Posted on 7/24/125 by Bob Magee
Hangman Adam Page Sends a Message and a Warning to MJF
Fresh off surviving one of the most brutal Texas Death
Matches in AEW history at All In: Texas, newly crowned AEW
World Champion Hangman Adam Page made his way to the ring on
AEW Dynamite, not just to address the fallout, but to send a
clear message to the Death Riders.
Backstage with Renee Paquette, Page stood steely-eyed,
barely flinching as she asked why he would choose to face
Wheeler Yuta tonight despite the evident danger. Renee
reminded him, “It’s been just under two weeks since you
survived a Texas Death Match at All In to become the new AEW
World Champion. But my question is, why take this match
tonight against Wheeler YUTA when you are fully aware of the
damage that the Death Riders are capable of?”
Page didn’t hesitate. He looked directly into the camera and
responded with fire in his voice:
“On Saturday, the Death Riders bloodied and hanged Colt
Cabana. So tonight I will punish Wheeler Yuta for it, and I
will not regret a single thing that I do to him.”
Before Renee could follow up, MJF appeared uninvited,
interrupting with smug confidence.
“Hey, Seabiscuit. Long time, no see. You know, I was really
hoping to tell you this last week, but I’m glad we’re face
to face now. See, I’m gonna beat you for my World
Championship, and I’m not gonna do it with this.”
He gestured to his Casino Gauntlet winner’s contract.
“No, no. See, I’m gonna prove a point. I’m gonna beat you
inside that squared circle.”
But Hangman was quick to cut him off and even quicker to
shut him down.
“You are not going to goad me into giving you a championship
match. If you want a match for this championship, you are
going to use that contract… or you are gonna earn it.”
Page stepped even closer, delivering one final verbal blow:
“And I know you. You haven’t got the guts to do either.
Because you are a child. A facade. And a gutless coward.”
Hangman Adam Page def. Wheeler Yuta
With Wheeler Yuta already in the ring, “Hangman” Adam Page
made his entrance for the opening contest of AEW Dynamite–
but before Page could even step through the ropes, Yuta
struck. Launching a surprise assault, Yuta blindsided the
AEW World Champion with a cheap shot from behind, triggering
immediate chaos even before the bell rang.
Yuta's early momentum continued with a suicide dive to the
outside, but Page swiftly regained control, violently
hurling Yuta into the barricade multiple times. “Wheeler
Yuta being introduced to multiple sides of the barricades
here,” Excalibur observed, noting the punishment the Death
Rider was enduring. Commentary also pointed out that while
Jon Moxley and the rest of the Death Riders were
conspicuously absent: “They’ve gotta be lurking somewhere
close at hand.”
Back inside the ring, Page showcased his signature power and
precision, blasting Yuta with a fallaway slam and a high
boot. He then sent Yuta hard into the turnbuckles before
catching a back elbow, only to bounce back with a
devastating Death Valley Driver squarely in the center of
the ring. Yuta kicked out at two, but the champ wasn’t done.
Hangman looked to finish it with the Dead Eye, but Yuta
clung to the top rope to avoid the maneuver. He then
resorted to dirty tactics, gouging at the eyes of Page. But
the momentary distraction only delayed the inevitable.
Sizing him up from the apron, Page springboarded over the
top rope and connected flush with the Buckshot Lariat for
the win.
The match may have ended, but the violence was far from
over.
Hangman retrieved a heavy steel chain from ringside, the
same chain he used to force Jon Moxley to tap out at AEW All
In: Texas. He wrapped it tightly around his fist and
unleashed a brutal right hand to Yuta’s face, then mounted
him for a flurry of grounded punches. With blood pouring
from Yuta’s forehead, Page wrapped the chain around his
opponent’s neck and dragged him toward the ropes.
Looking down at his fallen foe, Page shouted a chilling
message: “They're not coming for you. They will never help
you.” Page then relented, leaving a quivering Yuta to
consider what had just transpired. The commentary team
called for medical attention as Hangman Page stood over
Yuta’s bloodied body, defiant and unrepentant. There would
be no rescue tonight, only retribution.
Athena & Billie Starkz Strategize for Toni Storm
Backstage on AEW Dynamite, ROH Women’s World Champion Athena
and her loyal minion Billie Starkz discussed Starkz’ match
with “Timeless” Toni Storm later in the night. Athena put
her through a tightly rehearsed Q&A session, demanding
complete precision.
“Who am I, minion?” Athena asked. Billie rattled off “The
Fallen Goddess, the American Joshi, the Minion Overlord, and
our forever ROH Champion.”
When prompted to describe Toni Storm, Billie didn’t hold
back, calling her “a jealous, desperate, musty [expletive]
that cannot touch you in the ring.” Athena then reminded
Billie what’s at stake – “your forever AEW Women’s
Championship” – and forced her to recite what AEW really
stands for: “Athena Elite Wrestling.”
But when Billie confidently claimed she would “beat Toni,”
Athena cut her off immediately. “No, Billie. No. We are not
gonna beat her. You are gonna take her out.”
Athena ended the segment with a direct warning to Storm.
Looking into the camera, she declared, “Toni, come in close.
I hold the pen with all the power. So get ready. Your movie
is almost over.”
FTR def. JetSpeed in AEW World Tag Team Championship
Eliminator Tournament
The AEW World Tag Team Championship Eliminator Tournament
kicked off in explosive fashion as FTR took on the red-hot
duo of “Speedball” Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight,
collectively known as JetSpeed.
FTR jumped the bell, attacking JetSpeed early. Cash Wheeler
sent Knight to the floor, isolating Bailey as Dax Harwood
immediately went to set up their foe for a Shatter Machine
attempt. Bailey slipped free and rolled Dax into a quick
pinning combination for a two-count. From there, it was a
frantic exchange of reversals, ending with Bailey and Knight
hitting a combination side-kick/German suplex for an early
nearfall.
The action spilled outside with JetSpeed hitting stereo
planchas, though Bailey tweaked his knee on landing, a
factor that would haunt him throughout the match. Inside the
ring, FTR slowed the pace, cornering Bailey and breaking him
down with stiff uppercuts, body blows, and a thunderous chop
from Harwood that echoed through the building.
A pivotal moment came when Dax attempted a piledriver, only
to be countered by Knight with a back body drop, and Cash
Wheeler took the same ride moments later. Knight connected
with a Pendulum DDT for a two-count, and the crowd in
Chicago roared as JetSpeed continued to push the pace.
FTR’s veteran instincts kicked in, with Dax dragging Knight
to the outside and targeting the knee with a dragon screw
leg whip across the ropes, and then another one in the
center of the ring. With both JetSpeed members showing signs
of damage, FTR locked in stereo Sharpshooters, with Cash
restraining Bailey on the floor to prevent a break. Still,
Knight clawed to the ropes to force the release.
From there, the match hit a fever pitch. FTR went for their
signature suplex-splash combo, but Knight got the knees up
on the splash.
Knight and Bailey stayed resilient, combining for a
Doomsday-style elevated dropkick and a wild corkscrew Asai
moonsault from Bailey over the barricade onto Cash. Inside,
Knight nearly sealed the win with a UFO splash, but Dax
kicked out at two-and-a-half.
In the closing stretch, Knight countered a slingshot
powerbomb into a hurricanrana, and Bailey drilled Dax with a
penalty kick. But just as Knight looked to secure the
victory with a victory roll, Dax reversed the pin and
grabbed the tights. On the outside, Stokely Hathaway
provided the leverage with his crutch, which Dax held as the
referee counted the three.
Adam Copeland Outsmarts FTR, Unleashes The Hurt Syndicate
After FTR's grueling victory over JetSpeed, Tony Schiavone
entered the ring to conduct a post-match interview. With Big
Stoke by their side, FTR stood triumphant, and Stokely
quickly seized the spotlight.
“Adam Copeland belongs in prison,” Stokely declared without
hesitation. “Everyone in this company knows I am not a
professional wrestler, so he had no business putting his
hands on me last week.” Stokely continued his tirade,
calling Copeland a “horrible human being,” a “loser,” and “a
cancer to AEW.” He insisted it didn’t matter what anyone
else thought, while FTR stood behind him, still recovering
from the match.
But just as Stokely was building steam, the arena erupted.
Adam Copeland had arrived.
Before he could say a word, Stokely demanded his music be
cut and shouted, “Stop right there!” He reminded Copeland of
the stipulation preventing him from coming near FTR. “Last
week I made it perfectly clear, you are not allowed to get
in the vicinity of FTR. So what are you doing here?”
Copeland shrugged, feigning forgetfulness. “I forgot... I
can’t get within a certain amount of feet from you guys,
right? Yeah, I totally forgot about that.” Then his tone
shifted. “But you know what? I made a business deal with
some gentlemen. And they were willing to come down and do
what I can’t do. Oh, and by the way – their business is
hurting people”.
Cue the music. The Hurt Syndicate – Bobby Lashley and
Shelton Benjamin, flanked by MVP – stormed the ring.
Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, still bruised from their war
with JetSpeed, stood their ground. But it wasn’t long before
fists flew. “These four guys just throwing hands, FTR
fighting for their lives,” Taz observed. Security and
referees swarmed the ring in a futile effort to separate the
teams, as Lashley and Benjamin overwhelmed the worn-down
champions.
Meanwhile, Copeland slid into the ring and made a beeline
for Big Stoke. Stokely, in a panic, grabbed a security guard
and shoved him into Copeland’s path, using the poor official
as a human shield before limping away.
Nick Wayne & Co. are “Uncaged”
Backstage on AEW Dynamite, Nick Wayne sat alongside his
mother and Kip Sabian to deliver a clear message emphasizing
their betrayal of Christian Cage and The Patriarchy at AEW
All In: Texas.
Nick began, “At All In, we took a big risk. And what’s the
point of taking risks when there’s no reward waiting for you
in the end?” He said now is the moment they’ve been waiting
for: “Now's the time. The time that we show them, right?”
His mother responded firmly: “It certainly is.”
Wayne made it clear that last week’s explanation was just
the beginning. “Last week we verbally explained ourselves as
to why we did what we did to Christian Cage,” he said. “But
I think it's time we back up those words physically.”
Looking ahead to Saturday, Nick vowed to make good on their
promise. “We will begin our quest as to proving why we are
soon to be one of the most dangerous factions in AEW,” he
stated. “To show what we are able to do, not being held down
by a patriarch, to show what we are capable of when we are
uncaged.”
Jon Moxley Promises to Right the Wrong of All In: Texas
Backstage on AEW Dynamite, Jon Moxley stood along with
Marina Shafir, focused and unflinching in the wake of his
brutal Texas Death Match loss to Hangman Adam Page at AEW
All In: Texas.
Moxley didn’t downplay his opponent’s resilience. “The
Hangman fought the fight of his life at All In,” he said.
“He dug down deeper than he ever has. He found something he
didn’t know was there. Something extraordinary; even I can
celebrate that.”
But as quickly as he acknowledged Hangman’s victory, Moxley
reminded everyone of the demands of greatness. “Now he finds
himself in the position they all do,” he continued. “I don’t
know why they’re surprised. That was good. Get up and do it
again tomorrow. Get up and do it again tomorrow.”
Reflecting on his own defeat, Moxley didn’t show regret or
bitterness, just resolve. “Me? I lost a match. No reason to
be a bitch about it. I’m ready to go again, as I’m sure you
are,” he said pointedly. “Avoiding a rematch? That’s not
something you would do. It’s not something world champions
do.”
He reminded Hangman and the world that his story is far from
over: “See, the credits don’t roll. This movie don’t end.
That cowboy don’t ride off into the sunset.”
With icy precision, Moxley closed the segment with a
chilling promise. “I ask a lot of the people around me, and
I ask even more of myself. A mistake was made, and I will
fix it, one way or another. We know who the Hangman Page was
who rode into Arlington. By the end of tonight, we will find
out who the Hangman Page was that rode out.”
Will Ospreay Provides Injury Update, Declares War on the
Death Riders
Will Ospreay made his way to the ring for an in-ring
interview with Tony Schiavone, just eleven days removed from
a vicious attack by the Death Riders at AEW All In: Texas.
Ospreay opened by revealing that his appearance hadn’t been
cleared in advance; even Tony Khan didn’t know. “I flew
myself over. 3 p.m., knocked on his door. Jumped out of his
seat, super excited as always, couldn’t believe I was
walking,” Ospreay explained. “I said, can I have five
minutes just to come talk to everybody, just to give
everyone an update, let everyone know what's going on.”
The update was deeply personal. Ospreay admitted that he’s
been wrestling through a neck injury for nearly ten months.
“Usually with our medical staff, they're on it straight
away. As soon as they hear ‘neck injury,’ they want to stop
it. They want to ensure our safety. The difference is... I
haven't spoken to anyone. I’ve been keeping this to myself.
That's on me,” he said.
He continued, “I should have been telling the medical staff.
I should tell referees. I should tell the wrestlers. But I
just … I really wanted to get us over the finish line.”
Ospreay reminded fans that he made promises: to Swerve
Strickland, to Hangman Page, and to everyone watching. “I
will play a part in retrieving that World Championship,” he
said. “And although that sacrifice was great, I’m proud to
say, we got that belt back, boys.”
Ospreay then shared the full extent of the damage from the
Death Riders' ambush. “I was rushed to the emergency room. I
was put on an MRI. In my C2 and my C6, I have two herniated
discs that have gone into my spinal cord.” Though the news
was serious, there was a glimmer of hope. “Every doctor I’ve
spoken to said it is treatable. So with the right
treatment... I should be back for Forbidden Door.”
Before wrapping up, Ospreay had messages for the men who
stood beside him and for those who betrayed him. “Swerve,
love you brother. Thank you so much for what you’ve done.
Hangman Page, it was an honor fighting by your side and I’m
proud to call you my World Champion.” But to the Death
Riders, his message was sharp and unforgiving: “The moment
I’m feeling healthy? Where I’m from, it’s an eye for an eye.
So you better believe I’m coming for each and every one of
you little dickheads.”
As he finished his speech, Shane “Swerve” Strickland came
out to embrace his friend and comrade, raising Ospreay’s
hand to a massive ovation from the Chicago crowd. The war
may have paused for now, but it’s far from over.
Willow Nightingale Feels a “Sense of Renewal,” Issues
Warning to Thekla
Backstage on AEW Dynamite, Renee Paquette caught up with
Willow Nightingale to discuss what lies ahead following her
near-victory in last week's high-stakes four-way match.
Renee opened by acknowledging the disappointment: “Willow,
last week, unfortunately you did not walk away victorious in
that four-way matchup with $100K on the line. But talk to me
about what you feel like is next for Willow.”
Willow took a beat and responded with her trademark warmth,
but also clarity. “Ooh, Renee, that’s a good question. What
is next?” she said, reflecting on recent weeks. “I’ve spent
the past few months wrapped up in all this stuff with Mox,
the Death Riders, Kris Statlander…”
But with All In behind her and new momentum building, Willow
made it clear that change is in the air. “There’s a
refreshing sense of renewal in the air. We’ve got Hangman as
our new champion. I love that,” she said. “We’ve even got
new girls on the roster, and I had the chance to mix it up
with them in that match you were talking about, right?”
Willow didn’t forget the outcome of that match or what could
have been. “A hundred thousand dollars were on the line,
yeah. And I had her pinned. One, two, three. In the middle
of the ring.”
Then came the warning, delivered with a smile, but no less
serious. “So, Big Theks… you feel your Spidey-Sense
tingling? That’s me. You can find me in the ring”.
Tensions Explode With MJF & The Hurt Syndicate
Backstage on AEW Dynamite, Renee Paquette stood by with The
Hurt Syndicate’s MVP, Bobby Lashley, and Shelton Benjamin
and opened the interview with a pointed question:
“Gentlemen, could you please help to explain this
relationship with Cope?”
Before they could answer, Maxwell Jacob Friedman stormed
into the shot. “Actually, Renee, that is a great question,”
MJF sneered. “I have the same one, in fact. We’re just boys
with Cope now? It took me months to get into this crew. And
also, where the hell were you guys when I was nose to nose
with Hangman? I sure could’ve used you then.” Gesturing at
his Casino Gauntlet contract, he asked sharply, “Does this
mean anything to you?”
MVP stepped in calmly, but firmly. “Max, we are in the
business of hurting people. We made a business arrangement
with Cope.”
That wasn’t enough for MJF. “Well that’s cute, Montel,” he
snapped. “But how about we get in the business of helping me
get my damn world title around my waist?”
At that point, Shelton Benjamin turned to Renee and asked,
“Renee, can we have the room please?”
Max tried to keep the discussion open. “See, this should be
between all of us. It’s that simple.”
But Bobby Lashley wasn’t having it. He stepped forward and
got in MJF’s face with a sudden burst of intensity, slamming
MJF into the lockers. “We don’t need to help you with shit.
We are not your lackeys. Every week it’s ‘I, I, I.’ And as
far as I’m concerned, I want you out of the Hurt Syndicate.”
Lashley sealed the moment with a thumbs down, an
unmistakable signal of rejection.
Shelton Benjamin offered nothing more than a solemn shake of
the head. MVP gave MJF a long, quiet look, more disappointed
than angry, and then the trio turned and walked away,
leaving MJF alone in the locker room to consider the
consequences of his ego.
Toni Storm def. Billie Starkz by submission in AEW Women’s
World Title Eliminator
In a high-stakes AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator
Match, “Timeless” Toni Storm faced Billie Starkz, the
handpicked minion of Ring of Honor Women’s World Champion
Athena, with Athena watching from her opera box above the
Aragon Ballroom.
Right from the opening bell, the tone was clear: Billie
wasn’t just looking to win; she was there to hurt. After
exchanging side headlocks and pin attempts, Toni Storm
landed a big backbreaker and followed with a monkey flip
that launched Starkz across the ring. But Billie responded
with a sharp legsweep and a basement superkick that
staggered the champion. She then charged outside and leveled
Storm with a tope suicida, followed by a cannonball senton
off the apron.
Back from commercial, the momentum swung wildly. Storm
landed a sit-out powerbomb and a German suplex that folded
Starkz in half. She went for Storm Zero, but Billie
countered into a back body drop and rolled into a pin for a
nearfall. Starkz hit a high-impact enzuigiri and climbed to
the top, but Storm got her knees up to block the senton
atomico.
Storm went straight into the TCM Chickenwing, and despite a
desperate struggle, Starkz had no choice but to submit. But
the story didn’t end there.
As referee Aubrey Edwards handed Storm her title, Billie
Starkz snatched it away and cracked the champion across the
face with it, even going so far as to throw Edwards from the
ring. Then, grinning, she waved up to Athena in the opera
box, summoning the “Fallen Goddess” down to the ring. Athena
stormed to the ring with her Casino Gauntlet contract in
hand and nailed Storm with it, signaling her intention to
cash in.
Before Athena could officially activate the challenge,Alex
Windsor, who will face Athena for the ROH Women’s World
Championship Saturday on Collision, sprinted to the ring,
tackling Athena to the mat, and raining down mounted
punches. She then blasted Starkz with a discus lariat,
clearing the ring and standing tall as the crowd roared.
Swerve Strickland def. Hechicero by Disqualification
In a highly technical and hard-hitting bout on AEW Dynamite,
Swerve Strickland squared off with the Don Callis Family’s
submission specialist Hechicero. Don Callis joined the
commentary desk, proclaiming Hechicero to be “better than El
Santo… better than Bandido,” and warning that Swerve “can’t
out-wrestle a killer.”
The early goings were a clinic in Lucha mat grappling.
Swerve worked a top wristlock, but Hechicero quickly
countered with double overhooks and tied Strickland in
knots, manipulating his jaw and searching for a triangle
choke. Swerve rolled out and attempted an abdominal stretch,
but Hechicero reached the ropes to break the hold. Callis
noted, “There’s no submission move you can put on Hechicero
that he hasn’t seen countered 10 times before”.
After absorbing shoulder blocks and chops in the corner,
Strickland hit a vertical suplex to shift momentum. A
roundhouse kick followed, and Swerve went up top and
connected with a 450 splash, but Hechicero kicked out at
two.
Hechicero battled back, using a sleeper hold and
transitioning into a cross armbar, forcing Swerve to roll
him into a pin for a two-count. Strickland rebounded with a
rolling thunder reverse STO and looked poised to take
control when disaster struck. Just as Strickland readied for
the killshot, Lance Archer hit the ring, attacking him
without provocation. Referee Rick Knox had no choice but to
throw the match out.
The Don Callis Family wasn’t finished. Archer and Hechicero
continued the assault until Bandido and Brody King charged
in to even the odds. But Kazuchika Okada appeared from
behind, looking to take out Strickland with a steel chair.
Swerve, however, was ready. He wriggled out of Okada trying
to hit a Tombstone on the chair after he smacked Swerve
across the back, then attempted to take out Okada with the
chair himself, only for Okada to narrowly escape, stunned
but not broken.
Ricochet and GOA Make Their Demands
Backstage on AEW Dynamite, Alicia Atout stood by to
interview Ricochet and the Gates of Agony, but Ricochet
wasted no time correcting her. “Just GOA,” he said firmly,
setting the tone for what followed.
Before Atout could continue, Ricochet cut her off. “I’ve
been trying to tell people for weeks, but they didn’t wanna
listen. Well, hell, maybe you’re listening now, huh? Maybe
you’re listening now,” he said. He pointed to their massive
success the previous week, including two victories in a
single night, highlighted by GOA winning $200,000 in a 4-Way
tag.
Ricochet then reminded everyone of what’s at stake: “Because
of these two, we are now $200,000 richer. $200,000 that we
will invest into our quest for gold, because that is what’s
most important. So for all of you out there watching?
Listen. We don’t care what you think about us. Just know
that one way or another, you will respect us… or fear us.
And that, Alicia? That’s a demand.”
He let out his signature cackle and closed with a grin: “I
look good too, don’t I?”
MJF Interrupted By Mark Briscoe, Crosses the Line Again
Maxwell Jacob Friedman made his way to the ring for a live
microphone segment, addressing the fallout from earlier in
the night and his ongoing obsession with reclaiming the AEW
World Championship.
“I don’t need Bobby Lashley to get back my world
championship,” MJF proclaimed. “I don’t need Bob. And as far
as Cowboy goes, you wanna call me a coward? You’re the
coward. You hypocrite. You won’t wrestle me unless I execute
my contract? Well buddy, I’m not gonna execute this
contract. I’m gonna beat you inside that ring fair and
square, and my belt is gonna be around my waist.”
Before he could say more, Mark Briscoe’s music hit.
Briscoe kept things brief, mostly. “Much like that kosher
pickle you got there, Max, I’m gonna keep this short,” he
said. “I’m doing all I can right now to exercise some self-
control, man, because all I really wanna do is take that
microphone and shove it so far up your ass... but I got all
these kids, and I know they’ll dock my paycheck, ‘cause
they’ll never get that thing back.”
Then Briscoe got to the point: “At All In, in the Casino
Gauntlet, you stole that win from me. You little
opportunistic bastard. Bottom line? I want you in the ring.
Mark Briscoe. MJF. What you say we do it right here in
Chicago next week?”
MJF gave a flat “No.”
He then proceeded to launch a verbal assault on Briscoe’s
entire career. “If you were supposed to win, you would have.
But you didn’t. Because when the pressure’s on, Mark, you
lose. And when the pressure’s on me? I win. I’m a
generational talent, baby. I’m the most complete
professional wrestler in the world today.”
Feigning sincerity, Max added, “From the bottom of my
heart... I think you suck. I think you are white trash, just
like everybody here from the Ma-Ma-Ma-Midwest.”
Though he acknowledged Briscoe’s popularity, MJF made it
cruelly clear what he thought of it: “These people love you,
Mark. But let’s be honest... not even your biggest fans
think you’re a top guy. You’re a joke. A circus clown we
parade around for cheap laughs and cheap pops. These people
don’t actually respect you.”
Then MJF crossed the line.
“I knew another guy from Delaware,” he said. “That guy would
have been worth my time. I can’t imagine how depressing it
is to be you, Mark, waking up every day, having to look the
fans in the eyes, having to look your family in the eyes,
knowing deep down no one will ever respect you as much as
they did your brother Jay.”
That was the last straw.
Mark Briscoe stormed the ring, but MJF darted out before a
fight could erupt. The fans in Chicago erupted with fury as
Briscoe seethed in the ring, and Tony Schiavone said it
best: “That was all uncalled for.”
Mark Briscoe def. Claudio Castagnoli
In the main event of AEW Dynamite, Mark Briscoe took on
Claudio Castagnoli of the Death Riders in a heated singles
bout that mixed brute force with high-stakes emotion. Though
the match started with traditional collar-and-elbow tie-ups,
it quickly escalated into a slugfest of uppercuts, chops,
and brute strength. Claudio hammered Briscoe with overhand
strikes, while Mark responded with wild right hands and
sharp kicks, even flooring the Swiss powerhouse with a boot
to the face.
The action spilled to the floor, where Castagnoli whipped
Briscoe repeatedly into the barricade before launching him
over it. Back in the ring, Claudio maintained control with a
sleeper hold, targeting the midsection and trying to wear
his opponent down. But Mark Briscoe, as always, proved
impossible to keep down. The turning point came when Darby
Allin appeared in the crowd, distracting Claudio just long
enough for Briscoe to string together offense, including a
big suplex, a suicide dive, and a huge elbow drop off the
announce desk.
Back in the ring, Briscoe climbed the ropes and hit his
signature Froggy Bow elbow drop, but Claudio kicked out.
Briscoe signaled for the Jay-Driller, but Claudio escaped,
only to get caught with a back elbow. He responded with an
eye poke and a stiff uppercut, nearly sealing the win. But
as he went for the Neutralizer, Briscoe reversed into a
small package and secured the three-count.
Death Riders Attack Briscoe, Hangman Challenges Moxley
Before Briscoe could celebrate, Marina Shafir attacked him
from behind with a chop block to the knee. Then Jon Moxley
made his entrance, grabbing a microphone and telling the
audience that Hangman Adam Page wasn’t a champion “just
because he’s walking around with a belt.” As Claudio dropped
Briscoe gut-first across the back of an opened steel chair,
the same move that had previously taken out HOOK, the
message was clear: The Death Riders intended to erase any
illusions of comfort or safety in AEW.
Hangman Adam Page wouldn’t let that stand. The AEW World
Champion walked straight to the ring and locked eyes with
Moxley. “When you told me I didn’t want Texas Death, you
were lying; we both know that,” Page said. “But when you say
I can’t handle the pressure, that I can’t do it again and
again, I think you believe that. So I will prove it to you.”
Hangman laid out the challenge for next week’s Dynamite: a
World Championship match between him and Moxley, with
everyone but the referee banned from ringside. “This time,
you’re the challenger,” Page told him. “So you’ll play by my
rules… and I already know your answer is yes. I’ll see you
next week, dumbass”.
Tony Khan made it official moments later: Hangman Page vs.
Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship, live next week
from Chicago, with no interference allowed.
Catch AEW Collision this Saturday at 8/7c on TNT and
streaming on HBO MAX from the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom in
Chicago, IL!
Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com
And remember… We are AEW—Where The Best Wrestle!