Tag: Samoa Joe

AEW Dynamite preview 11/8/23: MJF, Samoa Joe defend their titles (but not against each other)

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite also has Sting, Darby Allin and Swerve Strickland scheduled for matches.

Like the great Yogi Berra once said, it’s getting late early on the road to Full Gear. So tonight’s AEW Dynamite from Portland is going to answer two big questions about who will be holding and competing for certain titles two Saturdays from now at the Kia Forum.

Will the world championship scene change ahead of Full Gear?

Let’s start with the biggest one first. MJF is supposed to be facing Jay White in Inglewood in a title match that subverts the usual champion-challenger dynamic since White has been in physical possession of the AEW World Championship for weeks.

Yet both of them have their spots in that match on the line tonight. White is facing Mark Briscoe, recently returned from injury. Meanwhile, MJF has his belt up for grabs against Daniel Garcia, currently struggling with the whole pro wrestler/sports entertainer thing again.

No one expects either MJF or White to lose, but it’s interesting that these high stakes matches are even taking place with the PPV 10 days away. And hey, if Switchblade loses, he can just refuse to give the title belt back as that’s been working out pretty well for him so far.

Will Samoa Joe vs. Keith Lee steal the show?

It seems like just last week we were complaining about AEW giving Keith Lee nothing interesting to do … because it was. We’re not saying we manifested his ROH World Television Championship shot against Samoa Joe tonight, but it does kind of feel like that.

Even though Joe does not have a title defense scheduled at Full Gear, there’s still time for that. Or maybe Lee actually wins this and becomes a mainstay on ROH for a bit. Either way, we’re looking forward to it.

Will Toni Storm appear only in black and white during her segment?

This is a sillier thing to look forward to, but Tony Schiavone is supposed to have a sitdown interview with Hikaru Shida and “Timeless” Toni Storm before they clash over Shida’s AEW Women’s World Championship at Full Gear, and AEW suggested Storm would only agree to it if she was filmed in black and white.

While her gimmick appears it may be grating on some fans, we still can’t get enough of it, and we can’t wait to see what she might do in the lead-up to Nov. 18.

Also announced for AEW Dynamite tonight:

  • Sting and Darby Allin take on The Outrunners
  • A returning Red Velvet faces Julia Hart
  • Swerve Strickland reps the PNW against Penta El Zero Miedo

AEW Dynamite comes our way from Portland tonight at 8 p.m. ET, and we’ll be ready with live coverage here at Wrestling Junkie at that time.

AEW Collision results 11/4/23: FTR still figuring out friend from foe

AEW Collision did a nice job of loading up the next episode of AEW Dynamite.

What do you do when you have a bunch of tag teams whose subplots all kind of overlap? Throw them into one big eight-man tag main event, which is what’s happening tonight on AEW Collision from Wichita.

FTR is still hot for another shot at Big Bill and Ricky Starks, the duo who beat them for the AEW World Tag Team Championship. Gates of Agony has been making trouble for FTR and other face teams too … an umbrella that now apparently includes La Faccion Ingobernable.

So yes, all four teams are going to be involved in the last match tonight. Will that settle anything? Probably not. But that’s just how you gotta roll sometimes in wrestling.

There’s some other interesting stuff on the card, beginning with the first match that’s wasting exactly zero time to get started.

AEW Collision results from Wichita:

  • AR Fox isn’t waiting for the Elton John song to start the show, attacking Swerve Strickland in what passes for a cold open to Collision
  • Swerve Strickland def. AR Fox by pinfall, after which …
  • … FTR comes out to brawl with Gates of Agony, and are soon joined by Big Bill and Ricky Starks, as well as La Faccion Ingobernable, and the faces end up clearing the ring as House of Black watches from somewhere in the seats
  • MJF responds to Daniel Garcia calling him out on Rampage, and he seems OK with it since Garcia is a young guy, but wants to know if he’s getting the professional wrestler or the sports entertainer
  • More from MJF, who sarcastically congratulates Jay White for pinning him and calls Switchblade a nobody; needless to say, Bullet Club Gold sees that pin somewhat differently, and White says his group has earned the night off but will be back on Wednesday
  • Kip Sabian is pissed off (his words) at Mark Briscoe, and challenges him to find two partners to face him and The Workhorsemen
  • Roderick Strong complains that no one is taking neck health seriously enough, but The Kingdom is going to prove it’s important tonight
  • The Kingdom def. Brixton Nash and Jameson McGregor by pinfall
  • Briscoe gets an offer from FTR to do double duty and team with him, but Mark says while he appreciates it, he has a couple other guys in mind and will holler at them after the show
  • Darby Allin def. Lance Archer by pinfall, but Jake Roberts says he has more guys to go after him: The Righteous, who distract Darby long enough for Lance to him him with the Blackout
  • Kris Statlander thanks Skye Blue for doing the right thing, and even though Skye says she only did it for Willow Nightingale, Willow tries to convince Kris that all of them are friends

  • Alex Abrahantes is interrupted by Strickland, but Abrahantes takes exception to Swerve’s home invasion of Hangman Adam Page and says Penta will beat some respect into him next week

  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass are ready to celebrate 69 days as trios champs, complete with balloons, streamers and the whole nine yards; Anthony Bowens has a special gift for Max Caster, which turns out to be a video message from MJF saying Caster has earned his respect and he’s starting to like The Acclaimed, but just when the segment looks like it’s going to end …

  • … Dalton Castle and The Boys take the 69 trophy that The Acclaimed had over at the announce table and smash it; that sets off a brawl between the two teams and ends up in a match
  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass def. Dalton Castle and The Boys to retain the AEW World Trios Championship
  • Andrade El Idolo says he’ll give his answer to C.J. Perry next week, face to face

  • Mark Briscoe, Dustin Rhodes and Keith Lee def. Kip Sabian and The Workhorsemen by pinfall
  • Briscoe challenges White for his title shot at Full Gear on this coming episode of Dynamite
  • Willow Nightingale def. Emi Sakura by pinfall
  • Samoa Joe says he hasn’t heard back from MJF on his offer to watch his back and says the champ will keep enduring the pain he has been; also Lee stops by to challenge him for his ROH World Television Championship on Dynamite
  • La Faccion Ingobernable (Rush and Preston Vance) and FTR def. Big Bill, Ricky Starks and Gates of Agony by pinfall when Rush pins Kaun, but LFI walks away from FTR without shaking hands afterward
  • House of Black has a message for FTR on the big screen, but they appear in the ring to deliver it hands on until Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta arrive with a steel chair to drive them off

AEW Collision results 10/28/23: MJF, Kenny Omega go to war in instant classic

MJF may have had the best match of his career in his AEW World Championship defense against Kenny Omega on AEW Collision.

Should one of the biggest possible AEW World Championship fights just be put together with three days’ notice? That’s a question worth pondering before we dive into tonight’s episode of AEW Collision from Uncasville, Conn.

No one would argue that MJF vs. Kenny Omega for the world title is a big deal, the kind of bout that could easily be a pay-per-view main event. So why was it only announced on Dynamite and taking place tonight?

Pondering that has led many to suspect that there will be some hijinks on Collision, something that will lead to a rematch or more people being added to another meeting between the two down the road. Something, surely.

Or maybe it’s just a way to ensure some ratings for Collision on a typically tough Saturday night for it. Either way, it’s added an extra layer of intrigue to this episode, so let’s not wait: Here’s what went down in Connecticut.

AEW Collision results from Uncasville:

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

  • Jay White def. AR Fox by pinfall, then manages to keep the AEW World Championship (which you may remember doesn’t actually belong to him, but hey) in his possession afterward despite MJF’s efforts to reclaim it
  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass are looking forward to National 69 Day, and Anthony Bowens and Billy Gunn put Max Caster in the corner for getting catfished by someone claiming to be MJF

  • The Gunns vs. The Boys by pinfall in a quick match
  • The MJF-Kenny Omega hype video shown originally on Dynamite is aired again
  • Danhausen wishes Happy Halloween to all humans and hints again he’ll be back soon

  • Ryan Nemeth is ready to try to attain CJ Perry’s services but is greeted by Miro and it sounds like he pays for it
  • Hikaru Shida def. Abadon by pinfall in a Halloween Fright Night match to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship
  • In her usual black and white, “Timeless” Toni Storm comes out to steal the spotlight from Shida after the title match, posing on the announce table

  • A video package features Keith Lee and Shane Taylor talking smack to each other
  • Samoa Joe def. Rhett Titus by submission to retain the ROH World Television Championship
  • Renee Paquette catches up with QTV and finds out that Q.T. Marshall plans to defend his AAA title against the best luchadores AEW has to offer

  • Claudio Castagnoli says Bryan Danielson has a broken orbital bone and promises to make Kazuchika Okada pay for it in Japan or the U.S. while also challenging Orange Cassidy to a title match for Dynamite

  • Ricky Starks def. Dax Harwood by pinfall, but when House of Black tries to gang up on FTR after the match, La Faccion Ingobernable arrives and turns face, helping the former tag team champs
  • Andrade El Idolo seems to be focused on his own business, not whatever is going on with LFI
  • Kris Statlander wants to settle things between Willow Nightingale and Skye Blue, but Skye says anything that needs to be cleared up between her and Willow is only their business
  • Claudio Castagnoli def. Hot Sauce by pinfall
  • Joe tells MJF he’ll watch his back if needed and to scream Joe’s name if he finds himself needing help
  • MJF def. Kenny Omega by pinfall to retain the AEW World Championship, though Joe, Wardlow, Powerhouse Hobbs and Bullet Club Gold are shown watching separately backstage
  • MJF offers another handshake to Omega, who accepts and then moves in for a hug as the crowd cheers in approval

AEW Battle of the Belts 8 results: Daniel Garcia dances when he should be fighting

No AEW championships changed hands in Memphis, but that doesn’t mean the show was free of intrigue.

It’s that time again. And by that, we mean time for Battle of the Belts, AEW’s quarterly hour of nothing but title matches. It’s kind of hard to believe this is the eighth installment, one of those definite “time flies” things.

As is typical for these shows, tonight’s edition from Memphis doesn’t include a world title match but does have several of the other championships up for grabs. And it will be interesting to see if the House of Black makes its presence felt, as the group is back to full strength and flexed its muscle all over Dynamite prior to this show.

Let’s dive in and see what we’ve got.

AEW Battle of the Belts VIII results:

  • Orange Cassidy def. John Silver by pinfall to retain the AEW International Championship
  • Andrade El Idolo is asked how he feels after his match with Bryan Danielson, but C.J. Perry says with a little guidance she could become the biggest and most handsome star in the world; he seems surprised to say the least
  • Smart Mark Sterling disses the people of Memphis and calls Tony Nese the future TV champ … and Nese insults the fans as well
  • Samoa Joe def. Tony Nese by pinfall to retain the ROH Television Championship; after the match, Joe calls out MJF, saying he’s coming for the AEW World Championship
  • Kris Statlander def. Willow Nightingale by pinfall to retain the AEW TBS Championship; Skye Blue isn’t happy that Nightingale shakes the champ’s hand after the match and has a short staredown with Statlander before she leaves
  • Orange Cassidy is upset with the BCC, so much so that he says he and Kazuchika Okada will take on Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli next week in Philadelphia on Dynamite
  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass scissor with the Memphis Grizzlies mascot, because why not?
  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Add def. Daniel Garcia, Angelo Parker and Matt Menard by pinfall to retain the AEW World Trios Championship, with Garcia paying for it when he dances at an inopportune time

AEW Dynamite results 10/4/23: Christian Cage tells Adam Copeland ‘go f— yourself’

AEW Dynamite also saw The Don Callis Family gain a powerful new ally and Jay White formally challenge MJF for Full Gear.

OK, look, the whole “time flies when you’re having fun” thing is a little tired, for sure. But holy crap, AEW Dynamite has been on the air for four years? It feels like just yesterday AEW was the little startup wrestling promotion that could, and now it’s out here showing off WWE Hall of Famers and stuff.

Well yes, it already had a few of those, granted. But Adam Copeland, the man formerly known as Edge, was WWE through and through … until he wasn’t. He’s already spoken with a couple media outlets about why he made the big move at this point in his career (not this one, but it’s cool, we’ll talk to you eventually Mr. Copeland), but he may tell the whole world more as he’s definitely scheduled to speak on Dynamite tonight in Stockton.

It wouldn’t be a proper anniversary celebration without a title match, and Dynamite is giving us one of those as well. Rey Fenix, who only recently won the International Championship from Jon Moxley, will defend it against one half of the Young Bucks, Nick Jackson. It’s always fun when tag team specialists get a singles run, and that could apply to the winner no matter who it turns out to be.

Speaking of tag teams, it’s hard to find many more unlikely than Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega. Yet the enemy of my enemy is truly my friend, which is why they’re joining forces in Stockton to continue their battle against The Don Callis Family … which hasn’t been going well as of late if we’re being honest.

We’ll also hear from Juice Robinson and The Gunns of Bullet Club Gold, and we’re guessing there will be some surprises in store as well given the occasion. Let’s find out.

AEW Dynamite results from Stockton:

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

  • Renee Paquette speaks with Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, who fought in the main event of the same Dynamite but are aligned tonight; Adam Copland stops by, is offered a handshake by Omega and wishes the two of them good luck against The Don Callis Family
  • Rey Fenix def. Nick Jackson by pinfall to retain the AEW International Championship
  • Adam Cole goes to check on Roderick Strong, and they have fun rolling around with Roddy in a wheelchair and Adam on a scooter while The Kingdom sits around looking miserable; the audio is too broken to hear what else they’re discussing
  • Wardlow def. Griff Garrison by referee stoppage
  • A brief video shows Copeland’s debut from WrestleDream
  • Don Callis tells Paquette that Sammy Guevara isn’t cleared to compete but suggests that a number of people want to prove it to the Family, and he says he’s got someone to team with Konosuke Takeshita tonight: Kyle Fletcher
  • Because of the audio issues, the Cole-Strong video is shown again, with Roddy guilt tripping Adam into rearranging the furniture and putting off his ankle surgery again
  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass def. The Butcher, The Blade and Kip Sabian by pinfall to retain the AEW World Trios Championship
  • The second part of Toni Storm’s interview goes even worse for poor RJ City until he convinces her that she’s “Timeless,” and apparently that version of her will premiere tonight
  • Bryan Danielson and Zack Sabre Jr. seem like they’re not finished with each other
  • Bullet Club Gold gets one over on MJF, getting him to agree to put his title up against Jay White at Full Gear
  • Paquette talks to Orange Cassidy and Hook, who eat chips and wonder if Orange should get a title shot next week; Renee turns down Hook’s offer of chips
  • Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega def. Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher by pinfall, but …
  • … Powerhouse Hobbs hits the ring to destroy Jericho and Omega after the bell, smashing Jericho with a steel chair and helping The Don Callis Family hold Omega in place for a chair shot from Callis
  • Paquette talks to MJF, who pauses to call Max Caster a stalker and tries calling Cole but gets no answer
  • Samoa Joe discusses the difference between being hungry and satisfied, and that while MJF earned his respect, it only means his hunger will be focused on the world champ
  • “Timeless” Toni Storm def. Skye Blue by pinfall
  • Stokely Hathaway joins Paquette to discuss the four-way bout on Rampage to find a No. 1 contender for Eddie Kingston’s ROH World Championship
  • Adam Copeland makes his Dynamite debut

AEW Dynamite Grand Slam results 09/20/23: Kingston, Fenix, Saraya, MJF come up big

Get live AEW Dynamite Grand Slam results, with MJF vs. Samoa Joe headlining four championship matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The funny thing about being on top of the world is how many people want to knock you off that perch. MJF has certainly learned that lesson since becoming AEW World Champion, with both friends and foes trying to take that title away from him. Tonight at AEW Dynamite Grand Slam at Arthur Ashe Stadium, he’s definitely up against one of the latter.

Samoa Joe had to earn his title shot via a tournament, but really wasn’t pushed all that hard along the way except a bit in the final by Roderick Strong. He and MJF have history that dates back to even before the current champ was a notable wrestler, so it’ll be personal as well as business in NYC.

The same could be said for the other three championship matches on the Grand Slam Dynamite card, all of which have been set up nicely by AEW despite this show now finding itself smashed between the All In/All Out spectacles and the brand spanking new WrestleDream early next month. Of the others, the one with the biggest chance to steal the show is the title vs. title encounter between Eddie Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli, the payoff to a sense of mutual dislike that is both rare and long overdue to spill into one-on-one violence.

There’s also the sense that some surprises could show up at Arthur Ashe Stadium. It’s probably too early for a certain Canadian who can see clearly to make an appearance, but there are other names with WWE histories that would make this show feel even bigger.

We’ve got two members of our Wrestling Junkie team in the house, but we’ll also be manning the keyboard as usual on Wednesday nights. Let’s see what this night has in store.

AEW Dynamite Grand Slam results from NYC:

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

  • Eddie Kingston def. Claudio Castagnoli by pinfall in a Title vs. Title match to retain the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship and become the new ROH World Champion
  • We flash back to last week, where The Kingdom is reading inspirational messages to Roderick Strong in the hospital, and Adam Cole is there for him too … but only for a few minutes, as he has to go support MJF and a disgusted Roddy tells him to “just go”
  • Christian Cage says he’s done with Darby Allin but knows Darby isn’t letting things go, so he invites Allin for a three-way dance on Collision with him and Luchasaurus, with the International Championship on the line but Sting banned from ringside
  • Chris Jericho def. Sammy Guevara by pinfall, but Guevara kicks Jericho in the groin after the bell and leaves with Don Callis
  • MJF delivers a warning to Samoa Joe and has Cole beside him, but Adam gets a call from a panicked Roddy and has to talk him down, to the champ’s annoyance
  • Rey Fenix def. Jon Moxley by pinfall to become the new AEW International Champion
  • Samoa Joe has his final say before his meeting with MJF
  • Saraya def. Toni Storm by pinfall to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship
  • MJF def. Samoa Joe by submission to retain the AEW World Championship, with Cole arriving to lend his support when Max needs it most

AEW Dynamite Grand Slam 2023 preview: Gold up for grabs at Arthur Ashe

Four championships will be on the line at AEW Dynamite Grand Slam in NYC.

Say what you want about AEW’s booking style — and many people do — but even with AEW Dynamite Grand Slam arriving in the middle of a more crowded event schedule than usual, the company has managed to put together a card that features a number of championship matches that all have a story behind them.

In what’s likely to be the main event, MJF will defend his AEW World Championship against Samoa Joe. Their history goes back years to a meme you’ve probably seen at some point, plus Joe won his way through a tournament for the chance to see what the Devil is made of.

When Saraya puts her AEW Women’s World Championship on the line against Toni Storm, it will be the latest chapter in a saga with The Outcasts that’s been going on for some time. That’s even more true for the title vs. title showdown between Eddie Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli.

Heck, even the AEW International Championship match between Jon Moxley and Rey Fenix has a bit of a back story behind it. And that certainly is the case for the one non-title bout on the card, where Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara will put their friendship aside for one night to find out definitively if the pupil has outgrown the master.

The point is that there are no random matches here, and that’s a good thing. Grand Slam may have be now a bit lost in the shuffle between PPVs, and the wonder may have worn off a little from holding a show at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but it deserves a card with some thought behind it, and that’s absolutely the case tonight.

We can’t wait to see how it plays out beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Be sure to tune in live on TBS or join us back here at Wrestling Junkie for live updates throughout the show.

Samoa Joe says CM Punk All In incident no big deal to him: ‘I’m used to that environment’

Samoa Joe says he was more focused on the match ahead of him at AEW All In than the backstage incident that led to CM Punk’s firing.

Even in a pro wrestling world full of hyperbole, it’s hard to overstate how big the backstage incident at AEW All In London between CM Punk and Jack Perry turned out to be. Not only did it lead to Punk’s eventual firing (and an indefinite suspension for Perry), but it nearly forced an on-the-fly card change during AEW’s biggest show to date.

Of course, when you’re a veteran of the wrestling business like Punk’s opponent that night, Samoa Joe, one who’s seen everything and been a champion around the world, you’re much less likely to be rattled by what may appear to others as absolute backstage chaos.

That’s exactly the tone Joe took during his interview with The New York Post’s Joseph Staszewski, when the ROH World Television Champion was asked if the situation at Wembley Stadium was as “intense as it sounded.”

That’s up to whoever perceived it. I’m used to that environment. Those things don’t seem very intense to me, but it could be something crazy intense to someone else. I wasn’t really affected by the moment. I was more focused on getting the show back on track and getting us going because it was bell time.

Joe also noted without saying in so many words that with Punk gone, there’s a chance for everyone in AEW to step up and show what they can do (“There’s more time for everybody now. Everybody knows that.”). He feels it’s not only the veterans, including himself, that are rising to the occasion, but that people throughout the company can and will do so.

Maybe it’s easier to be so zen when you are both feared as a competitor and respected as a locker room leader like Samoa Joe. It’s still amazing to consider that as a pivotal person in what was likely the wildest behind-the-scenes moment in pro wrestling this year, he was pretty much unaffected to the point where he went out and had a great match in Punk’s AEW swan song.

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AEW Dynamite results 09/13/23: Samoa Joe chokes out Roderick Strong … and Adam Cole

Check out AEW Dynamite results from Cincy, including more matches set for both Grand Slam and WrestleDream.

Though we’ve passed the “All” shows that were just a week apart (All In and All Out), the pace of AEW events isn’t slowing down just yet. The brand spanking new WrestleDream is looming on the first weekend of October, and oh yeah, Grand Slam is coming up at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens in …

(Checks calendar)

One week? Wait, what?

OK then, we’ve obviously got some important business to attend to tonight on AEW Dynamite in Cincinnati, and by that, we mean finding out who’s going to be challenging for the AEW World Championship (held by MJF) and AEW Women’s World Championship (currently around the waist of Saraya). We’re doing that in the most time-honored way possible tonight: in the ring.

On the men’s side, the final match in a tournament will be a very intriguing encounter between Samoa Joe and Roderick Strong. Both have their own reasons for wanting the Triple B other than just wanting to win gold, and we can’t wait to see which direction AEW decides to go.

The women’s challenger will be decided in a four-way bout that includes former champs Hikaru Shida, Britt Baker and Nyla Rose. Two-time champ Toni Storm is in the hunt as well, and would arguably be the juiciest winner of all since she is teammates with Saraya. Or was? We’re not 100% clear on that, nor are The Outcasts, nor, quite possibly, is Storm herself.

Want even more? Cool, because there’s a Jon Moxley title defense in his hometown, the third meeting in a trilogy between Hangman Adam Page and Brian Cage, and an appearance by Le Sex Gods. Sounds like plenty of good stuff to us.

AEW Dynamite results from Cincinnati:

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

  • Jon Moxley def. Big Bill by submission to retain the AEW International Championship, in a match that sees Ricky Starks, Bryan Danielson, and eventually, Claudio Castagnoli get involved
  • Adam Cole warns Roderick Strong that this match against Samoa Joe is a bad idea, but Roddy says he’s going to win because he’s a wrestling legend

  • Tony Schiavone (very grudgingly) brings Don Callis and Konosuke Takeshita to the ring for an unveiling of a painting … and a new target
  • The BCC (including a still very bloody Moxley) wants a tag team match with Big Bill and Ricky Starks at Collision; the Lucha Bros. also arrive and cause a ruckus while Eddie Kingston warns Castagnoli “one more week”
  • Renee Paquette tries to talk to Hook, who ends up getting a show of respect from Orange Cassidy, who admits he’s “still so tired”
  • Toni Storm def. Hikaru Shida, Nyla Rose and Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. to earn a championship shot at Saraya at Grand Slam, speaking of which …
  • … Saraya tells Paquette she’s proud, maybe, of Storm, but Toni has lost her mind and will lose to her in New York as well
  • Le Sex Gods promise to give their all against each other at Grand Slam
  • We flash back to last week, where MJF is told he isn’t cleared for tonight but will be back for Grand Slam; he sounds off on both Roderick Strong and Samoa Joe, doing his own version of Scott Steiner’s infamous match promo in the process, to hilarious effect
  • Hangman Adam Page def. Brian Cage by pinfall, then jaws with Swerve Strickland to set up a match at WrestleDream, needing a save from the Young Bucks
  • Daniel Garcia wants to talk about himself with Paquette, and Callis wants to hear more but gets only Garcia’s dance in return

  • A video package replays Jade Cargill’s return and promotes her rematch with Kris Statlander later this week
  • Darby Allin and Nick Wayne def. Angelo Parker and Matt Menard by pinfall, then get challenged to a tag match at Grand Slam by Christian Cage and Luchasaurus
  • Samoa Joe def. Roderick Strong by submission in a Grand Slam World Title Eliminator Tournament final
  • Joe calls out MJF after his victory, promising to take everything from the champion next week
  • Cole runs out to check on Strong, who is selling his injured neck like crazy and looks like he’s going to be carried out on a backboard; while Cole is arguing with The Kingdom, Samoa Joe returns and chokes him out

AEW Dynamite preview 09/13/23: Who will face MJF at Grand Slam?

Of course, Jon Moxley is in action on AEW Dynamite from Cincinnati as well.

MJF is going to have to defend his AEW World Championship a week from now at Grand Slam, and for once, he doesn’t even seem that upset about it since the show is in New York. But he doesn’t know who his opponent will be, and one of the key parts of tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite from Cincinnati will be finding out who that challenger is.

A tournament to determine the Grand Slam challenger has made it to the final, and both men left standing have reasons for wanting to face MJF beyond just winning the Triple B. Samoa Joe started something with the champ at All Out and has only escalated things since then. Not many people know how to prove a point like he does.

As for Roderick Strong, his quest is a bit more personal. Feeling abandoned by his good friend Adam Cole, Strong would like nothing more than to stick it to Cole by winning the title Adam failed to claim at All In.

(Also, neck health awareness!)

Of course, that’s far from the only thing on tap for tonight. Cincy’s favorite son, Jon Moxley, will defend his International Championship against Big Bill. A four-way battle will pick a challenger for Saraya and the AEW Women’s World Championship at Grand Slam, and one of the contestants is the now delightfully off her rocker Toni Storm, so watch for the shoe.

Plus we’ll see Hangman Adam Page, who had his manhood and desire questioned last week by Swerve Strickland, go up against Brian Cage. We’ll hear from Le Sex Gods, and Don Callis will unveil his latest “masterpiece,” which we can safely assume to be another painting in questionable taste.

You know what that means: that you need to either tune in to TBS at 8 p.m. ET tonight, or join us back here at Wrestling Junkie for live updates.

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