Tag: Samoa Joe

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.

Do wins and losses really matter in pro wrestling? The Coach says no

Ex-WWE commentator Jonathan Coachman weighed in on the debate that’s entangled execs, talent and fans this week.

Seth Rollins vs. Jinder Mahal. Samoa Joe vs. Hook. In case you missed it, these two world title matchups have kicked up a lot of discussion this week when it pertains to whether certain wrestlers “deserve” championship opportunities. While some of it was exacerbated by high profile social media exchanges, there’s an age old debate at the heart of it all.

Namely, do wins or losses matter in pro wrestling?

In other words, is wrestling better off booking performers in a way that makes it clear they have earned a title shot by winning, like in unscripted sports? Or should a good story be the most important factor, win-loss record be damned?

There’s probably no universally correct answer to this dilemma, because presentation and context vary so widely from situation to situation. But a former WWE on-camera employee weighed in and made it known that for that company, at least, the narrative is the most important thing.

The ex-employee in question is Jonathan Coachman, a former WWE commentator who has returned to the world of traditional sports. Coachman quoted one of the posts made by Tony Khan suggesting that Mahal was a poor choice to challenge for a title due to his lengthy losing streak and threw his two cents in as a rebuttal.

We also used to get amused at fans who counted wins like wrestlers “earned” them. Hell if Vince wanted I could have been world champion. But the storyline didn’t support it.

No one opinion is going to sway everyone in the industry to agree on wins and losses, but The Coach certainly has an informed take based on his own experiences. One thing we can all agree on, though: It’s probably a good idea that Vince never gave him a run with a world title, because there probably isn’t a good enough story written to support that.

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 Dynamite results 01/03/24: Deonna is here, Hangman hunts Swerve

Mariah May was upstaged a bit, and Swerve Strickland found an old foe still looking for him on Dynamite.

When you stop and think about it, Adam Cole turning on MJF really isn’t that hard to comprehend. We’ll still get a chance to hear about it straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak, tonight on AEW Dynamite from Newark.

As many fans suspected, Cole was revealed as the Devil at Worlds End last weekend, reveling in MJF’s suffering in front of his hometown fans — including his loss of the AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe. Cole is undoubtedly going to say that his inability to win the title from MJF at All In London just ate at him so much that he had no other choice. That’s classic pro wrestling motivation, for sure.

But what happens now? MJF is expected to take time off to heal up from injuries/make everyone wonder if he’s staying with AEW. The world title Cole covets so much is in Joe’s hands, and prying it loose won’t be any easier. That might be the part we’re waiting to hear most about from Cole tonight.

Because it’s a day ending in “day,” Orange Cassidy has a title defense on Dynamite too. Plus we’ll see the in-ring debut of Mariah May. We definitely won’t be seeing Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley, as they’re currently overseas preparing for big matches much later tonight (or early tomorrow morning, depending on how you look at it).

Plus there could be some surprise debuts if the best case scenario works out. That would also be super cool. Maybe even a wrestler with the same alliteration in her name as Mariah May. We’ll see.

For the first time in ’24, let’s light the fuse …

AEW Dynamite results from Newark:

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

  • The show begins with Samoa Joe cutting a defiant promo last Saturday against MJF after beating him at Worlds End
  • Adam Cole and the Undisputed Kingdom have arrived, but the Devil’s here to stay, bay bay, but they already have enemies gathering
  • A highlight package/promo celebrate Eddie Kingston’s Continental Classic victory, where he discusses the confidence he’s gained as a result

  • Daniel Garcia talks about his matchup with Swerve Strickland tonight
  • Orange Cassidy def. Dante Martin by pinfall to retain the AEW International Championship
  • After the match, Private Party makes a return to put every tag team on notice, including FTR, the Young Bucks and The Hardys

  • Renee Paquette asks Toni Storm what 2024 holds for her, but she’s not crazy about being in New Jersey and doesn’t care to stick around to see Mariah May make her debut

  • The clip of House of Black accepting FTR’s challenge is played again, this time with some highlights of them beating up the Top Guys over the past few weeks
  • Paquette talks to Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana, naturally), who talks about facing Daniel Garcia tonight and gunning for Samoa Joe’s title
  • Mariah May def. Queen Aminata by pinfall in her AEW in-ring debut; Paquette speaks to her afterward and finds her excited and hopeful that Storm was watching, but …
  • … after she rips on New Jersey, she’s surprised when Deonna Purrazzo shows up and tells her to give a message to Storm: I will find you no matter where you run, and I am All Elite; May declines to pass along the message and slaps Purrazzo but ends up losing a brief scuffle
  • Christian Cage thanks everyone but Luchasaurus
  • Paquette talks to The Outcasts, who seem to still have some internal issues to work out regarding Harley Cameron
  • Konosuke Takeshita def. Darby Allin by pinfall
  • Paquette catches up with Takeshita and the rest of the Don Callis Family, who challenge Allin and Sting to a tag team match against Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs
  • Kingston joins the announcers to see who will be the No. 1 contender for his title
  • Trent Beretta def. Brian Cage, Bryan Keith and El Hijo Del Vikingo (with a little help from Danhausen) to get a shot at Kingston’s Continental Crown Championship
  • An angry Hangman Adam Page interrupts Paquette’s latest interview to declare that he’s looking for Cole and Undisputed Kingdom … like right now
  • Swerve Strickland def. Daniel Garcia by pinfall, but Hangman Adam Page arrives after the match to brawl with Swerve until staffers and referees can finally pull them apart

Adam Cole and the Undisputed Kingdom deliver their mission statement, but not everyone loves it

A new entrance video and theme announce Cole and his men as Undisputed. Roderick Strong tells everyone to shup up and listen to his best friend, and Cole starts off by wondering if no one had sympathy for him.

He scoffs at the idea that they are the bad guys just because they betrayed MJF, as Max was the one who talked badly about everyone in the locker room. Cole says most of the wrestlers, fans and even Tony Khan will thank him, because MJF is gone and he’s never coming back.

Cole suggests that the second MJF didn’t need him any more, he would have stabbed Adam in the back. MJF needed Adam Cole, and no one would be cheering for Maxwell if not for Adam. “I saved MJF’s championship reign, and I also ended it.”

The new group is called the Undisputed Kingdom, and their goal is to win as much gold as possible. The Kingdom has the tag titles, Roddy will chase the International Championship and Wardlow will go after the World Championship … and then give it to Cole when he’s healthy. Uh, OK.

One person who may not be down with that comes out to retort, and that’s Switchblade Jay White. He’s upset about getting jumped when he was flying solo, but he’s no longer alone as The Gunns join him in storming the ring.

Bullet Club Gold is outnumbered, however, but that changes soon when The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass arrive as reinforcements. The Undisputed Kingdom quickly retreats in the face of their numerical disadvantage. The fans want BCG and The Acclaimed to scissor, but White tells the Gunns to leave the ring.

Orange Cassidy squeezes out another title defense against Dante Martin

The announce team wonders if Cassidy will have to change the way he approaches this matchup given the way Martin moves around the ring. Orange has fought some high-fliers, though, so one expects he’ll be fine.

There’s some nice mat wrestling to kick things off with each man getting the edge at different times. The pace accelerates gradually, and Martin shows no signs of being psyched out by Cassidy’s usual slacker antics.

Martin takes the worst of it when the battle moves to the floor, getting thrown into the barricade more than once. Cassidy runs around the ring, slowly, to deliver a dropkick, but Martin fights back right before side-by-side ads.

The challenger is taking the lead when we return, though the announcers note how he’s selling damage to his lower back. Dante and Orange exchange slow mo kicks, but Cassidy is ready when Martin tries to sneak in a real shot.

A DDT gets Cassidy a near fall, so he heads up top. Martin is knocked down twice and ends up taking a diving DDT even after landing on his feet. Ouch.

After Martin kicks out at two, Cassidy looks for Beach Break, but it’s countered into a GTS that nearly wins it. Dante delivers a senton on his way to the corner, but Orange slowly rolls away from whatever is next … or he thinks he does, as Martin walks the ropes to drop a splash for a near fall.

Back and forth they go with pinning predicaments until Cassidy connects on an Orange Punch, and that proves to be the winning move.

The Patriarch says all is right now that he’s still TNT Champion

Christian Cage is ready to talk, and Shayna Wayne tries to keep people quiet so he can do so. Cage says he’s been TNT Champion for 200 days and doesn’t let Tony Schiavone confuse him with the facts. He admits he went through a war at Worlds End and thanks Shayna Wayne and Nick Wayne for their help.

Will he thank Killswitch? Nope. The fans start a loud “Luchasaurus” chant while Cage dismisses Adam Copeland and suggests their feud is behind him. Cage warns anyone else who might have designs on the TNT Championship and says The Patriarchy are the faces of AEW now and forever.

Konosuke Takeshita impresses with victory over Darby Allin

Don Callis unfortunately joins the announcers for this one, as Allin appears to possibly tweak his knee in the early going. They wrestle to a standoff that even Callis says impresses him.

Takeshita hits a big back body drop that backs up Callis’ assertion that size matters. He grabs a side headlock to keep Darby grounded, and even after Allin gets free, he dives through the ropes and right into a jumping knee.

Want another impressive sequence? Takeshita rolls backwards down the ramp for three rolling German suplexes in a row. Sweet stuff.

During picture-in-picture, Allin does his usual cannonball to the floor, but is nearly pinned right after the full broadcast comes back. The fans start a “this is awesome” chant as Takeshita stalks his prey.

Darby bails out of a running corner knee strike, then lures his opponent into smashing through the barricade by the timekeeper’s area. Allin hits him with a Coffin Drop that leaves both men strewn about the floor.

As they re-renter the ring, Allin greets Takeshita with a Code Red and almost gets the three. Darby wants another Coffin Drop but hits only knees.

Knees and other strikes are battering Allin, but he pulls off an inside cradle for a quick two count, then another with a crucifix pin. Takeshita crashes home a big lariat, and Callis signals him to finish his foe.

A Helluva Kick leaves Allin woozy as his opponent takes him up top for a huge German superplex. A running knee is next, and even Darby isn’t getting up from that.

Swerve Strickland gets by Daniel Garcia, but he’s still got a Hangman problem

Daddy Magic joins the announcers for this one, who inform us that we have at least a five-minute overrun if necessary. That suggests it almost certainly will be.

Garcia takes some of the early offense and sees if he can lure Swerve into some mat exchanges, which he does. Strickland takes the kitchen sink, but the crowd is chanting for him even as he gets sent to the floor and then into the barricade.

Prince Nana is talking to Garcia from behind his back, and Daniel turns to engage him in a brief dance-off. Wrestling returns pretty quickly, which is bad for DG as he takes a Death Valley Driver on the apron.

Strickland thinks he’s in control after commercials, but Garcia quickly disabuses him of that notion by beating him into the corner. A running knee is next, then a shotgun dropkick.

Garcia’s stalling suplex allows him to cover for a near fall. Strickland hits a backbreaker and a flurry of additional offense, and now it’s Garcia kicking out at two.

The battle goes to the announce table and forces everyone to bail out, and when Garcia goes for a Sharpshooter, both men end up sliding off the back of the table. They fight back to the top rope, where Garcia hits a superplex but is quickly suplexed in turn.

Garcia’s rally is answered by a Flatliner, and he follows with the Drive-By kick that comes oh so close to ending it. Swerve Stomp is on target but somehow still not enough.

Swerve summons what is left in his tank to deliver a House Call, and the JML Driver is enough to end it. After the match, Strickland extends his hand, but it’s a trap so Nana can hit Garcia with a low blow. Daddy Magic gets one too, but just as Nana is about to say Strickland will be the next AEW World Champion, Hangman Adam Page’s music hits and brings the cow boy to the ring.

Swerve laughs, but only for a second until they start throwing hands. Security swarms the ring to pull them apart, but Hangman breaks free and gets in more shots. Swerve does the same, so it seems like 10 men won’t be enough to get this done.

 

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.

[lawrence-related id=43151]

AEW World Championship history: Every title change to date

See the full AEW World Championship history, including every title change from when it was first awarded on Aug. 31, 2019 to date.

The AEW World Championship has only been in existence since 2019, but it’s already become one of the most prestigious titles in pro wrestling. The rapid ascent of All Elite Wrestling has something to do with that, but it’s also due to the high caliber and pedigree of the wrestlers who have held the championship.

So far, the men who have called themselves AEW World Champion include former world champs from other promotions, a man who made his breakthrough to main event status since his arrival in AEW, and a couple of all-time greats.

Let’s take a look at the complete AEW World Championship title history from August 31, 2019 to date.

Most recent update: Dec. 31, 2023

AEW Worlds End results: MJF loses title, best friend thanks to Adam Cole betrayal

In front of his hometown fans, MJF had a bad night at AEW Worlds End.

Samoa Joe is all business on his way to the ring, but MJF gets an extended entrance with a funny video featuring Long Island natives. His entrance gear says “Most Magical Place in the World” under the arms. Joe gets a bit of a surprise when Adam Cole’s music hits and he comes out on crutches to support his friend. Or so we think, anyway.

Once the bell rings, MJF does a little Ric Flair-style strut, and he has both a brace and tape on his left shoulder. That doesn’t stop him from stomping and kicking away in the corner, but Joe quickly sends him to the mat. Joe throws a series of right hands as the fans get on him.

Now it’s kicks to MJF’s chest and a legdrop on the already ailing arm. The challenger’s attack stays focused on the left arm until some head shots in the corner. Joe wants a Muscle Buster, but MJF wriggles free and dumps his foe over the top rope to the floor.

MJF tries an inside cradle and the surprise factor works for a near fall, as does a sunset flip and a schoolboy. Max wants a Kangaroo Kick but sees it countered, but his attempt to skin the cat on the ropes gets him kicked in the head.

A big suicide dive by Joe is on target, causing some concern from Cole. The challenger gets a two count and stays calm when the match continues on. A German suplex flows right into a dragon suplex and a release straitjacket German. Another cover follows, and MJF manages to get one foot on the ropes to get a break.

They head to the apron, where a headbutt drives MJF back and leaves him vulnerable to a Muscle Buster on the apron. Cole’s face is likely to be memed far and wide, though MJF manages to kick out from the ensuing pinfall attempt.

Finally, MJF launches a rally with a lariat and some biting in the corner. The Kangaroo Kick is countered for a second time, and Max collapses when he tries to get Joe up for a fireman’s carry. But he comes back fast with a rolling elbow and a double stomp on Joe’s arm, then a Heatseeker for a two count.

Several counters leave both men on the mat, where MJF is trying for the Salt of the Earth, using some of his own athletic tape to yank on Joe’s arm until the ref prevents it. Joe reverses the hold, and Cole is working hard to urge his friend to reach the ropes … and he eventually does.

Joe looks for the Coquina Clutch, and Max’s escape leads to a ref bump. MJF sees an opportunity, delivering a low blow and hoisting Joe for an F-5. Wow. The champ crawls and puts an arm over Joe’s chest, but the ref only recovers in time to count to two.

Cole slips Max the Dynamite Diamond Ring, but the Coquina Clutch has him in trouble. Bryce Remsburg checks on MJF’s arm twice, then three time. He doesn’t answer, and he’s lost it by submission.

Cole looks distraught as Joe leaves with the championship belt. He climbs in the ring while the crowd starts a “bulls–t” chant. They’re surrounded by the Devil’s masked men, who quickly take both of them captive. Both men tell a guy with a chair to hit them … but the lights go out.

When they come back up, Cole is sitting on a chair. The masked men unmask to show that they are The Kingdom, Wardlow and Roderick Strong. Wardlow drops MJF with a powerbomb as Cole holds up the Devil mask.

[lawrence-related id=43157]

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 Worlds End 2023 card: 6 title matches highlight inaugural event

Take a look at the confirmed match card for the inaugural AEW Worlds End.

This year, the AEW pay-per-view schedule has been in full swing. Since its inception, AEW has only held a few major shows per year, but they have now increased to almost one per month. This trend will continue with the final show for 2023, Worlds End, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Dec. 30 at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York.

MJF, AEW’s resident Long Islander, will headline the show by defending his AEW World Championship against Samoa Joe. This will be their second title match in New York within the past 90 days, with MJF aiming to extend his record title reign as the incumbent.

On the Dec. 23 episode of AEW Collision, Christian Cage accepted Adam Copeland’s challenge for a No DQ match for his TNT Championship. The two longtime friends turned bitter rivals may finally settle their explosive beef on Long Island.

Worlds End will also have the climax of the inaugural AEW Continental Classic, with the final match going down at the event. The winner will be crowned the first ever AEW Triple Crown Champion by virtue of winning the new AEW Continental Championship, the ROH World Championship and the Strong Openweight Championship (as the latter two titles were put up for grabs by Eddie Kingston). Fittingly, Kingston will be one of the finalists, going up against Jon Moxley.

Several other matches were finalized on the Dec. 27 episode of Dynamite.

Worlds End goes down on Saturday, Dec. 30. Check out the full card below.

Latest update: Dec. 29, 2023, 10:25 p.m. ET.

AEW Worlds End 2023 card:

  • 20-man Battle Royal for a future AEW TNT Championship match (Zero Hour pre-show match)
  • Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale (Zero Hour pre-show match)
  • Hook (c) vs. Wheeler Yuta – FTW Championship match (Zero Hour pre-show match)
  • Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston – Championship Final of the AEW Continental Classic for the inaugural AEW Triple Crown Championship
  • Julia Hart (c) vs. Abadon – AEW TBS Championship match
  • “Timeless” Toni Storm (c) vs. Riho – AEW Women’s World Championship match
  • Chris Jericho, Darby Allin, Sammy Guevara and Sting vs. The Don Callis Family (Kyle Fletcher and Powerhouse Hobbs), Big Bill and Ricky Starks
  • Christian Cage (c) vs. Adam Copeland – No Disqualification match for the AEW TNT Championship
  • Keith Lee vs. Swerve Strickland
  • Miro vs. Andrade El Idolo
  • Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli and Bryan Danielson), Mark Briscoe and Daniel Garcia vs. Brody King, Jay White, Jay Lethal and Rush
  • MJF (c) vs. Samoa Joe – AEW World Championship match