Perry gets him to promise not to lay a hand on her client
  • Bryan Danielson def. Eddie Kingston by pinfall in a Continental Classic Blue League match, keeping Eddie at zero points