Tag: Dustin Rhodes

AEW Dynamite preview 04/10/24: The Young Bucks explain it All (In)

Also on the card for AEW Dynamite in Charleston, Adam Copeland defends his TNT title and Mariah May battles Anna Jay.

Say this about AEW: Tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite has both an AEW World Championship title eliminator and a TNT Championship match, and neither is the top talking point ahead of the show. You might have heard about what is …

What will the Young Bucks say about the CM Punk-Jack Perry backstage footage from All In London?

AEW’s decision to show video of the altercation that led to Punk’s firing and Perry’s suspension is intriguing in its own right. All indications are that it’s legit, and Tony Khan is being up front about it, telling SI this week that airing it is a matter of “driving interest for Dynamite and our Dynasty pay-per-view on April 21.”

Almost lost in the shuffle of wondering whether it will make Punk look bad or help Perry return as a monster heel is the fact that the Young Bucks are presenting the footage. Considering that Matthew and Nicholas Jackson are currently playing devious heels that blur the line between their real responsibilities and in-ring ambitions, one can only imagine what they’re going to bring to the whole affair.

It’s almost certain to be a can’t-miss segment.

Will Dustin become the second Rhodes to win a world championship this year?

OK, no one really believes Dustin Rhodes is about to beat the AEW World Champion right now, but the thing about the Natural is that he’s got the knack for making you believe once the bell rings. If he can do it against Samoa Joe, who’s been a monster champ so far, it will be that much more impressive.

Oh, and there’s no way Swerve Strickland just sits back and takes this all in without finding some way to cause some chaos, right? Maybe he finds a way to help Rhodes earn a shot.

AEW Dynamite card for 4/9/24 in Charleston:

  • Samoa Joe vs. Dustin Rhodes – AEW World Championship Eliminator match
  • Adam Copeland (c) vs. Penta El Zero Miedo – TNT Championship match
  • The Young Bucks present backstage footage from All In London and will discuss for the first time
  • Toni Storm hosts a Charleston Championship Champagne Toast
  • Mariah May vs. Anna Jay
  • Hook, Chris Jericho and Katsuyori Shibata vs. Shane Taylor Promotions

This is certainly a Dynamite that’s going to be discussed and dissected, and you’ll want to tune in at 8 p.m. on TBS or join us back here at Wrestling Junkie for live results so you don’t miss out.

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AEW Rampage results 03/29/24: Matt Menard seeks his first title match

A look at the results from the March 29 episode of AEW Rampage.

The latest stop on AEW’s Canada tour takes Tony Khan’s crew to Quebec City for Rampage. With shows on the schedule already featuring a heavy north-of-the-border flavor, the March 29 episode will prove no different, with local favorite “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard in action. The part-time AEW commentator faces Roderick Strong in an AEW International Championship match to earn his first-ever AEW title bout.

While this isn’t AEW’s strongest Rampage card, it still has veterans such as Dustin Rhodes and The Butcher competing. Rising star Mariah May receives another opportunity to showcase her in-ring prowess, as well.

Let’s see what this hour of action has in store.

AEW Rampage results from Quebec City:

  • Dustin Rhodes def. The Butcher by pinfall
  • Jay White and Austin and Colten Gunn show up at Daddy Ass’ house for dinner, and while they search for him and The Acclaimed, they destroy the house; White says if The Acclaimed want the version of Jay White who dominated the pro wrestling world, it’s who they will receive; Daddy Ass arrives while his sons and White are there, however, chasing them away
  • Deonna Purrazzo def. Rose by submission; it was easily Purrazzo’s most aggressive performance since joining AEW
  • A video package teases Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay at AEW Dynasty
  • Toni Storm joins Mariah May in the ring and says she can’t compete due to a hamstring injury, so May will take her place against Nikita
  • Mariah May def. Nikita by pinfall
  • Zak Knight says in an interview backstage that he’s in Angelo Parker’s head; Parker attacks Knight by surprise and makes Saraya’s brother flee; Ruby Soho kisses Parker but walks away after accusing him of going back on his word looking for a fight
  • A promo package from The Righteous teases their match with Lance Archer against Katsuyori Shibata and the BCC for the Saturday, Mar. 30 episode of Collision
  • Roderick Strong def. “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard by pinfall in an AEW International Championship Elimination match; Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta save Menard from a post-match attack at the hands of Matt Taven and Mike Bennett; The Young Bucks intervene at the end of the brawl, hitting low blows and EVP Triggers on Cassidy and Beretta to close the show

AEW Dynamite results 03/27/24: Swerve stomps his way to No. 1 contender status

Also on AEW Dynamite, Willow Nightingale earned a TBS Championship shot at Dynasty.

Though he’s not the only big name recent addition to the roster, it’s hard not to get swept up in the pure enthusiasm that Will Ospreay has brought with him to AEW. In the ring? Of course, that’s a given, and we should see it again tonight in Quebec City when he takes on Konosuke Takeshita.

It’s more than that, though. Ospreay was rarely a straightforward babyface during his time in New Japan, but he’s embraced that role wholeheartedly since he made the jump. He speaks about AEW as an ideal in a way that we have rarely heard (though stalwarts like Jon Moxley and Britt Baker have expressed similar feelings through the years), and in a manner that makes you want to buy whatever he’s selling.

And that’s great. Having two strong national wrestling promotions in the U.S. is a boon for the talent and for fans. Yet it’s even better when someone like Ospreay is where he truly wants to be, not just because one company paid him more or the like.

It’s no doubt easier for Ospreay to feel this pumped since he already has a juicy match set for AEW Dynasty next month. In fact, Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson is the only match finalized for that event so far, which makes one wonder if we might see more movement on that end tonight on Dynamite.

Certainly, the four-way women’s match slated for tonight will do that, as the winner gets a TBS Championship shot. Two tag team matches are part of a tournament for the vacant titles at Dynasty as well, though the winners won’t be able to say “meet me in St. Louis” just yet since these are only the quarterfinals.

Anyway, we’re ready to recap all the action, so let’s light the fuse (RIP original Dynamite theme).

AEW Dynamite results from Quebec City:

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

  • Will Ospreay def. Katsuyori Shibata by pinfall
  • A hype video is shown for Bryan Danielson, narrated by Excalibur

  • Matthew and Nicholas Jackson don’t like Renee Paquette’s “ambush journalism,” but they talk about their biggest goal, which is getting their AEW Tag Team Championship belts back

  • Kazuchika Okada pulls up in an expensive sports car, as one does if one is the Rainmaker
  • Young Bucks def. Private Party by pinfall in an AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal; the finish was a little strange and both teams attempted to cheat to win
  • Don Callis appears to talk up Konosuke Takeshita, who is facing Swerve Strickland in tonight’s main event
  • Mercedes Moné rolls up, ready to do guest commentary
  • Darby Allin and Tony Hawk talk about the charity he was going to climb Mount Everest to support, The Skatepark Project
  • Paquette gets Chris Jericho and Hook together, and it sounds like Jericho is offering to mentor or manage him, though Hook is understandably a little wary
  • Willow Nightingale def. Anna Jay, Kris Statlander and Skye Blue in a 4-Way match for a TBS Championship shot; Julia Hart attacks Willow from behind after the bell but backs off when Mercedes gets up from the announce table
  • Dustin Rhodes says nothing’s different even at age 55, and he’s as passionate as ever; The Butcher shows up and challenges him to a Bunkhouse Brawl on Rampage

  • Ben Mankiewicz appears with “Timeless” Toni Storm and ends up completely befuddled by her catchphrases

  • Best Friends def. Undisputed Kingdom by pinfall in an AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal, as Chuck Taylor was able to neutralize Roderick Strong’s attempt to interfere; the Bucks make a brief appearance afterward to stare down Best Friends
  • Kyle O’Reilly talks to Paquette about getting a win under his belt to kick off his comeback, and he says he’s going to go it alone again on Collision to keep proving he doesn’t need Undisputed Kingdom backing him
  • An Adam Copeland video goes back through his TNT Championship victory, which he will defend for the first time Saturday on Collision
  • Swerve Strickland def. Konosuke Takeshita by pinfall in a No. 1 Contenders Match
  • Samoa Joe appears briefly with Paquette to menacingly say Swerve is not the man he thinks he is, and he’ll prove it next week

Will Ospreay gets a fun victory over Katsuyori Shibata

Courtesy of NJPW, we see footage from these two gents wrestling each other seven years ago. Ospreay looks like he’s a teenager, and Shibata was victorious on that night.

The question about this matchup was whether Ospreay would wrestle something more akin to Shibata’s style and pace, and he does … for a bit. He eventually takes to the air, however, and takes the bigger of the bumps when Shibata nails him with a big boot from the apron to the floor.

Oh, and he gets suplexed and kicked on the floor too.

Shibata gets to show off his striking game as well, plus they trade submissions. Yes, Ospreay can do those as well as the fancier stuff.

Ospreay has to fight out of several submission holds, and he eventually hits an Oscutter. Both men escape some close calls before Ospreay hits the Hidden Blade, but it’s still not enough to end it.

You know what is? A Tiger Driver followed by a second Hidden Blade. Good stuff.

Willow Nightingale earns a TBS Championship opportunity

Mercedes Moné is on guest commentary for this, and there’s plenty of intrigue involved. Skye would be going up against her own friend, Julia Hart, if she wins, and Willow and Stat are tag team partners most of the time.

There’s an awesome sequence after the commercial break with a Code Blue by Skye, people getting dropped onto each other, and more. Willow and Stat finally end up facing each other, but Skye barges in and they join forces against her (though also get knocked together).

Willow DVDs Skye on the apron, leading to amazing reactions from both Mercedes and Stokely. Eventually, Nightingale ends up isolated with Anna Jay, hitting a pumphandle sitout powerbomb that wins it.

Right after the bell, Julia Hart attacks Nightingale from behind, which gets Mercedes up from her seat … but only for a staredown.

Swerve Strickland stomps his way past Konosuke Takeshita to become No. 1 contender to Samoa Joe

Strickland offers a handshake, which Takeshita accepts but turns into the beginning of the grappling. Swerve has the upper hand early on, controlling the action and the pace.

Does he hit the Griddy? Yes, yes he does.

Takeshita fires himself up by hitting a sheer drop brainbuster, which actually is a good motivator. Or I’d imagine, I’ve never hit one.

It’s also fair to wonder if there’s an overrun tonight as we head toward six minutes left in the show. Strickland hits his somersault to the apron into a hurricanrana, which is wild.

Swerve is selling the heck out of his neck/shoulder region. Takeshita finds him with a tope con hilo on the floor, also outstanding.

Strickland fires back with a nasty DDT out of the corner and a corkscrew senton, earning both a near fall and a “this is awesome” chant from the Quebec City crowd.

Takeshita pulls off a nasty poison rana and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. We’re going past 10 p.m. and into “what will it take to win this” territory.

Maybe a Swerve Stomp on the apron? That sets off a series of counters and reversals, plus a nasty knee strike that gets Takeshita a two count.

Another Swerve Stomp after a House Call? No, but a standing Swerve Stomp and a JML Driver finally do it. Hot damn.

Nephews of Cody, Dustin Rhodes preparing for pro wrestling debut

The third generation of the Rhodes family will get its start in the wrestling business this Sunday.

Cody Rhodes might be trying to finish his story at WrestleMania 40 in a few weeks, but two of his younger relatives are just getting ready to begin theirs.

The relatives in question are Wayne and Wyatt Rhodes, nephews to both Cody and his brother, AEW’s Dustin Rhodes. As announced on social media by Dustin Rhodes, these two brothers will team together as The Texas Outlaws for their first pro wrestling match this Sunday, March 24, at the Rhodes Wrestling Academy (RWA) showcase.

The sons of Kristin Runnels Ditto, sister to Dustin and half-sister to Cody, Wayne and Wyatt will use a tag team name that was once used by Dusty Rhodes and Dick Murdoch when they teamed together decades ago.

Best of all, fans who would like to see these third-generation performers take their first steps in the business can do so for free on the RWA YouTube channel. The showcase begins Sunday at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT, and The Texas Outlaws will compete in the main event, a 2-out-of-3 falls match with a 30-minute time limit.

AEW Rampage results 02/16/24: Jeff Hardy breaks nose in scary spot

A look at the results from the Feb. 16 episode of AEW Rampage.

For years, Texas has been a cornerstone of the professional wrestling scene. This week, AEW has taken it over with Dynamite on Wednesday and now Friday night with Rampage.

AEW added a Texan touch, featuring Marshall and Ross Von Erich in action alongside Dustin Rhodes. Otherwise, the rest of the card featured a No Disqualification match between Sammy Guevara and Jeff Hardy that goes off the rails. Queen Aminata in action, and the Bang Bang Scissor Gang making their in-ring debut, promising an eventful night.

AEW Rampage results

  • Sammy Guevara def. Jeff Hardy by pinfall in a No Disqualification match; Guevara busts Hardy’s nose during a blocked Shooting Star Press, and the match awkwardly ends shortly after from what F4WOnline’s Bryan Alvarez reports is a broken nose; Powerhouse Hobbs attacks Guevara after the match
  • Brian Cage says in a backstage interview that Hook “doesn’t belong here” and calls him the flavor of the month; Cage says everyone who cheers for Hook should cheer for him
  • Private Party, with their security guard named Cheesecake, reintroduce themselves backstage; they tout their spot on the AEW power rankings and say it’s “litty in the city”
  • Jon Moxley, referring to FTR, says it’s never a good idea to provoke the Blackpool Combat Club; Moxley puts over FTR’s tag team wrestling, but questions anyone doubting he and Claudio Castagnoli’s ability as a team; Castagnoli says if you’re great, people tell you and that they take pride in what they do
  • Ruby Soho learns Angelo Parker has requested time with her tonight; Saraya, with Harley Cameron, tells Soho they forgive her; Soho says she knows Saraya has been behind every bad thing happening to her, and now, she just wants space
  • Dustin Rhodes, Ross and Marshall Von Erich def. Romero Crews, Hitt and Simbashi by pinfall; Commentary says it’s the first time the Rhodes and Von Erich families have teamed in over 40 years
  • Toni Storm laughs at Deonna Purazzo’s threat to break her arm; Storm enacts what she would do to Purazzo by putting Mariah May in an armbar and an ankle lock
  • A video package hypes Sting’s last match at Revolution
  • Bits from Queen Aminata’s “Close Up” interview plays
  • Queen Aminata def. Anna Jay by pinfall for her first AEW win; Aminata and Jay embrace after the match
  • Willow Nightingale questions Stokely Hathaway for not trusting her during her match on Dynamite against Skye Blue; Kris Statlander says Hathaway hasn’t cheated like that, and they’ll try this partnership again one more time
  • Angelo Parker gives Ruby Soho a Valentine’s Day gift; Parker says he thought he lost Soho; Soho asks Parker out for a drink next week, and he says yes
  • The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens, Max Caster and Billy Gunn) and Bullet Club (Jay White, Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn) Gold def. Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett, Satnam Singh, and Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, & John Silver) by pinfall

AEW Dynamite results 01/17/24: Hook gives his all but Samoa Joe retains

Samoa Joe is still the champ after AEW Dynamite, but more than one challenger is lurking in the wings.

We have arrived at The Moment. Wrestling has lots of those, and in fact it’s generally a bummer when we go a week without one. But the one we’re talking about has been the subject of much chatter over the past week, and it’s here and in front of us tonight at AEW Dynamite in North Charleston.

Samoa Joe will make his first defense of the AEW World Championship he won from MJF at Worlds End, and he’ll do it against Hook. Joe, of course, has been in many spots like this over a well decorated career. Hook has not.

There’s no denying that Hook is a bright prospect for the future, maybe one of AEW’s best. He’s a stud athlete, able to pull off impressive offense, and he’s improving at selling. He isn’t the greatest on the mic yet, but he’s getting more comfortable there and AEW has played into his silent tough guy persona in a helpful way.

As Hook himself pointed out this week, there’s no pressure on him. There’s basically nothing to lose (his FTW title isn’t even on the line) and everything to gain. No one expects him to win, so this is a classic opportunity to look good in a heroic losing effort, assuming Joe doesn’t just steamroll him.

For AEW, though, the stakes are a little higher. If this match isn’t good, it gives ammo to those who don’t feel Hook “deserved” a world championship match, even if they came at it from a different direction.

We think it’s going to be really good, and AEW is presenting it without commercial interruption, which is nice. Let’s see how this plays out.

AEW Dynamite results from North Charleston:

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

  • Samoa Joe is shown entering the building earlier tonight, as is Hook
  • Christian Cage def. Dustin Rhodes by pinfall to retain the TNT Championship
  • Swerve Strickland says he came out of the Continental Classic as the man everyone was talking about, so he’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on the world title match tonight, and he doesn’t fear Hangman Adam Page chasing that title at the same time as he’s already beaten Page twice

  • Renee Paquette talks to Chris Jericho about the tag team title loss he and Sammy Guevara suffered on Collision, but he points the blame squarely at the interfering Don Callis Family; Matt Sydal stops by and challenges Jericho to a match to get him back on his game, which Jericho accepts though with a warning that he has a lot of pent up aggression to get out

  • Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta def. Komander and Penta El Zero Miedo by pinfall
  • After the match, Roderick Strong and The Kingdom confront them, with Strong warning that he’s coming for Cassidy’s International Championship and Orange Cassidy proposing a title match right now; Strong says Cassidy will have to wait until Revolution so that Orange has to live with the idea that he’s keeping the title warm for him

  • Paquette gets a word with Hangman Adam Page, who says he’s not only going to win the AEW World Championship in 2024, he’ll make it his own; Hangman also suggests he isn’t thinking about Swerve at all since he isn’t the champ

  • An emotional Mark Briscoe discusses the passing of his brother Jay a year ago and the amazing recovery of his niece, who he says doctors felt may never walk again; a tribute video to Jay Briscoe is shown afterward

  • Paquette talks to the Young Bucks, who now want to be called Nicholas and Matthew Jackson, and Matthew reacts angrily to all the false rumors swirling around them; they also say they’ll have to say goodbye to Sting and everybody like him since the idea behind AEW was to change the world, and they walk away from the interview as they have a meeting to attend

  • Bullet Club Gold (Jay White and The Gunns) def. Brian Cage and Gates of Agony by pinfall to become the new ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions
  • Adam Cole says Wardlow will go down as the most dominant AEW wrestler of all time and will continue to run through the competition until he acquires the world title

  • Deonna Purrazzo def. Anna Jay by submission; after the match, Paquette talks to the Virtuosa, who says that while Toni Storm has changed, so has she, but that earns an angry rebuke from the champ and they throw a show back and forth at each other

  • Private Party def. Top Flight by pinfall, albeit with a little shortcut taken by the victors
  • A video package shows highlights of Darby Allin and Sting
  • Samoa Joe def. Hook by submission to retain the AEW World Championship
  • After the bell, Hook remains defiant, asking Joe if that’s all he’s got; Joe hits another Muscle Buster but ends up heading for the hills as Hangman Page hustles to the ring to check on Hook even as Swerve and Prince Nana are shown watching from the crowd

Image credit: All Elite Wrestling

Christian Cage fends off a very game Dustin Rhodes

The fans have no problem booing and chanting “Christian sucks” as a greeting for the champ. Cage stays away from a direct confrontation with Rhodes in the early going, forcing referee Aubrey Edwards to call for several breaks in the corner or ropes.

After kicking out of an early cover, Cage lures Rhodes into the corner, but The Natural drags the champ out to the floor and batters him over to the announce table. Christian’s knees taste the steel steps, which also make a good launching pad for a leaping clothesline.

They battle over in the corner, where Cage gets the best of it before delivering a cross body from the top rope to the floor. After some side-by-side ads, the champ tries a dive from the top rope into the ring, but he crashes and burns when Rhodes rolls away.

On their knees, the two combatants trade slaps and right hands. Rhodes is up for a Manhattan Drop before hurling Cage from one corner to another and dropping Christian down for a near fall.

Cage is catapulted into the top turnbuckle and ends up legs spread, but he frees himself before his globes can suffer. You know what we mean.

Rhodes earns another near fall and pounds the mat to get the fans clapping. But Cage gets him in-between the ropes and stands on his back, then prevents a tope with a well-timed right hand.

Cage’s Frog Splash is on target, and he hooks the leg only to see his foe kick out at two. Christian’s title belt is thrown in and occupies Edwards, giving Wayne a chance to assist with a roll-up that nearly gets the three count.

Rhodes fights Cage back into a corner, and Christian is set up for the Golden Globes again … or the Unnatural Kick we suppose it’s called in AEW. A big superplex is followed by Cross Rhodes, and Cage barely kicks out in time.

Both Wayne and Killswitch get involved, though Wayne pays for it by taking a Destroyer on the floor. But Rhodes turns and is laid out by a spear, and the Killswitch ends … no it doesn’t! The fans come to life again after the kickout by Dustin.

A second Killswitch also finds the mark, however, and The Natural is down for the count this time as Cage retains.

Image credit: All Elite Wrestling

Deonna Purrazzo makes Anna Jay submit

Toni Storm is on guest commentary and immediately mistakes Ian Riccaboni for a clean-shaven Tony Schiavone: “You look great!”

The AEW Women’s World Champion is asked about Purrazzo and is still somewhat dismissive even as she bosses the early action. Anna rallies for a two count right before picture-in-picture.

Deonna is back in command after we return to full picture, using a Russian leg sweep to set up a submission attempt but then trading two counts with Anna. Jay hits a backstabber and grabs another near fall.

Purrazzo avoids the Queenslayer and tries for a cross armbreaker, forcing her foe to work for a rope break. They trade shots until Purrazzo catches Anna coming in and applies the Venus de Milo, and Anna doesn’t last long before she submits.

Image credit: All Elite Wrestling

Hook survives but Samoa Joe retains

The challenger stays poised over the top turnbuckle and doesn’t even look at the champ during ring intros, and he explodes out of the gate when the bell rings. Joe weathers the storm and sends Hook to the floor, where the two men trade furious shots.

Back in the ring, Joe runs over the challenger with a running back elbow as the fans chant his name. Hook gets punched back into a corner and takes more of a beating out in the middle of the ring. He finally gets some momentum back with a leaping shot off the apron, but Joe responds with a uranage off the announce table. Ouch.

Hook gets powerbombed on the apron as well, and the ringside doctor checks on him while Taz takes his headset off too. The challenger slowly rises as the ref makes his count, but Hook beats the count and returns to the ring.

Joe quickly treats Hook to a powerslam, which is good only for two. The announcers are putting over Hook’s never say die attitude, which he displays again by kicking out after a Death Valley Driver.

Out of the corner, Joe delivers a Muscle Buster, and this time Hook kicks out at one. A flying clothesline turns into three by Hook, who peppers Joe with body shots and gets the big man up for a t-bone suplex but can’t make the cover.

Joe blocks Redrum and applies the Coquina Clutch. Hook tries to sink in his fingertips to break the hold, but he’s unsuccessful and eventually put to sleep. Joe retains, but Hook gave it his all.

AEW Dynamite preview 01/17/24: Send Hook … for a world title shot

AEW Dynamite from South Charleston will also see Toni Storm join the announcers for Deonna Purrazzo vs. Anna Jay.

If ever there was a night for different members of the roster stepping up, it’s tonight on AEW Dynamite from North Charleston, S.C. Some wrestlers other than the usual suspects are going for gold, and that includes a young challenger for the company’s biggest title.

Can Hook prove a point against Samoa Joe?

It’s tough being the first real challenger for a world champion, because unless the company has some really wacky story to tell, you almost certainly aren’t coming away with the victory. That certainly applies to Hook, who unwittingly became part of the discourse over the past week but seems to be rolling with it just fine.

He truly does have nothing to lose, and a great showing against Samoa Joe will only raise his stock. We’re looking forward to their fight.

How many eyes will Dustin Rhodes need in the back of his head against Christian Cage?

Dustin Rhodes is almost the exact opposite of Hook in terms of experience, but he still makes for a fun challenger for Christian Cage and the TNT Championship, someone the fans will easily get behind.

The problem for The Natural is that Cage has Killswitch and Nick Wayne as henchmen, and they aren’t going to simply watch the match play out if things look bad for the Patriarch. There’s always the chance that Adam Copeland comes looking for another piece of Cage’s crew, but it would be even more interesting if someone new entered the picture.

Will the Virtuosa make a lasting impression on Timeless Toni via Anna Jay?

The AEW Women’s World Champion, Toni Storm, has a hard time staying focused. Such are the demands of old time Hollywood, one supposes. But she’s going to be on guest commentary tonight as Deonna Purrazzo takes on Anna Jay, and she may want to try her hardest to stay locked in.

Purrazzo is still new to AEW but already looks like a threat to Storm’s championship reign. Jay is on a nice roll herself, so a victory by the Virtuosa can’t help but make Toni remember her name.

Also scheduled for AEW Dynamite this week:

  • Bullet Club Gold tries to win the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship from the Mogul Embassy
  • We’ll hear from the mustachioed ones, the Young Bucks

We’ll be taking in all the action from South Charleston beginning at 8 p.m. ET tonight, so join us back here then for live AEW Dynamite results.

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.

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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