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The AEW Continental Classic gets underway tonight with three matches that should be the highlight of the Thanksgiving Eve episode of AEW Dynamite from Chicago.
While you can check out the full list of participants and how they’re split between two groups, the short version is that the six wrestlers in the Gold League all have their first round robin matches on Dynamite.
The matchups are:
Each match has a 20-minute time limit and will award three points for a win and one for a draw, with zero points for a loss. Everyone is banned from ringside, so ostensibly, that means no interference from LFI, BCC, BCG or whatever letters you use to describe Lethal’s group.
In other somewhat weird news, Christian Cage has promised to “rechristen” Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne, and what exactly that entails, we honestly do not know. We’ll also see a championship acceptance speech from “Timeless” Toni Storm after her title win at Full Gear, plus we’ll hear from AEW World Champion MJF. No word on whether the Devil may show up too.
That sounds like a full night of Dynamite to us. Let’s light the fuse on this one.
AEW Dynamite results from Chicago:
Swerve Strickland scores the first 3 points of the Continental Classic, pinning Jay Lethal
Despite his heel status, Swerve hears some chants as the bell rings. The announcers put over the idea that he’s somewhat the worse for wear after his Texas Death match at Full Gear, and yeah, he should be.
Lethal gets in enough offense to tease his strut and faux flip off the fans, but Swerve is able to respond with some offense that targets Lethal’s left knee. Lethal is smartly focusing on Strickland’s right arm and shoulder, which is taped up.
A nice German suplex by Swerve is answered by a shoulderbreaker, and both men are down for the broadcast to head to side-by-side ads. A superplex has Strickland looking good after the break, and his rolling flatliner flows right into a brainbuster for a near fall.
Lethal offers a strong response that ends with a long flying elbow off the top for a two count. A couple of counters leads to a stretch muffler by Swerve, who then gets rolled up for two and stuck in an STF. Lethal connects with a pump kick , but Strickland sees the Lethal Injection coming.
A dropkick, the House Call and the Swerve Stomp finish it off, giving Strickland the first three points of the tournament.
Orange Cassidy wants to make an announcement but is rudely interrupted by Wheeler Yuta, who also has some verbal venom for Hook and Katsuyori Shibata. And then Renee Paquette tells Orange that they’re out of time.
MJF and Samoa Joe set the date for their world title match
A banged up MJF, who is walking with a cane, and Adam Cole, still on crutches, make their way to the ring. MJF helpfully gets a chair so Cole can sit. That’s true friendship.
The AEW champ brags about beating Jay White on one leg but also says Switchblade is one of the best pro wrestlers in the world. After reminding us of his accomplishments, though, MJF says he’s the greatest AEW world champion of all time.
Still, none of that would be possible without his brochacho for life, and Cole does indeed want to do some story time. He’s excited to be back in Chicago and that he and MJF are still ROH tag team champ. Cole has some bad news, though: He has a long road back from his ankle injury, though he promises to do the work he needs to do to get back to his best.
In the meantime, Cole is concerned about MJF since everyone is gunning for him and the Devil and his goons are still out there. MJF tells Cole not to worry because he’ll hunt the Devil down … but the Devil appears quickly on the screen with an evil laugh.
Samoa Joe figures that’s the best time to join the duo in the ring, saying it’s time for celebration. He’s there to ensure Max honors the deal they made that would give Joe a world title shot, but MJF says no, except in much more crass language that gets beeped out.
Cole intervenes and says that while Joe is indeed a killer, skipping out on the title shot is something the old MJF would have done. “Max, be a man of your word,” he implores.
MJF takes an oblique shot at CM Punk before saying he’ll take on Joe right here in Chicago, but Joe says absolutely not. Joe wants the best, fully healed version of MJF, and he figures by Worlds End, he’ll be nice and chipper to defend the title.
That makes MJF almost incredulous since Worlds End is in his hometown, and he tells Joe it’s a deal. They shake hands, but after MJF tries to get in one last verbal jab, Joe calls Max “my property” and says he’ll be watching the champ’s back until Worlds End … when he’ll beat him for the title in front of everyone he loves.
Orange Cassidy and friends get a Very Nice, Very Evil boost
Orange Cassidy gets on the mic before the match can start and says he has a Thanksgiving surprise: Danhausen is back! The heels are unimpressed and try to get the jump on our heroes before the bell.
Hook takes a beating during commercials and is in desperate need of a tag. He manages a t-bone suplex on Angelo Parker and gets Cassidy into the fray. A big powerslam by Jake Hager stops Orange in his tracks but only for a second until he can hit Stundog Millionaire and tag in Katsuyori Shibata.
Shibata vs. everyone works out surprisingly well until it doesn’t. Just when it appears he’s in big trouble, Danhausen produces Hager’s beloved purple bucket hat and curses him to boot.
Hook and Shibata get submissions locked in at the same time, Cassidy Orange Punches Hager off the apron, and Parker, who is somehow legal through all this, taps out.
Cole tells Paquette he can’t wait to get back to doing what he does beat, but when Roderick Strong and The Kingdom arrive, Cole has little time for his nagging and tells Roddy in no uncertain terms that they aren’t best friends any more and he wants Strong to leave him the hell alone.
Christian Cage gives his henchmen new names but runs afoul of Adam Copeland again
Christian Cage is accompanied to the ring by Nick Wayne and Luchasaurus and tells Chicago to be quiet. He says a true champion is gracious in victory and humble in defeat, noting that things didn’t go his way at Full Gear … but he did not lose that match.
Wayne didn’t either. Luchasaurus lost that match. Harsh.
Cage says that’s unacceptable, and the only way to wash the stench of losing away is to recreate Wayne and Luchasaurus in his image. He tells the dinosaur man to take a knee, which he does reluctantly, and says he will be known from here on out as Killswitch.
Wayne takes a knee quickly, but Cage tells him to rise because he’s the golden boy, the one who reminds Christian of himself. His new name is “The Prodigy” Nick Wayne.
Wayne’s mom arrives in the ring, irritating Cage, who berates Mrs. Wayne for being a waitress and insults Nick’s late father. He tells Shayna to leave, but Killswitch comes to her defense. Christian yells at him to get back on his knees, then smacks him.
Finally, Cage threatens to expose Killswitch’s face, pushing him into Shayna and knocking her down. Nick goes under the ring to find a steel chair, the another.
He gives the chairs to Cage, who in turn hands one to Killswitch and orders him to give Shayna the Con-Chair-To. The dinosaur man struggles with the decision before Adam Copeland has enough, spearing Nick.
Killswitch saves Cage, so Copeland spears Nick instead and follows with an Impaler. Copeland sets Nick up for the Con-Chair-To and doesn’t hesitate to deliver it.
The ex-members of the JAS talk to Paquette, and they’re all out of sorts except for Anna Jay, who just seems to be upset with all of them. And Parker is distracted by his flirtations with Ruby Soho.
Jay White takes a shortcut to get 3 points against Rush in their Continental Classic opener
The referee reminds The Gunns they need to hit the bricks since no one is allowed at ringside for the Continental Classic matches. That might hurt since Rush controls the early action and takes it to Jay White in and out of the ring.
Rush gets out a long cable but is warned not to use it, so he returns to his heavy chops. White tries to give as good as he gets, but Rush is going to win this game, and he stomps White down in the corner as well. He kicks Switchblade in the face and does the Tranquilo pose.
An ad break finds White now in control afterward, but Rush rallies to look for his version of Three Amigos, ending with a brainbuster once White interrupts it. White is covered but manages to kick out at two.
White takes control again as the chop battle is resumed. Forearms are flying as well, so White thumbs his foe in the eye and answers Rush’s knee strike with a uranage for a close two count.
After a German suplex has Rush thinking thrust kick, White proves he has an answer in the form of a dragon screw. Rush responds with a belly-to-belly overhead throw into the turnbuckles. An elbow strike is on target too, but White sees the Bull’s Horns coming.
The referee nearly takes a bump, and when he covers up to protect himself, White lands a low blow. Rush is a sitting duck for a Blade Runner, and White has himself three points.
Paquette and RJ City are on the stage to present the AEW Women’s World Championship to “Timeless” Toni Storm in the manner of an awards show acceptance speech. Mariah May presents her with the title belt before Storm puts on glasses and takes her notes out.
She thanks “Anthony Khan and the wonderful people at Warner Discovery,” and works through it as they try to play her off. She also thanks the little Toni Storms, says they won’t take her spot and tells them to stay in school, maybe learn a trade.
Cue the standing ovation! But Storm hasn’t cleared out yet when Skye Blue pushes past her on her way to the ring for a match.
Skye Blue gets a big win as a battle for the heart of Ruby Soho rages on
Skye Blue might be competing in front of her home fans, but she’s the one taking the big bumps early. Ruby Soho takes one too as she’s kicked off the apron, and Anna Jay gets some help from Cool Hand Ang and Daddy Magic to take control on the outside.
A superplex/powerbomb combo is a fun way to return from commercials. Soho takes a ridiculous head kick on the outside as she’s caught between her teammate Saraya and Cool Hand Ang.
Back in the ring, Anna almost wins it before Soho breaks up her pin on Skye. More arguing breaks out between Sraya and Daddy Magic, as Soho is knocked off the apron into Ang’s hands.
Blue nails Anna with Skyefall, and with Soho caught in the drama on the outside, she can’t prevent the three count.
Wardlow takes a break from working out to tell Paquette he’ll get MJF on his own time, then headbutts AR Fox for daring to offer some advice.
Jon Moxley gets a hard fought Continental Classic victory over Mark Briscoe
This is the first ever singles match between Mark Briscoe and Jon Moxley, and we will go past the top of the hour to get it in, according to the broadcast. Both men come out swinging, with Briscoe taking control after a dropkick to knock Mox to the floor and a cannonball off the apron.
Briscoe thinks Froggy Bow but sees Moxley run away and open back up with strikes. A big boot takes Briscoe to the floor as we go picture-in-picture one last time for the night.
The announcers are surprised that it’s Briscoe bleeding first in this one, but it isn’t stopping him from mounting some impressive offense and countering a King Kong lariat for a two count. Briscoe is caught temporarily in a submission but makes it over for a rope break.
Up top they go, where Briscoe smashes a right hand and bites Moxley on the face. Mark also no sells a Paradigm Shift to land a dropkick, leaving both men on the mat.
Brsicoe’s Death Valley Driver has him thinking Froggy Bow, which finds the mark but isn’t enough to keep Moxley down for three. A King Kong Lariat answers a Jay Driller attempt, but Mox is incredulous when his opponent kicks out after a Death Rider.
Moxley tries for a bulldog choke but nearly gets rolled up for the pin. They battle to the middle of the ring again with strikes. Mox hits a stomp, then another Death Rider, and this time it’s too much even for Briscoe.
