SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
Housekeeping
· The International Women’s Cup was announced. It will be tournament featuring women from AEW, CMLL, ROH, and Stardom. The finals will be a four-way match at Wrestle Dynasty. Hopefully AEW and ROH both have qualifying matches to get into the first four way of which the winner advances to the Jan. 5 show. This could give the women something strong to do during the Continental Classic (C2).
· AEW announced the first month and a half of 2025 shows featuring several smaller venues starting with the 7,200 seat Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, N.C. AEW scaling down to more intimate venues is a smart move. It’s what so many of us have been calling for. Stop going to the big cavernous buildings that you can’t fill right now. Different, more intimate venues should bring a more a concentrated energy to the shows.
· AEW Collision is likely to tape on Thursdays more often in the new year especially with Rampage ending.
· The Jan. 1 AEW Dynamite will be the first show streaming live on Max. It’s a special “Fight for the Fallen” themed episode.
· Stay tuned for my special coverage of the Continental Classic starting next week!
Intro
It’s that time again. It’s a go-home show for a PPV. These are almost always a good time. The card is pretty good. I also expect some strong promo work. Of course, we’re also going to get another “November Rain” music video. The one on Collision was phenomenal so I can’t wait to see what they do tonight.
Jon Moxley vs. Orange Cassidy
Latest Developments
Mox centered the world title as the source of his power in a promo on Dynamite and OC vowed to take the title at Full Gear.
Analysis
Let’s just get this out of the way first. I acknowledged last week in this space that the verbiage of Mox “seizing” the SuperStation seemed like a poor choice of words and it turns out I was right. It was just a basic promo, no “seizing” involved. That would’ve been fine if it had been advertised that way. Marketing it for days as a seizure of a TV station was a completely avoidable mistake.
With that aside, the actual promo itself was incredibly smart. Mox came out and pointed to the Steve McMichael memorial Halliburton briefcase handcuffed to Marina Shafir and said what’s inside it gives him the power to do whatever the hell he wants. Very simple but very powerful. Mox centralizing the title doesn’t change his mission, it merely gives the babyfaces who come after him something to specific with which they can bring him down. It also sets a huge pop when someone finally opens that briefcase and pulls the title out.
OC immediately came out and reiterated the importance of the title and vowed to bring it back to AEW. Cassidy has been very effective in this role as reluctant leader eschewing his typically nonchalant behavior for a straightforward, focused, serious side. He continued his battle for Wheeler Yuta’s soul by challenging Yuta to a match tonight. One particularly clever moment was when he called Yuta a pawn, Yuta audibly refuted the assertion, and Claudio side-eyed Yuta in a way maybe confirmed what OC was saying.
On Collision Mox cut a promo in which he reaffirmed his mission to “better” AEW. Mox is extremely dynamic in this role and continues to sound fully like a cult leader. For anyone who doesn’t see the cult leader vibes, Psychology Today defines a cult leader as follows:
“1. A charismatic leader who becomes an object of worship beyond any meaningful accountability and becomes the single most defining element of the group and its source of truth, power, and authority;
2. A process of coercive persuasion, thought reform or indoctrination that leads to group members doing things that are against their own best interest but serve the interest of the group leader and;
3. Exploitation of group members by the leader and the ruling coterie.”
I think Mox and the Mechanics fit all three of those. Mox is certainly a charismatic leader around who the group revolves. It his message, his mission, and the Mechanics take orders. The last two are exemplified by Yuta who is clearly being sucked into something that’s against his best interests and being indoctrinated. Cult leaders are not just spooky weirdos, you see.
In addition to OC vs. Yuta, Darby Allin will face Claudio Castagnoli. I expect OC to win and Darby to get rag dolled by Claudio and lose. More importantly, I think Mox needs to definitively crush OC at Full Gear without interference from any of the Mechanics. It’ll set him up as the ultimate threat. The goal long term is to make it mean something when Mox is finally toppled. Leaving OC bloodied and beaten will help do that.
Grade: B
Jay White vs. “Hangman” Page
Latest Developments
“Hangman” Page picked up the pin on Juice Robinson in tag match.
Analysis
This is arguably the simplest built feud going right now. Hangman and Switchblade were on opposite sides of a tag match also featuring Juice Robinson and Christian Cage. They shared the ring a few times, but it wasn’t overdone. During the middle of the match, Hook snatched Nick Wayne over the barricade and pulled him away from the match. In the end Kip Sabian clobbered Juice over the head with the contract case allowing Hangman to hit a Dead Eye.
Ultimately this a classic grudge match between two guys who just want to beat each other. Hangman is looking for his first clean career win over Switchblade but I don’t think he gets it. I think Switchblade wins again, perhaps setting up a strong run in the C2, and further pushing Hangman into madness.
Grade: A-
Anna Jay vs. Mariah May
Latest Developments
Mariah May defeated Anna Jay in a very physical No DQ main event on Collision then reunited with Mina Shirakawa setting up a Champagne Celebration for Full Gear.
Analysis
Collision opened with shots of Mariah and Anna each arriving to the building. This was a simple touch that established the main event. At match time, each woman came down to the ring with a cache of weapons. Once the bell rang, they didn’t hold back. They wore each other out with chairs, ladders, leather straps, and a trash cans. Mariah powerbombed Anna through a table that was propped up on one leg in a wicked bump. They decided to up the ante a little more. Mariah set up a guardrail between two chairs and superplexed Anna onto it. RIP Mariah and Anna’s backs because the guardrail didn’t give an inch. Somehow Anna kicked out of that, retrieved a coil of (fake) barbed wire and applied the Queenslayer choke. Mariah was prepared with mace which she sprayed in Mariah’s face before hitting a Storm Zero slightly on a chair for the win.
A hard-hitting hardcore brawl that delivered. I was honestly surprised there was no blood. There’s not normally that kind of restraint in these matches. Nonetheless these two women brought it. That superplex on the railing was gnarly. I’m sure they’re both still feeling that one. This was a nice little feud to continue to establish Mariah as the dominant champion and elevate Anna.
After the match Mina ran out to the ring. Earlier in the night Mina beat Harley Cameron in a pretty good match. Digressing, Mariah and Mina embraced and it was then announced that Mariah having her long-delayed Champagne Championship Celebration. I do wish they’d have let Mariah make that announcement tonight, but oh well.
This sets up one of two things to happen during this Celebration, either Mariah turns on Mina because Mina betrayed her (in my Mariah’s evil mind) by teaming with Toni Storm or Toni returns and we set up the second half of this story starting with “whose side is Mina on”. Either one feels like a huge shot in the arm for the women’s division.
One other thing of note The Vendetta (Taya and Deonna) were shown watching the Mariah/Anna match so perhaps we have Anna’s next feud foreshadowed right there.
Grade: B+
Mercedes Moné vs. Kris Statlander
Latest Developments
Statlander speared both Kamille and Mercedes through a fake wall; On Collision she set up a warm-up match with Shida tonight.
Analysis
This feud has been awkward from the beginning and last week was no different. Mercedes was being interviewed by Renee when an angry Kris Statlander stalked up and confronted her. Kamille, arm in sling, attempted to protect Mercedes but was only marginally effective. The segment ended when Stat speared both women through a obviously fake wall.
While this wall was less obviously fake then the one Chris Jericho put Samoa Joe through, it was still bad. I don’t what the obsession with fake walls is but it does not have the desired effect when the wall is obviously constructed for the express purpose of being destroyed. It gets an eye roll not a gasp. The last thing this feud needed was an eye roll moment. It’s already been not lighting the world on fire.
Things got a little better on Collision. Stat was cutting a basic promo about what happened on Dynamite when Shida came in wishing her luck in beating Mercedes’ “bony ass.” Stat challenged Shida to a match tonight on Dynamite. The match will be good. I just hate that Shida has to lose again.
As far as the Stat-Mercedes match at Full Gear, I think they’ll have a better match than a lot of people expect. With Julia Hart seemingly targeting Jamie Hayter rather than Mercedes, so I’m going back to my original prediction that Stat beats Mercedes, Mercedes fires Kamille, and joins the Hurt Syndicate.
Grade: C+
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Adam Cole vs. MJF
Latest Developments
Roddy Strong defeated Lance Archer to win his third match while Adam Cole lost to Takeshita meaning it will be Strong vs MJF at Full Gear.
Analysis
Adam Cole fought Takeshita in what was easily Cole’s best match since his return. In the end Takeshita after knocking Cole out with MJF’s loaned out Dynamite Diamond ring.
There was no acceptable circumstance under which Takeshita should have lost so the right decision was made. I just wish he’d beaten Cole clean and then blasted him with the ring.
By virtue of that loss Cole failed to earn the right to face MJF. Roddy Strong won the preceding match however meaning as of now the PPV match is Roddy Strong vs MJF. I didn’t think that Cole was going to face MJF at Full Gear anyway. I figured it was going to be a case of delayed gratification. What is weird though is a Strong/MJF match especially in light of what I still expect to be Undisputed Kingdom turn on Cole.
I don’t know how Roddy and MJF wrestle a full a match and then a turn happens so something else is afoot here. Problem is I don’t know if it’s going to help Cole. I don’t know that reuniting with Kyle O’Reilly is going to help Cole. Maybe having MJF back on a weekly basis to play off of in live promos can help get the crowd invested in this feud. Adam Cole is trying but it’s just not working.
One note, Ricochet laid out Takeshita up by the entrance. That was their only interaction. I expect their match to be made official tonight.
Grade: C+
Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher
Latest Developments
Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher had a verbal confrontation that resulted the match being made official for Full Gear.
Analysis
Ospreay came out and immediately called Fletcher out to the ring. Before Fletcher got in the ring, Ospreay told him to ditch the screwdriver he knew he had. Once they started going back and forth it was great. Fletcher accused Ospreay of using him for his own gain. Ospreay pointed out Fletcher’s hypocrisy by pointing that Fletcher did to him exactly what he did to Kenny Omega. They concluded the confrontation by agreeing to a match at Full Gear. Fletcher called out the rest of the Callis Family but Ospreay was prepared with Hobbs and Mark Davis and a brawl ensued.
This was great. Ospreay was off TV for a few weeks selling the injury caused by the Tiger Driver ’91 but it’s so good having him back. It was refreshing that he was presented as a smart babyface knowing that Fletcher was coming in armed with the screwdriver and later that Cage and Archer would be coming out.
The actual back and forth was great. Ospreay brought in the personal elements which enhanced the crowd’s desire to see him get revenge. Tonight, Ospreay teams with Hobbs, Davis, and Ricochet to fight the DCF. That should be a great match.
Fletcher and Ospreay on Saturday has a chance to be a late MOTY contender with the talent of these two guys. Fletcher absolutely should go over. Losing would just cut the legs out from him. On the flip side, Ospreay losing keeps the feud alive and gives him something to chase.
Grade: A
Swerve Strickland vs. The Hurt Syndicate
Latest Developments
Swerve beat Lio Rush in a fun match only to get beaten up by the Hurt Syndicate.
Analysis
The match between Swerve and Lio was a lot of fun. Both guys are extremely talented so it’s no surprise this match was good. It was however more of a backdrop to the larger story between Swerve and the Hurt Syndicate. Swerve beat Lio and then allowed himself to be blindsided by Shelton Benjamin who snuck in from the crowd as Lashley and MVP came down the ramp. Swerve got beaten up and laid out.
This was all good except for making Swerve look dumb for not anticipating Shelton coming in from behind, especially when Ospreay looked so smart being prepared for Fletcher’s chicanery. I expect there to be a strong promo tonight to set the stage for Saturday. Even though he’s lost at two of the last three PPVs, I still think Swerve takes the L on Saturday because I can’t see Lashley losing his first official match.
Grade: B+
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(You can always reach PWTorch editor Wade Keller at kellerwade@gmail.com. You can also send live event results and news tips to pwtorch@gmail.com. Also, we’re always looking for volunteer contributors to help us round out of coverage of the pro wrestling scene.)
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