SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW WORLDS END
DECEMBER 30, 2023
UNIONDALE, N.Y. AT VETERANS’ MEMORIAL COLISEUM
AIRED LIVE ON PPV
Commentators: Excalibur, Nigel McGuinness, Taz
Hosts: Renee Paquette, R.J. City
LISTEN FREE TO OUR AEW WORLDS END POST-SHOW – Greg Parks & Brandon LeClair break down the show and are joined by PWTorch’s Frank Peteani with an in-person report.
“ZERO HOUR” PRE-SHOW
(A) WILLOW NIGHTINGALE vs. KRIS STATLANDER
Stokely Hathaway joined the commentators and talked about having an eye on Kris Statlander. When Statlander came to the ring, she saw Hathaway and threw her jacket at him.
Willow’s Doctor Bomb finisher was botched the first time and it seemed that the ref wasn’t sure whether to count to three on the sloppy cover or not. Then Willow re-did her finisher and got the win.
WINNER: Nightingale in 14:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: This was mostly okay with a steady pace and a series of two counts after big spots, but got really clunky at the end and at times I found myself cringing with concern someone was going to get hurt with a bad landing.)
-A vignette aired on Serena Deeb. She was shown being put in a straight jacket and then escaping it. She said she has been in isolation training to become a master.
(B) BATTLE ROYAL – Winner Receives TNT Title match
Danhaussen, John Silver, Alex Reynolds, Serpentico, Trent Beretta, Brian Keith, Christopher Daniels, Johnny TV, Killswitch, Dalton Castle, Kip Sabian, Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, Rocky Romero, Darius Martin, Dante Martin, Butcher, Blade, Lance Archer, and Killswitch. During Dalton Castle’s ring entrance, Taz noted that Dalton’s Boys “are much bigger.” He wasn’t wrong. Excalibur said this match was booked to be sure there was someone to challenge the winner of the Christian Cage vs. Adam Copeland match for the TNT Title later.
The wrestlers focused at the start of the match on attacking Archer and Killswitch and putting them under tables at ringside. Excalibur asked Taz and Nigel if the plural of “battle royal” is “battles royal” or “battle royals,” comparing it to “attorneys general.” Danhaussen tried to cast a spell on Brian Keith.
Archer finally entered the match late and began eliminating opponents.Beretta and Danhaussen eliminated Archer a few minutes later. It came down to Danhaussen, Beretta, and Killswitch. Beretta and Danhassen hugged, so Excalibur said “You have to give the people what they want.” Beretta then dumped Danhaussen over the top rope, although it took two tries. He went after Killswitch with three running knees. Killswitch chokeslammed Beretta to change momentum. Killswitch charged, but Beretta ducked and Killswitch tumbled over the top rope to the ring apron. Beretta kneed Killswitch on the ring apron and set up a suplex, but Killswitch blocked it and then landed an uppercut that sent Beretta to the floor.
WINNER: Killswitch in 14:00 to earn a future TNT Title match.
(Keller’s Analysis: Killswitch seemed like the obvious winner given the reward for winning and his involvement with Christian.)
-A vignette aired on Riho being the first AEW Women’s Champion. Toni Storm said the best takes what comes before it and renders it moot.
(C) HOOK vs. WHEELER YUTA – FTW Title match with FTW Anything Goes Rules
They fought hardcore-style early including using a trash can and a stop sign. Hook hit some suplexes. Yuta came back with a fisherman’s suplex into a bridge for a near fall. Hook overhead suplexed Yuta into a trash can in the corner. When he went for Red Rum, Yuta dropped back and slammed Hook onto a trash can. He then DDT’d Hook on a stop sign for a near fall.
With Hook recovering at ringside, Yuta grabbed a two-by-four. Hook grabbed a hockey stick and tripped Yuta with it, breaking the stick. He used the broken stick as a weapon and applied Red Rum with it to get a tapout win.
WINNER: Hook in 11:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Solid hardcore style match that didn’t overdo it since it’s a pre-show match. It sets up Yuta to tour being a Pure Champion as a counter to Hook beating him in a on-rules match.)
-Renee and R.J. hyped the PPV line-up.
MAIN PPV CARD
(1) JAY LETHAL & BRODY KING & “SWITCHBLADE” JAY WHITE & RUSH vs. BRYAN DANIELSON & CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI & MARK BRISCOE & DANIEL GARCIA
Matt Menard joined on commentary. This was billed as an “All-Star Eight-Man” tag. Excalibur talked about everyone in the match having been in the Continental Classic Tournament. The bell rang to start the match 11 minutes into the hour. Ring introductions took quite a while as everyone got individual entrances. Rush and Claudio battled mid-ring first. Lethal and Briscoe tagged in at once a minute in. Excalibur said they have two decades of history with each other. Danielson and White then paired off and battled for a few minutes. Finally, at 6:00, Garcia and Brody tagged in and took their turn battling.
When Brody battled Garcia at ringside, Menard stood up. Brody yelled at him, “You’re not going to do shit; you’re a bitch!” Rush got the better of Garcia and did a hip swivel to mock Garcia. At 11:00 they did a series of dives to the floor.
After some rapid-fire chaos with a number of wrestlers, Lethal when for his Lethal Injection finisher. Garcia avoided it and scored a three count. Menard leaped up in excitement that Garcia got the win.
WINNER: Garcia & Briscoe & Danielson & Claudio in 18:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Nice action. A bit formulaic with wrestlers pairing off early for what amounted to an inconsequential opening 8 minutes other than some novel one-on-one battles. The rebuilding of Garcia seems to be a patient, slow brick by brick strategy, and this was another brick.)
(2) ANDRADE (w/C.J. Perry) vs. MIRO – Loser Gets to Leave AEW Match (not really, but sorta)
Miro jumped Andrade before the bell. The ref scolded Miro verbally and then rewarded the pre-match attack by calling for the bell as Miro was stomping away at Andrade. (It’s so ridiculous AEW does this so often.) The announcers made a big deal out of Andrade turning his back on Miro without pointing out the bell hadn’t rung yet. Excalibur noted C.J. was hospitalized recently (with an infection that spread), so it was good to see her healthy and present for Andrade.
Miro fought back after a brief Andrade comeback and tossed him across the ring. He asked C.J. if that’s what she wanted. She yelled back at him. “We just got a glimpse at their living room,” Taz said. Nigel said Taz apparently doesn’t advocate for marriage. Taz paused and said he loves his wife “and she’s nice to me.”
Andrade got the better of Miro at ringside and tossed him onto the announce desk. Back in the ring, Miro suplexed Andrade off the top rope. Not a lot of crowd heat for this one.. C.J. yelled instructions and encouragement at ringside for Andrade. Andrade and Miro stood after the top rope suplex spot and exchanged chops. A “Let’s Go Miro” chant took place. Excalibur said the crowd was firmly behind Miro. (I’d say they were more ambivalent than firmly behind anyone.)
Andrade kipped up and flexed with Miro down in the corner. He telegraphed what he was about to do, and then Miro rolled to the floor. Andrade then backflipped off the top rope onto Miro at ringside. Andrade then drove Miro back-first into the ringside steps. Andrade and a smiling C.J. hugged.
Back in the ring Miro kicked a charging Andrade and scored a near fall. Miro let out a yell as he sensed momentum. Excalibur said he was feeding off his fury. He yelled, “Game over!” He then stomped Andrade’s back and applied a Camel Clutch mid-ring. Andrade fought it and then reached the bottom rope to force a break. Miro told C.J. that she should be cheering for her husband. Andrade hit a spinning back elbow for a near fall.
Andrade gave Miro a Dragon Screw in the ropes and then applied a figure-four leglock. He attempted to bridge into a Figure-Eight, but Miro rolled over and reversed it. Andrade rolled Miro back over. When he tried to bridge into a Figure-Eight, C.J. swept his arms out from under him. Andrade looked at her confused. Nigel said she turned. Miro then landed the Machka Kick for a near fall. Miro followed with Game Over for a tapout win. C.J. smiled at ringside. Excalibur said C.J. might’ve been disappointed in Andrade’s performance in the Continental Classic. Nigel said perhaps she was “playing possum the whole time” and always had the interests of her husband in his mind and his heart. C.J. smiled and pointed at Miro who seemed tobe surprised by her. As Miro circled the ring toward C.J., they cut away so viewers didn’t get to see what was pretty much the climax of this entire long storyline – whether Miro would reconcile with C.J. after the match.
WINNER: Miro in 15:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good match with a good pace. That said, the fans just don’t seem invested in the storyline and I can’t blame them. Fans were somewhat behind Miro, perhaps in part because of reports spreading that this was Andrade’s last match in AEW before he heads back to WWE.)
(3) TONI STORM (w/Luther) vs. RIHO – AEW Women’s Title match
Taz talked about how Riho is undersized compared to virtually all of her opponents, and he said that’s something he dealt with, but you learn to play to your strengths. The bell rang 55 minutes into the first hour. Luther intercepted a flying Riho at ringside and handed her to Storm, who slammed her. Storm went on sustained offense in the ring. Storm sat on Luther’s shoulders and ran at ringside as Storm yanked Riho off the ring apron to the floor. Excalibur noted that Luther didn’t technically touch Riho. Schiavone said the ref still could have sent Luther to the back for that. Storm applied a Texas Cloverleaf mid-ring. When Riho reached for the bottom rope, Luther pulled the bottom rope away from her. The ref ordered him to the back for that.
Riho made a comeback and landed a crossbody and then a bodyslam (although she barely lifted Storm) leading to a two count. Wen Storm retreated to the floor, Riho leaped off the top rope and landed a crossbody block. Back in the ring, Riho delivered a Dragon Suplex. Storm came back with a Storm Zero for a near fall. Riho scored a near fall, but Storm grabbed the bottom rope to stop the count. When she climbed to the second rope, Storm yanked her by her legs to the mat and then drove Riho to the mat with a modified DDT for the win.
WINNER: Storm in 12:00 to retain the AEW Women’s Title.
-Afterward, Mariah May entered the ring with a bucket of rose pedals and threw them around Storm. Storm dropped to the mat and rolled in the rose pedals as the screen switched to black and white.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good match with a nice pace that incorporated both Storm’s and Riho’s personalities and ring styles well.)
-Dante Martin challenged Orange Cassidy to a match for the International Title. Cassidy walked in and said he’d defend against him on Wednesday’s Dynamite.
(4) “SWERVE” STRICKLAND (w/Prince Nana) vs. DUSTIN RHODES
Dustin replaced Keith Lee, who Excalibur said wasn’t medically cleared for his match. As Dustin entered the ring, Swerve dropkicked him off the ring apron and aggressively threw him into the ringside barricade. Excalibur said Swerve has so much pent up rage aimed at Lee, but this isn’t the match he wanted, and he’s taking it out on Dustin. Nana pulled a cinder block out from under the ring. Swerve leaped off the ring apron and stomped on Dustin’s ankle on the cinder block. The medical staff checked on Dustin’s ankle. Excalibur said the match hasn’t officially started and it might not get started. Dustin was helped to the back by several referees. Swerve stood mid-ring and watched. Dustin stopped on the ramp and turned back to Swerve, who smiled and waved him to the ring. Dustin began limping back to the ring.
When Dustin entered the ring, the ref called for the bell. Swerve jumped Dustin right after the bell and went on the attack. Excalibur said this could be the end of Dustin’s 35 year career. Taz said they don’t know what’s going on under that boot since the laces hold everything in place, but it could be a torn Achilles or another serious injury.
They battled on the top rope. Dustin headbutted Swerve off of him and then leaped off the top rope with a crossbody onto Swerve for a two count. Dustin cut off a Swerve comeback with a Destroyer and a snap powerslam for a two count. When Nana protested to the ref on the ring apron, Dustin gave Swerve a low kick and then a piledriver. Fans booed the low-blow. Dustin then delivered a twisting neckbreaker for a two count.
Swerve took over. Dustin slapped Swerve and gave him the middle finger, but Swerve just kept on the attack. Fans were increasingly vocally behind Swerve. Excalibur said the ref might need to stop this match. Swerve climbed to the top rope and landed a top rope Swerve Storm, although he left Dustin sitting up waiting for it for too long. He then scored the three count. Schiavone said Dustin showed everyone what he is made of.
WINNER: Swerve in 10:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: If they were going to the ankle injury spot, this should’ve lasted no more than three minutes. It wasn’t fair to Dustin because the crowds in AEW are behind Swerve and that was apparent here. It wasn’t ideal for Swerve, either, that a part time wrestler in his 30s with a potentially badly injured ankle survived ten minutes with him and put up a tough fight.)
(5) CHRIS JERICHO & SAMMY GUEVARA & STING & DARBY ALLIN vs. RICKY STARKS & BIG BILL & POWERHOUSE HOBBS & KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (w/Don Callis)
Jericho came out first. Fans were shown singing “Judas.” One fan held up a sign that said “Jeri-Go-Away.” Fans booed Jericho (stemming from reports this week indicating Jericho had something to do with Kylie Ray’s departure from AEW and NDAs being signed). There was also an “NDA” chant and a “Worlds NDA” sign in the crowd.
Excalibur said Guevara reconciling with Jericho was a big surprise. Excalibur said people say fatherhood can change someone. Taz said he used to be mean to people, but he’s nice since becoming a dad. Excalibur asked if this is really the nice version of Taz, implying he doesn’t think he’s nice so he must’ve been really mean decades ago. When Sting came out, Schiavone said this is likely going to be the last time Sting wrestles in New York. When Callis came out, fans chanted “F— you, Callis!”
Jericho and Takeshita battled at the start. Callis remained at ringside rather than joining the commentators. The heels took turns tagging in against Darby and beating on him. The crowd popped when Darby finally hot-tagged in Sting. He went after Starks and Takeshita with Stinger Splashes in opposite corners. Sting crotched Bill on the top rope.
When the heels took over, Starks walked the top rope while holding onto Sting’s arm, then leaped off with a forearm. Sting made a comeback and tagged in Guevara shortly thereafter. Takeshita back suplexed Guevara and Darby at once. Sting blocked a Takeshita high knee seconds later and applied a Scorpion Deathlock mid-ring. Callis entered with a baseball bat, so Sting released the hold and chased Callis out.
Bill and Darby battled next, with Darby sending Bill to ringside and then diving into him at ringside. Guevara then went for a running dive, but Starks speared him as he charged and scored a near fall. Guevara landed a top rope shooting star press on Starks for the three count. Excalibur noted that Guevara just pinned one-half of the tag team champions. Sting celebrated alone in the ring as his music played. Schiavone said this was a chance for fans to show appreciation for Sting after one of his final matches. The announcers talked about what a good person he is. Schiavone said he was therefor Sting’s first match on TBS and he’s so happy he was able to follow his entire career. Sting slapped hands of fans at ringside.
WINNERS: Guevara & Jericho & Sting & Darby in 16:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: A lot of good action in that one. The finish certainly points to Jericho & Guevara making a case that they’ve earned a tag team title shot. In the post-match celebration, Sting seemed to be ignoring Jericho, but that might be reading into the scene given circumstances. The Jericho situation was a cloud over this match and took away from Sting’s final match in New York. It’s struck me during Sting’s entrance that AEW is really underplaying Sting’s final matches since this match was thrown together at the last second, and seemingly only because of Kenny Omega’s injury. For whatever it’s worth, Wikipedia briefly listed Le Sex Gods as “Le Sex Pests” on the Worlds End page.)
(6) JULIA HART vs. ABADON – TBS Title match with House Rules allowing biting and no rope breaks
Fans chanted “This is spooky!” in the opening minute. A methodical pace in the early minutes. Julia took control, but Abadon bit her arm. Later, Skye Blue ran out to interfere, then hid under the ring. Abadon dragged Skye Blue out from under the ring and beat her up. Julia attacked Abadon at ringside and rammed her head repeatedly into the ringside steps. Julia then leaped off the top rope with a moonsault, but overshot badly and kinda landed on her knees. Excalibur tried to cover for her by saying it wasn’t a moonsault but rather a flip into a kneedrop.
WINNER: Julia Hart in 12:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: The pace of this was the slowest of the night. There were moments of intensity and violence, but it didn’t add up to a good match.)
(7) CHRISTIAN CAGE (w/Nick Wayne, Shayna Wayne) vs. ADAM COPELAND – TNT Title match with no rules
During Copeland’s ring entrance, Nigel said Copeland has gone full on psychopath and even cited Will Smith when noting that Copeland told Christian to get his wife’s name out of his mouth. Excalibur pushed back on Nigel’s framing. Copeland attacked Christian on the entrance stage. Fans loudly chanted “TLC” at Copeland as he pummeled Christian in the ring. Christian bailed out. Copeland pursued him and whipped him into the ringside steps hard. Christian flip bumped over them. Copeland was already bleeding above his eye from ramming can into his forehead during his ring entrance. They brawled into the stands. Copeland leaped off a ledge of the upper deck onto Christian below. Fans chanted “This is awesome!”
Back in the ring, Copeland mounted Christian in the corner and punched away at him. Christian avoided a charging Copeland and send him shoulder-first into the ringpost. Christian dominated for an extended stretch. He grabbed a metal rod, but Copeland recovered and knocked it out of Christian’s hands. Copeland then used a kendo stick to bash Christian over and over. Copeland then pulled the metal rod against Christian’s mouth.
Christian came back and brought a ladder in the ring. When he climbed it, Copeland met him up there. Copeland set up a suplex. Christian blocked it and sunset flip powerbombed Copeland off the top of the ladder. Nick Wayne was holding the ladder in place. Christian pulled tables out from under the ring. Copeland recovered and went back on the attack before the tables could be used. He hit Christian with a kendo stick and a chair at ringside. Back in the ring he delivered an Impaler on a flat chair in the ring. He put Christian’s face on the chair as a “This is awesome!” chant broke out. Copeland smiled and then set up a concahirto, but Nick ran in and yanked the chair away from him. When Copeland turned around, Nick bailed out and smiled. Christian then jabbed Copeland from behind between his legs. Taz went into detail on how it feels to get hit there.
With a table leaning in the corner, Christian charged at Copeland for a spear, but Copeland leapfrogged him and then hit him with a chair. Then Copeland speared Christian through the table, which popped the crowd. Shayna pulled the ref out of the ring as he counted the pin. Copeland rolled to the floor and eyed Shayna. Nick then hit Copeland from behind in the head with a title belt. Nick then leaped off the apron with a Wayne’s World cutter on Copeland. He threw Copeland back into the ring. Christian then gave him a Kill Switch for a convincing near fall.
Nick and Christian poured lighter fluid on a table at ringside. Nick set it on fire. Christian tried to throw Copeland from the ring onto the table, but Copeland blocked it. Copeland then went after Nick. He squirted more lighter fluid on the table and set it on fire again. Shayna begged Copeland to stop. Copeland then powerbombed Nick off the ring apron onto the table. Nick overshot it for the most part and barely grazed the table, but he did tip it over. He sold it like he was burned, but he clearly wasn’t.
Back in the ring, Copeland gave Christian a Killswitch to win.
WINNER: Copeland in 25:00 to win the TNT Title.
-The camera panned the packed crowd as Copeland was announced as the winner. Copeland kneeled and looked at the TNT Title belt as his music played. Killswitch entered the ring and attacked Copeland from behind. Fans booed. Killswitch then chokeslammed him onto the chair which was unfolded and in sitting position. Killswitch was about to hand the ref his title opportunity “anytime, anywhere” contract. Christian intervened and demanded Killswitch give it to him. He whispered something to him. Killswitch handed Christian the contract and then left the ring. Christian signed the contract. The ref told Justin Roberts the match is on for the TNT Title.
(8) CHRISTIAN vs. ADAM COPELAND – TNT Title match
Christian speared Copeland and scored a three count. Nigel exclaimed, “It’s a Christmas miracle!” Killswitch carried a limp-bodied Nick Wayne on his shoulders and carried him to the back alongside Christian, as Christian’s music played. As Copeland struggled to stand, Excalibur said he will have the distinction of having the shortest TNT Title reign of any champion.
WINNER: Christian in about ten seconds to regain the TNT Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Under many circumstances, this would have been a lame twist and somewhat preposterous that the contract Killswitch won turned out to be transferable on request and that they switched the belt back like that. However, it does fit Christian’s character so well and how he manipulates people and seems to have control over Killswitch. The brawl itself fit the tone of the feud and the crowd ate it up from start to finish, even if they were trying to “book it” with chants, including calling for fire early. Nick Wayne was great at ringside and reminds me so much of heel Lightning Kid (a/k/a X-Pac, Sean Waltman) in the GWF in the early 1990s. I would say it’s too bad that the flaming table spot didn’t work out as planned, but it’s probably for the better considering the risks involved if he had landed on it as planned.)
(9) JON MOXLEY vs. EDDIE KINGSTON – Continental Classic Tournament Final
Bryan joined the in on commentary at ringside. Mox and Kingston started with a trash-talking staredown, but it seemed based around mutual respect and getting psyched up. They started somewhat slow, feeling each other out. They cjopped each other. Kingston landed an enzuigiri. Mox rolled to ringside. Kingston dove through the ropes. Mox ducked and Kingston grazed Mox as he flewover him. Kingston grabbed the top of his head that hit the base of the ringside barricade. The ref came to check on him. Kingston waved him off and seemed hurt.
Back in the ring, Mox immediately suplexed Kingston onto the back of his head. Mox slidekicked Kingston to the ringside mat and then DDT’d him. The fans, who were mostly behind Kingston, booed. Mox returned to the ring as the ref counted. Kingston beat the count. Kingston chopped Mox, who had his forearms raised. Danielson wondered if Kingston broke his forearm from the impact. Mox applied an STF and then spoke some words to Kingston. Kingston bit his way out of the hold.
They exchanged chops to the chest mid-ring and gave each other middle finger gestures. They hit each other with simultaneous lariats and each didn’t budge. Kingston suplexed Mox and then landed a spinning backfist. Mox went down. Kingston also collapsed and held his neck like he was having issues from the chops. He got up and chopped away at Moxley rapid-fire in the corner. “You want 100 percent, mother f—-er?” Kingston asked. He then chopped away at Mox some more followed by a DDT. Mox surprised Kingston with a sudden cutter.
Kingston landed a Northern Lights bomb and then elbowed the side of Mox’s head several times before applying a bulldog choke. Mox escaped and applied his own which he cinched on tighter. Danielson detailed the differences in technique. Kingston’s arm dropped twice, but not a third time, so the match continued. Kingston stood and fell into the ropes. The ref made Mox release the hold.
Kingston came back with another Northern Lights bomb for a near fall. Both were slow to get up. Mox hit Kingston with a hard lariat. Taz said he hit Sabu with a similar move, breaking Sabu’s jaw and tearing his own bicep. From a kneeling position they headbutted each other. Mox spit at Kingston and got the better of him. They stood and exchanged hard slaps. Kingston connected with a sudden spinning backfist for the win.
WINNER: Kingston in 17:00 to win the Continental Classic Tournament and become the first Triple Crown Champion.
-Kingston reunited with his ROH World Title and New Japan Strong Openweight Title. The ref then presented him with the unveiled Continental Title belt. Kingston held the new belt in the air as the other two were hanging over his shoulders. Danielson made a reference to idolizing the All Japan Triple Crown Title growing up. Kingston kneeled in a show of respect mid-ring while looking at Mox, who was just sitting up. Fans chanted, “You deserve it!” Mox stood and hugged Kingston. Mox then left through the crowd and let Kingston have the spotlight. Excalibur (notably) said, “The first ever Continental Crown Champion, Eddie Kingston.” Danielson said that’s the perfect match to end the tournament. Excalibur said, matter of factly, that they’re doing the tournament again next year. Excalibur again called it the Continental Crown Championship.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good match, the kind of match you’d expect from these two. They were friends who went to war and then shared mutual respect afterward for a hard-fought battle. The whole tournament, in retrospect, seemed designed to give Kingston a boost and fill some TV time during the holiday season with good matches. It worked in that regard, although the follow-up with Kingston is the key. Is the C3 Title going to be mainly on ROH and/or Collision, or be treated as an equal to the International and TNT belts?)
-Excalibur hyped FTR vs. House of Black on Collision next Saturday.
(10) MJF vs. SAMOA JOE – AEW World Hvt. Championship match
Samoa Joe came out first to some cheers and boos. MJF came out to cheers and wore a robe that said, “King of Long Island” on it. He had a shoulder immobilizer type band on. MJF sat on the top rope and an “MJF” chant rang out. The chant shifted to “He’s our scumbag!” MJF appeared to get emotional, welling up and sniffing. He then pointed at the stage and then suddenly Adam Cole’s music played. Cole came out on crutches. Excalibur called it “an interesting development.”
During formal ring introductions, Joe was mostly booed and MJF was cheered. The bell rang 27 minutes into the show. MJF’s shoulder was taped up and wrapped. Excalibur said the torn labrum could be a major factor. Taz said he knows Joe better than most in AEW and he talked with him earlier and MJF is in trouble. When Joe went on early offense, fans chanted, “F— you, Joe!” Joe elbowdropped MJF’s shoulder.
MJF landed a sunset flip for a two count and a schoolboy for a two count in rapid-fire fashion at 4:00. MJF raised his arms and then went for a Kangaroo Kick, but Joe blocked it. Joe tossed MJF over the top rope. MJF held onto the top rope and tried pull himself back in, but Joe kicked him in the head as he was upside down and knocked him hard to the floor. Joe then dove through the ropes with a flying forearm, knocking MJF down hard.
Joe hit a Death Valley Driver for a two count at 6:00. Cole pounded the mat to encourage fans to clap for MJF. MJF fought back with chops. Joe came right back with a Dragon suplex and then a released straight-jacket German suplex for a two count; MJF draped his boot on the bottom rope.
A minute later, Joe gave MJF a Muscle Buster onto the ring apron with the injured left shoulder taking most of the impact. They cut to a slack-jawed Cole. Joe threw MJF back in the ring and scored a near fall. MJF mounted Joe in the corner, punched away at him, and then bit his forehead. He continued to favor his shoulder and wince in pain between sequences, though. MJF signaled for another Kangaroo Kick, but Joe kicked him as he went for it.
MJF lifted Joe onto his his shoulders, but collapsed under his weight. MJF stomped on Joe’s arm and then checked him through the ropes onto the ring apron. MJF then delivered a Heat Seeker for a near fall at 12:00. MJF went for another Heat Seeker, but Joe blocked it. MJF rolled him up for a one count and then shifted to a Salt of the Earth armbar. Joe slipped free and applied an armbar that torqued MJF’s bad shoulder. Cole pounded the mat to encourage MJF. The ref said he could stop the match if MJF wanted him to. MJF grabbed the bottom rope to force a break. Another “F— you, Joe!” chant broke out.
Joe lifted MJF and put him in a sleeper. MJF slipped free and shoved Joe, who knocked the ref down. MJF smiled, revealing he might’ve known what he was doing. Joe climbed to the top turnbuckle, but MJF gave him a low-blow and then lifted him onto his shoulders. He leaped and drove Joe’s head into the canvas. Both were down and slow to get up. They cut to a wide shot of the well-lit arena. The ref came to and counted, but Joe kicked out at two. Both were still down and slow to get up.
MJF looked over at Cole and asked for the Dynamite Diamond Ring. Cole couldn’t find it at first and was shaking with anic, but then he found it. Joe recovered during that time and put MJF in a rear naked choke. MJF leveraged Joe’s shoulders down for a one count, but Joe shifted into a sleeper on the mat. MJF’s arm dropped three times and the ref called for the bell. Joe celebrated as his music played. The crowd was stunned.
As Joe held up the belt, they cut to Cole at ringside looking crestfallen. Joe swiftly made his way up the ramp with the belt.
WINNER: Samoa Joe in 18:00 to capture the AEW World Hvt. Title.
-Back in the ring, Cole checked on a dejected MJF who was about to cry. Cole tried to give him a pep talk and said he gave it everything he had. Fans chanted “Bullshit!” Nobody was leaving the arena. Four of the Devil’s henchmen showed up at ringside. They charged into the ring. Cole swung his crutch, but a henchman blocked it and held Cole. Two henchmen held MJF and were going to hit him with the chair. Cole said they should hit him. MJF said, “Don’t you f—in’ hit him, hit me!” As a henchman wound up, the lights went out. When they came back on, Cole was sitting on a chair in a black outfit with a whole new expression. The four henchmen unmasked as Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, and Wardlow. Taz said Adam Cole must be the Devil. Wardlow powerbombed MJF. Cole pulled the Devil mask out of his black jacket and held it up and smiled. He stood and dropped the mask onto MJF’s chest. Taz asked, “Why?” Schiavone said, “The question is, how long have they been planning this?” The show ended with them standing over MJF.
(Keller’s Analysis: A lot to talk about here, but first and foremost – Samoa Joe just won arguably the biggest, highest-profile championship in his career and circumstance dictated that he return to the back within 60 seconds of winning it so a storyline overshadowing the match itself could play out with an injured wrestler who’s about to take a leave of absence. Not ideal for Joe or, perhaps more importantly, the value of the AEW World Title. I hope AEW more than makes up for it on Dynamite on Wednesday. Whether or not Joe is a transitional champion or a last-second happenstance champion due to MJF’s injury, his win should be treated as a very big deal and the AEW show should immediately begin to revolve more about Joe and that title than anything else they have going on.
As for the Devil storyline payoff, it was fine. I’d have skipped the stale, played-out, eye-roll-inducing “lights out” schtick, but I thought that the first time AEW did it. Just have Cole transform before our very eyes. I was hoping to see Britt Baker join Cole as part of the faction since I could see her being tremendous in that role as a mastermind behind getting Cole to see MJF’s antics in a different light than he had been, and it’d be more believable to if the idea is that Cole started out with a sincere friendship with MJF and then Baker nudged him and steered him toward seeing MJF as manipulative and self-serving, not to mention trying to get Cole to hook up with women on the road, and doing so brashly with a camera filming it. Certainly Baker could make the case that MJF didn’t have Cole’s best interests in mind when that happened early on in their “friendship skits.” As for the Devil faction itself, it’s a bit like Bullet Club Gold where there’s a leader and then wrestlers who play goofball characters. I can’t imagine Strong, Taven, and Bennett seeming like serious people, so the whole group feels a bit defined down already with their involvement. I like Wardlow in the group, but without MJF around to feud with, it loses a lot of steam out of the gate.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was AEW’s weakest PPV yet, and perhaps a sign that doing PPVs more often is going to lead to a decline in their quality. This event gets a slight thumbs down overall from me. I also wonder how many pro wrestling fans beyond the ardent core-core fans are going to want to invest five hours of a weekend evening to AEW more often than four times a year and if that, along with the watered-down line-ups, is going to lead to decline in buys.
LISTEN FREE TO OUR AEW WORLDS END POST-SHOW – Greg Parks & Brandon LeClair break down the show and are joined by PWTorch’s Frank Peteani with an in-person report.
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW Worlds End results: Powell’s live review of MJF vs. Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship, Eddie Kingston vs. Jon Moxley to become the first AEW Triple Crown Champion
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