We’ve got brackets! I love a good bracket. I am lousy at predicting them -- I had Michigan going all the way in the NCAA and that didn’t exactly work out -- but I enjoy filling one out nonetheless. Between the brackets for the Owen Hart Tournament being announced yesterday, Dynasty coming up this weekend, and Project Lucha Underground Season 1 Episode one publishing Thursday, I figured it’s as good a time as any to get a Dynasty preview up before the big show on Sunday. I’ll write up my predictions for the Owen later, although 3/14ths of the matches will be decided on this very show.

Since this will drop well before Collision, and since I want to watch that spoiler-free to enjoy the madness of a Harley Cameron/Mercedes Moné/Puppet Mercedes trios match, we’ll probably end up with some matches that we’ll miss out on predicting. As of this moment, Wikipedia says that there are ten matches announced for Dynasty, and that’s around where we usually end up for an AEW PPV. There will probably be a couple Zero Hour matches announced, but the main card is probably set. So, we will head into the preview without hesitation, and when Tony Khan adds five matches, well, I’ll just post the match graphics on BlueSky and circle my winners there.

The Let’s Watch Some Wrestling AEW Dynasty Preview!

Mercedes Moné versus Julia Hart, Owen Hart Tournament First Round Match

Wow, if you consider that the Owen tournament winners get title shots at Y’all In in July, literally every announced match on Dynamite is for an AEW championship. I guess we’ll just go in reverse Wikipedia order, then. Julia hasn’t looked fantastic since she returned from injury, and her stable has been kinda lousy, too. I believe Buddy Matthews is out with an injury, and while Brody King has had some great hoss matches, he’s also lost a lot lately. Not great for a new stable…well, newish considering it’s a rebrand after Malakai Black got his release. 

Mercedes, on the other hand, has been on a roll. I think her match with Kris Statlander back at last year’s Full Gear really got her on a hot streak, and Moné has had solid matches since. She’s also clearly having fun helping younger/newer talent like Billie Starkz and Harley Cameron get over, while also cementing herself as one of AEW’s top talents. She’ll win here, although Julia will put up a good fight. This will be a good test of Mercedes ability to put over another young opponent, while also helping us get a better read on Julia’s current level of ring work. 

Mercedes wins, moves on in the tournament

Will Ospreay versus Kevin Knight, Owen Hart Tournament First Round Match

Kind of the same story here. Ospreay doesn’t take pay-per-views off. Hell, it’s not like the guy is phoning in his weekly TV matches, either. Kevin Knight only just signed with AEW, and in a week he’s gone from getting an All Elite graphic after a Collision match with Knife Pervert Jay White to replacing White in the Owen. The Dynamite match that featured Ospreay and Knight was a lot of fun, with Knight getting to show off more of his abilities in an exhibition than he did in the Switchblade match. He and Ospreay had a lot of chemistry as partners, and even though there’s no doubt Ospreay moves on in the tournament, he’ll put a lot of effort into making this a great match and putting Kevin Knight over as a superstar. Knight lucked into some incredible booking, and by all accounts he’s prepared to take advantage of that. Should be a blast.

Will Ospreay wins, moves on in the tournament

Kyle Fletcher versus Mark Briscoe, Owen Hart Tournament First Round Match

This will only be the fourth time these two meet in singles competition, at least according to Cagematch. Briscoe beat Fletcher for the Ring of Honor championship last June, and again during the Continental Classic in December. But Fletcher picked up a win over the master of Redneck Kung Fu on Collision back in February, and he’s been on a hot streak for the better part of this year. Even his loss to Will Ospreay in that bloody cage match at Revolution hasn’t slowed his momentum. I feel like Briscoe can always overcome a loss, since he’s absolutely beloved, and Fletcher needs a strong run in the Owen to continue his singles push. So…

Kyle Fletcher moves on in the tournament

The Hurt Syndicate © versus The Learning Tree for the AEW Tag Team Championship

Lots of moving parts in this match. The Learning Tree is subbing in for the Murder Machines after Brian Cage went down with an injury. Shelton Benjamin missed Dynamite, although that was a weather/travel issue. And MJF is currently gunning for a spot in the Hurt Business, despite Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin arguing against him to MVP. Max doesn’t have his own match at the show, so I think he’ll join MVP in accompanying the Hurt Business to the ring. He may even get involved to help out the Business, establishing that he’s really in it for a mutually beneficial relationship (until his sudden but inevitable betrayal.) 

Hurt Business will win this match, and big meaty Bob and big meaty Bill should have a fun meat-off in the process. I do think Max successfully interferes on the Hurt Business’ behalf, and the story will progress from there.

Hurt Business retain thanks in part to MJF

Daniel Garcia © versus Adam Cole for the TNT Championship

This interminable feud will, I assume, terminate here. There’s no time limit and no outside interference, meaning Cole’s buddies Kyle O’Reilly and Roddy Strong won’t be at ringside, and Garcia won’t benefit from a time stoppage. I have literally forgotten that Daniel Garcia both a) has the TNT title and b) exists multiple times during this championship reign. I’ve also been pretty unimpressed with Adam Cole of late. I guess Cole should win, as maybe he’ll breathe some life back into the TNT title picture, but right now I’m not invested enough in either guy, or the TNT title, to really care.

Adam Cole takes the TNT Championship, does something with it

Death Riders versus Rated FTR for the AEW Trios Championship

Speaking of interminable feuds…it’s the Death Riders vs Cope and pals! I’m being a little harsh, though, especially since there’s some interesting directions this one could go in. Two weeks ago, I would have said it’s a lock that Rated FTR were gonna take the Trios belts as a “we’re sorry, we know” to the fans before another “Mox so cool” title defense. But with the developments between Hanger and Swerve on Dynamite, as well as the growing rift between FTR Bald, FTR Gun, and the former Edge, this might be interesting.

And, I mean, these guys will all work to put on a great match. FTR and Copeland love them some drama, so it’ll go like twenty minutes and there will be a few of those spots where they almost hit a teammate before pulling up at the last second. I don’t think the Riders will lose here, because an FTR split and/or a match between Uncle Dax and Cope will depend on the good guys eating yet another loss. In my little brain, that will eventually lead to FTR making up, Cope going heel, and if things play out the way I hope, FTR versus a reunited Edge and Christian at Y’all In. A man can dream. But to get us on the road to the return of the Five Second Pose, we’ll need…

The Death Riders to retain via a lack of coexisting between the goodies.

Chris Jericho © versus Bandido in a Title vs Mask match for the Ring of Honor World Championship

This feud, and Chris Jericho, have improved lately. I don’t understand why Ring of Honor continues to exist if its biggest title is defended on a different brand, but that’s neither here nor there. Bandido’s mask is one of the most unique luchador masks out there, and there’s no way he’s losing that thing. So that means Bandido will win the Ring of Honor championship, and maybe Jericho turns on his Learning Tree pals and sets them free. He’s already been pretty annoyed with them, and it’s not like they’re winning the championship tonight.

Bandido wins the Ring of Honor championship, and we don’t see him on Dynamite for months

Kenny Omega © versus Ricochet versus “Speedball” Mike Bailey for the International Championship

There’s like an 80% chance this match steals the show, and I think every other match on the card is going to step up to meet the potential of this triple header. I know this isn’t “peak” Omega, but even just a healthy, fine Kenny matched with this iteration of Pretty Ricky and the recently-signed Speedball is…man, it’s exciting. This is one of those matches you put your pizza and your phone down for and just witness things as they happen. BlueSky will be fine without you for 15 minutes as these guys try their best to create magic. And what’s great is that all three know what they are capable of, and aren’t afraid to go all out to make something amazing happen. Hold your breath for this one.

Kenny Omega retains and we all remember to breathe once he raises that belt above his head

“Timeless” Toni Storm © versus Megan Bayne for the AEW Women’s World Championship

This should be cut and dry, right? Toni just won her title back in Australia and defended it in an all-timer at Revolution. I know there’s some folks out there who already want newcomer Megan Bayne to both win the belt and step on them, but I don’t think she’s there yet. It always seems like the first thing that pops into a fantasy booker’s brain when anyone wins a title is picking who will take the strap off of them, but it’s way too soon to give in to that. Mariah May held that title for around six months before Toni got it back, after all. It’s not like it’s been this super long Storm championship run.

Taking the belt off Storm and slapping it on a woman who hasn’t even cut a good promo yet would be to the detriment of both women, and to the division as a whole. 

Toni will eat a lot of power offense in this one, but she’ll come out on top. 

Jon Moxley © versus Swerve Strickland for the AEW Men’s World Championship

So let’s say I’ve been right so far, and that Rated FTR lose to the Death Riders trio of Claudio Castignoli, Wheeler Yuta, and PAC. That promo from Wednesday…you know the one….

Man, that’s a win for mental health if I’ve ever seen one. Growth as people? In a wrestling storyline? Wonderful stuff. Just tremendous.

But I’m gushing here. This all means something, but we’re not gonna know what just yet, I don’t think. Maybe Hangman will forgive himself and go full good guy. Maybe he can’t forgive himself yet and goes all in on being EVIL. Maybe Swerve was arguing with Prince Nana because he can’t focus on the championship without making every single rivalry he’s in so personal. Who’s to say? 

Me, since I’m the one at the keyboard. I don’t want Hanger to show up just yet. I also can’t say I want Swerve to begin his next championship run in what feels like a transitional role. Y’all In feels like the place to end the Death Riders run. I know a lot of fans are tired of it; believe me, I know, I’m right there with you. But Swerve/ Mox has had very little build, and while the shock and relief of a Swerve win on Sunday night would have me screaming, I just don’t think the immediate joy is worth throwing out this long, depressing storyline. The ‘Mania of AEW just feels like the right place for the company to depose this vile monarch, and while Swerve is incredibly worthy of the honor, he’s also a great guy to have lose here.

I don’t think anyone thought Cope was going to defeat Mox at Revolution, but a lot of us talked ourselves into it on the night because we’re tired of the Death Riders routine. The same could be said for any of the other challengers, albeit for different reasons. It was too soon for Orange Cassidy, Knife Pervert Jay White, or Hangman Adam Page at Full Gear and World’s End. Powerhouse Hobbs isn’t ready yet, and Christian Cage only felt like he might win if Cope pulled off the upset and Cage cashed in his Clipboard From The Bank contract. 

This is different. Swerve is a former World Champ; the champ before Brian Danielson, who Moxley beat for the title (and possibly murdered) back in October. If Strickland wins, while it’s not expected, it shouldn’t feel shocking. But if Swerve loses…if the Death Riders pull the same shit they always do, with interference and weapons and a twenty minute beatdown after Mox slithers away with Marina Shafir and his briefcase…then we’re in uncharted territory. Then we need a hero.

If we can’t count on Swerve (whether or not Hanger tries to help) it feels to me like Y’all In will be a coronation moment. Whether that’s Will Ospreay, Darby Allin, or someone else who steps up, that will be a helluva moment, made even more important now that the company has embraced All In as its biggest show of the year. So, while I really, really want to be wrong…

Jon Moxley retains, we hopefully endure the last show-ending Death Riders beatdown at a pay per view.

So Long For Now

Follow me on BlueSky for updates and live watch-along commentary for AEW Dynamite and Collision (occasionally). And, if you’re looking into purchasing anything from a smart fridge to a new drill, check out the tech writing I do over at SlashGear -- my lists are heavily researched, and ranked after thorough aggregation of expert opinions, reviews, and my own experience as a professional auto mechanic, an unprofessional handyman and a somehow even less professional homeowner. Enjoy the show Sunday, and hopefully I find time to talk about it with you after!

Until next time…Let’s Watch Some Wrestling!

A Lucha Underground Rewatch Preview!

 

Good Morning!

Lucha Underground. That mean anything to you? For me, it was an awakening. The combination of influences like grindhouse cinema, lucha libre and telenovelas, 70s cop shows and kung fu movies, and MST3K fodder like Samson vs The Vampire Women…all put into a blender and presented as a weekly drama that had some awesome wrestling that was different from everything available, and to this day has nothing fully comparable that I’m aware of. 

I’ve watched wrestling since I was a little guy -- SummerSlam 1990 was the first show I watched front to back, on a Coliseum VHS tape in my grandma Celia’s Chicago basement with my cousins -- and WCW and WWF were pretty much all I knew growing up. The second wave of stuff I remember was when TNA started out with its unique weekly pay-per-view formula. I think it was five bucks a week, and I remember having people come over to my second floor apartment in Forest Park for those. Amazing Red and Low-Ki stood out to me at the time, and I think I stuck with them for a while after they got a TV deal on…was it Spike? I’ll have to look that up. That would have been while I was still working at the animal hospital, around 2002.

When Lucha Underground was announced, I remember being incredibly excited for it. I wasn’t young or naive, but my wrestling diet still mostly consisted of North American fare. I was aware of New Japan Pro Wrestling, CMLL, AAA, and Pro Wrestling Guerilla, but I was far from a regular viewer. Hell, before Lucha Underground launched I met Kenny Omega at an empty booth before a Ring of Honor show on WrestleMania weekend in New Orleans, and I was basically just being nice to a guy who looked bored. I looked over while talking to my buddy and my wife, and he waved so I went to say hello. It wasn’t until later that night that I realized who he was, but he was a nice guy regardless. This is all to say, I’m not the most wrestling fan kind of wrestling fan. I’m not super online, and I don’t invest the time a lot of superfans do. I like what I like, and that’s changed over the years. But my love of Lucha Underground -- or the idea of it, anyway…the feeling -- remains.

[Fun side story: at WrestleMania 34 the night after that Ring of Honor show, my incredible wife went to get us some drinks during the event. I think it was during the four-way between Jinder Mahal, Randy Orton, Bobby Roode, and Rusev -- she stayed for the entrances and then went and got this tumbler that we still use for iced tea to this very day!

While in line, a person behind her asked if they could take a picture with the guy in front of her, a man about her height with an incredible head of hair. She thinks the guy thought she was the man’s interpreter. The man in question turned around and my wife took the pic of the two, and then he put a finger to his lips for the both of them. And that, friends, is how we learned that one Hiroshi Tanahashi was visiting WrestleMania 34 as a fan.]

So, before I wrote this, I thought this show aired like 20 years ago, rather than ten. I would have been around 35 in 2014… by then I was already out here in Colorado. And here I thought I watched all this from my place in Forest Park, IL, or maybe even my first place in Denver, but no, we were already full on suburban homeowners by 2014. Actually, I just peeled the last remnants of a Lucha Underground mask sticker off my 1996 Ford Ranger, which I didn’t have until around 2011…so this timeline checks out, I guess. So these treasured memories aren’t from some bygone era, they’re from like two jobs ago. That makes sense, though, considering the amount of folks from LU that have appeared on AEW. You've got Swerve, Angelico, Ivelisse, Diamante, Penta, Johnny Mundo/TV…and that’s just off the top of my head!

A Very Brief Primer On Lucha Underground

Let's go through the backstory of the show itself, and why I'm so amped to get into the show again, before we dive into an episode-by-episode rewatch:

Why do you care about Lucha Underground?

Lucha Underground aired on El Rey Network, and debuted about a year after the network itself. The idea behind that channel was something that really spoke to me, personally. Per the company’s website:

"El Rey Network is an English-language entertainment brand founded by maverick filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk Till Dawn, Sin City, Spy Kids, Machete). Curated by Rodriguez and his artistic collective, the Latino-infused network revels in the courage, capacity, and creativity of ordinary people on extraordinary journeys through its unique original programming. In addition, El Rey Network showcases a wide range of iconic feature films and TV series including genre, cult classics, action, and horror/sci-fi."

As an English-speaking, Latino-infused individual myself, I found that pitch a perfect sell to my own identity. Add to it the fact that my folks raised me on genre stuff like 80s action, sci-fi, and horror, and my own love of Rodriguez and his pal Quentin Tarantino’s stuff, and it was the perfect channel for a slightly younger me. While I wasn’t watching the channel 24/7, and this was before streaming was as big a thing as it is today, I was happy it existed, and spent many a night watching Bruce Lee or Bruce Campbell fight evil in its many forms. These days, El Rey Network lives on via Roku TV, as a streaming channel that shows genre fare, some original programming, and reruns of Lucha Underground.

So, I care about it because both the network and the show spoke to me. I think representation is important in all media, and Latino representation in any media seems pretty thin. So, to get in on the ground floor of a lucha libre promotion like Lucha Underground, to see the beginning of something new and cool looking, that was created by like-minded individuals to myself, felt almost like a responsibility. Speaking of those individuals...

Who made Lucha Underground?

Lucha Underground was a collaboration between a number of talents, but the big names at the top of the bill were Robert Rodriguez and Mark Burnett, a British megaproducer who helped bring about shows like Shark Tank, Survivor, The Voice, and many more. Konnan had some influence on the show as well. He was brought in as an on-screen managerial talent and creative consultant, but he also helped to bridge the gap as a liaison between Lucha Underground's producers and AAA, one of the larger wrestling promotions in Mexico. Former WWE writer Chris DeJoseph was added as a creative head/showrunner type. This was a talented group of people, but their methods of doing business often clashed, leading to some tension between them.

Where it was made, and why is that important?

A Google maps photo of the LU warehouse in 2015

The Temple in Boyle Heights was as much a character in Lucha Underground as any wrestler. From the outside, it looked like what it was -- a hundred-year-old warehouse near the 4th Street Bridge in Los Angeles. But inside, the work of production designer Kelly Van Patter, who also worked with Mark Burnett to design Survivor's Tribal Councils, transformed the former railyard building into a temple. Using the right angles present in the bleachers, balconies, and the ring itself, the idea of kind of an inverted underground Mayan temple was established. Van Patter said that a lot of the set dressing was stuff she found at local flea markets, or things that were already in place in the building. "There's always a special aging that has to go into it, because this is a gritty fight club, so it has to look pretty grungy," she told LAist in 2015. "Some of the things we just take and throw around outside on the ground just to scuff it up and give it a layer of grime." 

And they used that setting to the fullest. I remember segments shot in the locker room, where the camera was uncomfortably close to the talent during intense conversations. Promoter Dario Cueto's office was shot like a 70's cop show, with partially-open blinds, warm colors, and little items on Cueto's desk that helped establish his character. Everything oozed attention to detail, and pride in both the heritage of lucha libre and the city of angels.

LA is known as a city of immigrants, and its heritage is intertwined with that of the Latino community. By basing the promotion in the city, and giving it a connection to it by way of a building that's seen a century of development around it, Lucha Underground was given a head start in relating to both LA residents, and people who identify with, or simply are interested in, Latino culture. 

We actually stayed pretty close to the warehouse in which the temple was housed during our LA trip for AEW Revolution. These days, it's just an empty building, available to rent. But as recently as 2024, the Lucha Bros held a show in the building, and still referred to it as The Temple. Maybe that proximity is what rekindled my love for lucha. Who's to say? 

What set Lucha Underground apart?

Credit: Variety

The production levels that this show used, first and foremost, set Lucha Underground apart from other televised wrestling. Backstage vignettes had more in common, visually, with Planet Terror than they did with SmackDown. The focus on fantastic storylines that occasionally bordered on absurd, on outlandish characters, and on over-the-top acting made the telenovela aspect of the show shine. Edited matches, something viewers of live shows like WWE's product, weren't accustomed to, streamlined the action and eliminated many of the botches that can happen during a live match. And that logo...man, I love luchador masks anyways, but I love that stylized mask and the font they used with it. Good production means getting little things like that right. 

Why didn't Lucha Underground last?

I mean, I wouldn't call a four-year televised run a failure by any means. In a world where far too few wrestlers were able to remain employed, any contract with a larger company with a TV deal meant a "guaranteed" income and more eyes on your product -- in this case, you, as a performer. Unfortunately, a combination of outside and inside forces conspired against the continued viability of Lucha Underground. Creative issues arose between Konnan and Chris DeJoseph, with the former leading an unsuccesful strike against the show. Konnan tried to use his influence, which is still felt to this day, to convince/intimidate his AAA performers to pressure management to change Lucha Underground to a more traditional lucha libre program, while DeJoseph was more interested in storytelling and presentation. And with megaproducer Burnett reportedly never attending a taping of the show, and his subordinates more interested in production and the appearance of the show, a line was drawn. Konnan ended up taking that loss personally, and as a result was hit with a restraining order after allegedly threatening both staff and performers.

But that's not all. Financially, the show became untenable, as production costs rose and income stagnated. A touring schedule may have helped, and merchandising was said to be limited. I know I had a t-shirt with the show's logo, and a decal that was on my truck for the last ten years, but I ordered those from the El Rey Network store -- I don't remember any individual wrestlers being highlighted for merch.

And then there's the whole contract situation that hampered things near the end. The last two seasons of LU weren't announced as far ahead of tapings as the first two, leading to rushed production of season four. Contractually, wrestlers weren't allowed to seek other employment during those between season  breaks, and after season four several performers ended up suing to get out of those contracts. 

In the end, as it is with most things, money was the problem. Would a Tony Khan-like benefactor have saved the show? Would a deal with a larger streaming deal, a lack of an offseason, or less of a dependance on the partnership with AAA? I don't know. I'm hoping to gain some perspective on the overall quality of the show throughout this project, and maybe I'll have a better answer for you afterwards. As it was produced as more of a telenovela with some wrestling, maybe it just ran out of creative juice. Or maybe it would have gone on to reach incredible heights if backstage drama and financial issues were resolved. We'll see!

Credit goes to Dave Knows Wrestling and Ring the Damn Bell for refreshing me on this stuff.

Let's Watch Some Lucha Underground!

I’m excited to dive back into this world of monsters and luchadores, madmen and snake women. A world where intergender matches were just accepted as the norm, and one where the guy who runs the show is as slimy as any “authority figure” character -- although Dario Cueto did keep his massive brother in, like, the basement of the arena in a prison cell, if I’m remembering correctly. I’ll watch, take notes, and do a little research to keep up with what went down at the time these shows came out. After all, this will be a history lesson as much as a reminder of what we had. I think I’ll have fun, and I hope you do to. You can even watch along once we get a schedule set…or at least watch the episode (however you can find it) before reading the next entry in the series.

In short, my memory is garbage and I’m due for a rewatch. So that’s the plan! I had been wanting to buy a DVD set of all four seasons, but that’s not forthcoming. I found a DVD set of Season 1 in German on Amazon, but that’s about it. So we went to [REDACTED], and sure enough I found and downloaded all four seasons! My plan is to watch one or two shows a week, write about them, and post ‘em here. I know a lot of talent that ended up in AEW, TNA, and WWE made their way through the Temple in Boyle Heights first, and I’m looking forward to being surprised to see who's there, or to learn who's under those gorgeous masks.

So Long For Now

So that’s gonna be where I wrap things up for right now. I’m hoping this is a long-term project that keeps me writing and interested, and given the reverence I have for both lucha libre in general and Lucha Underground in particular, I don’t think that’s a worry. Once I get into a groove we might get a real schedule -- I'm thinking watch/write on Tuesday, publish for Wednesday -- but right now its up in the air. Between trips to hang out with my new niece, wrestling stuff, house projects, and my wife going out of town for a few things, it’s gonna be more of a “I’ll let you know when something drops” scenario. Hope that works for you, brother! I just wanted to do a little primer/introduction before we got into this project. 

Follow me on BlueSky for updates and live watch-along commentary for AEW Dynamite. And, if you’re looking into anything from a smart fridge to a new drill, check out the tech writing I do over at SlashGear -- my lists are heavily researched, and ranked after thorough aggregation of expert opinions, reviews, and my own experience as a professional auto mechanic, an unprofessional handyman and a somehow even less professional homeowner.

Until next time…Let’s Watch Some Wrestling!

It's the Let's Watch Some Wrestling AEW Full Gear Review!

Good Morning!

Full Gear was pretty good! I really had a good time watching this show, and that wasn’t only due to the fine pizza and cat antics offered by my buddy’s hospitality. HOWEVER, if you haven’t tried it yet, I cannot recommend 7-Up’s Shirley Temple drink enough -- it’s amazing and defeats their cherry offering as my favorite version of the pop.

But I digress. Full Gear outdid my expectations, and featured matches where I didn’t expect much but was pleasantly surprised, matches where I expected more but was satisfied with the result, and one match that I was incredibly happy to have been wrong about on several levels. Let’s dive right into the review!

Zero Hour: Costco Man defeated QT Marshall, Anna Jay defeated Deonna Purrazzo, and Buddy Matthews defeated Dante Martin, Komander, and THE BEAST MORTOS

My Pick: Costco AJ and his Costco Son -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: QT

We only picked ⅓ of these matches, because only one had been announced when we wrote the preview. That 4 way was fun, but nothing special for AEW, and I missed the women’s match entirely. The Costco match was fun, though, for what it was. As I said in the preview, I have no co

nnection with the guy or the kids, but you could tell that both of the kids were having a blast. The crowd seemed genuinely into the match, and QT is the very definition of the wrestling term “a good hand,” doing all the best heel spots from the ‘80s in an attempt to get Costco AJ over. Even Big Show/Paul Wight got in on the fun, walking The Rizzler to his timekeeper post and defending him from an attempted assault by Marshall. Overall, it was a pre-show match that got eyes on the product. Could be worse -- could be a Paul brother.

Private Party © defeated The Outrunners, Kings of the Black Throne, and The Acclaimed to retain the World Tag Team Championship

My Pick: Private Party’s gotta retain here -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: The same!

Private Party won in a kind of surprising fashion, but they felt more like an afterthought in their big title defense. Tension between the Acclaimed’s Max Caster and Anthony Bowens was the big focus of this match, starting with Max throwing his microphone at Bowens before the match began and continuing in several spots during the fight. I’ve grown more and more annoyed with Caster over the past few months, with his edgelord Twitter shtick and increasingly trollish entrance raps going from silly to grating for me. I’m really hoping he initiates the breakup with Bowens, only for Bowens to end up being the member of the Acclaimed that MVP and the Hurt Syndicate wanted all along. Let him be a heel without a stable, just an unlikeable prick to eat losses and steal wins to get some heat.

The Outrunners and House of Black had some good points in this match, and Brody was able to shine as the big bad house of fire as well. The match was good, and the right guys won, but hopefully Outrunners vs FTR, an Acclaimed break, and the House of Black reunion with Julia Hart are all coming to keep those teams relevant too.

MJF defeated Roderick Strong

My Pick: MJF comes out on top -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: MJF

A match born from a rivalry that’s been simmering for over a year now, kind of, Roddy Strong vs MJF was another good, serviceable match with the right guy winning and the story coming out of the fight being more important than the fight itself. MJF’s submission win in this match made sense, and Strong going for backbreakers all night was expected, but the inclusion of Kyle O’Reilly, Adam Cole, and the Kingdom guys should all lead into some new directions for everyone involved except Cole and MJF, who HAVE to meet at World’s End to blow off this neverending feud.

Mercedes Moné © defeated Kris Statlander to retain the TBS Championship

My Pick: Mercedes retains -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: Statlander!

Look, I’ll admit to having been kind of a turd on this one. Mercedes hasn’t impressed me since her match with Willow Nightingale, and I honestly gave most of the credit to Willow for that one. Haters might say the same about this match, which is reasonable considering the fact that Statlander can make anyone look good. But Mercedes more than held up her end of this battle, and I was really impressed by everything she did in the ring on the night. Her reactions to Stat’s kickouts were wild, and I loved how she went from annoyed, to a tantrum, to confident, to angry, to finally relieved at the final three count. Statlander and Moné had amazing chemistry, showed some incredible creativity in their reversals, and put on what I would call Mercedes’ best match out of the Fed so far. Good on both women. 

I would have loved to have seen Statlander win gold, but with the turn on Kamille, Mercedes has more than a few women waiting to challenge for that title. If AEW decides to do that match at Winter is Coming, and quickly go with Jamie Hayter challenging for the TBS Championship at World’s End, Mercedes has the built-in excuse of working three big shows in a row against three big meaty women in a row. It all works for me.

“Switchblade” Jay White defeated “Hangman” Adam Page

My Pick: Hanger hurts Jay real bad among a sea of “Leaves IS Plants, Dumbass!” signs -- NEWS FLASH, DUMBASS, YOU WAS WRONG

2k24 said: Page

I loved this match, more than I expected to. Switchblade is a solid, dependable wrestler, and a guy who can get good results out of anything you throw at him. Heel leader of some weirdos slapped together to sell more Bullet Club merch? Sure. Babyface who maybe walked into a deathmatch with a guy whose singular focus has been murdering his one true love/rival? Why not?

I really thought this would be the match where Hangman’s current trajectory into darkness would pay off, but it was not to be. I like the story, though: you can go to “that place” when you’re faced with a rival like Swerve Strickland, but if you stay there, you’re not going to find anything but heartache. Jay White deserved the win, too, given how often he ends up losing these bigger storylines when he’s inserted into them. Maybe he’s the next guy to go after Moxley? I don’t think he’s quite beloved enough, but we’ll see soon enough.

Full credit to the “Leaves IS Plants” sign holders for getting BlueSky lore on TV, although maybe you don’t need to block the folks behind you every 40 seconds.

Kyle Fletcher defeated Will Ospreay

My Pick: Fletcher surprises with a victory -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: Fletcher

This would have been the match of the night on any other night, and probably on this night for many AEW fans. Flips, melodramatic acting, full-on SCREAMING from Fletcher, reversals on reversals on reversals…just great, top-tier professional wrestling. I love that Ospreay is so willing to get other performers over despite the massive pops he continues to get when his music hits. This is a guy who (Undertaker voice) “RESPECKS THE BUSINESS” and is doing all the right things to help get AEW back on track. 

I know some people have a problem with Ospreay’s history, but I think he’s shown genuine growth as a person and has apologized for his past, which is way more than I expect from most people these days. You can’t go back, but you can learn and grow and that’s gotta count for something.

Daniel Garcia defeated Jack Perry © for the TNT Championship

My Pick: Daniel Garcia steals one for the good guys -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: Daniel Garcia

Another guy I could easily see falling into the AEW vs Death Riders story is Daniel Garcia, who has been at the front line of the big team brawls in weeks past. Garcia picked up the win after some dramatic self-sacrificing by Perry, which will probably lead to a bit of “I wanted you to win for yourself” type promos in the coming shows. I’m not as high on Garcia as some people are, but I like him just fine and I’m happy to see him succeed. We’ll see if his character work is as strong as his wrestling as he moves on from the Scapegoat and into the featured feud on AEW’s weekly shows.

Konosuke Takeshita defeated Ricochet to retain the International Championship

No predictions

This was another match I wasn’t able to preview due to a late announcement, and if we’re being honest I would have been wrong anyway. I wanted this match to happen, and I wanted it to happen before Fletcher/Ospreay in a “top that” kind of way, in part because I knew that the Protostar and the Aerial Assassin would do just that. I dearly love my sweet Cinnabon son, and you can ask those closest to me about my lifelong crush on Prince Puma/Pretty Ricky. If anything, I wanted Take to lose, giving him a reason to enter the Continental Classic (more on that later). 

But he didn’t. This was a good, not great, match that hopefully leads to a great rematch somewhere down the road. Takeshita is as much raw talent as he is potential, with years left in his career to grow. He’s strong, smart, agile, and able to perform in any context asked of him. In short, he’s gonna be fine. Ricochet is evolving into more of an AEW style performer every week, and while getting the Fed off him is taking some time, you can really see that he’s trying his best to become what many folks thought he would be if he’d stayed on the indies, rather than going to WWE. 

Bobby Lashley defeated Swerve Strickland

My Pick: Big Bob smash, Big Bob win -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: Strickland

I really thought this would be more of a squash than what we got. It’s fine, though; Strickland is a former world champion, and we’re not trying to tell the story of his monumental collapse after losing his title. Lashley is going to be established as a monster more in the coming weeks, I’m sure, so this fight against one of the best talents AEW has on the roster makes sense in that regard. The post-match shenanigans let us know that the Owie Organization means business, and their business is DEEP HURTING.

The placement of this match on the card was a little weird, too. Likely meant to be a cool-down spot after what was assumed to be a barn-burner between Takeshita and Ricochet, I thought the proximity of “heel group beating down a beloved star to establish themselves” matches stuck out like a sore thumb. I love the Hurt Syndicate, don’t get me wrong -- if anything, I hope they stick around long after the Death Riders are forced to disband. That’s just all the more reason to keep the two teams separate, for now.

Jon Moxley © defeated Orange Cassidy to retain the AEW World Championship

My Pick: Mox retains  -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: Mox

This went just about exactly how I expected, up until the post match insanity began. Cassidy came out hot, hitting Moxley with Orange Punches galore. He was then beaten down and bloodied, but remained resilient and defiant, hitting a Beach Break that I nearly bit on. In the end, Moxley stood tall over the defeated Cassidy, and added insult to injury by going full Art the Clown on Orange, pouring what we were told by Excalibur was some kind of industrial ring-mat-cleaning fluid on the bloodied man’s wounds. 

After the match was when the real fun began. Hangman Page faced down Moxley before Christian Cage, his part-time associate, attacked from behind. Christian readied his contract for cash-in on the prone champion, only for Jay White to attack Cage. I don’t have much of a theory on what this means for any of the four men involved, although they do all have a bit of history that justified this whole angle. I’m definitely in “let it play out” mode here.

The mWo (I refuse to back down on that name) was headed back to their pickup truck/escape vehicle when what looked like a spray painted taxi obliterated the front half of their truck. The announcers asked who could have driven the vehicle, but come on -- spray painted skulls on a crap used car? It was Darby. So then Claudio assaulted the valet guy, stole some keys, and the Riders rode off in an SUV. The camera (shoutout to AEW for using this more mobile, handheld-style camera throughout the night) moved around the smashed truck to reveal Darby, skateboard in hand, as the next last hope for the All Elite brand jumped onto the hood of the pickup and smashed the windshield to end the show. 

The Continental Classic, version 2.0!

Sunday brought us the announcement of this year’s brackets for AEW’s now-annual Continental Classic, a points-based tournament that has two divisions and runs throughout December, culminating in the winners of those divisions face off at World’s End. Here’s the divisions:

I’m not sure if AEW plans on separating these divisions by show, like they did last year. Collision and Dynamite were operating with an unofficial roster split during the last C2, and if that holds true, the Blue Division is the one I’m way more excited for: that lineup can GET IT. Okada, Garcia, Briscoe, Benjamin, THE BEAST MORTOS, and Kyle Goddamn Fletcher? Tell me one matchup in that murderers’ row that doesn’t have the potential to steal any show.

That’s not to say that the Gold League is bad -- Darby is gonna get murdered (again) by Claudio Castignoli and Brody King, and even Ricochet and Will Ospreay can toss the little guy around while using their aerial abilities on him. It’s gonna be a fun December, and while I’m a little disappointed that my son Takeshita wasn’t entered, I’m looking forward to a potential Ospreay/Okada final, even though there’s plenty of fans who have seen that and are over it. But there are other potential finals that are interesting, too: Okada facing down Allen for the last piece of gold that the Elite holds is something. Claudio claiming another title for the Death Riders is another direction. Danny Garcia vs Castignoli keeps both of them involved in that AEW/mWo story too. There’s plenty of cool outcomes, is what I’m saying. What’s important is not to marry yourself to a fantasy booking and getting pissy when it doesn’t come to bear; there’s so many directions that both the ending of Full Gear and the whole December of this tournament can provide. I’m legit excited to see where 2024 ends for All Elite Wrestling, and hopefully next year provides more growth in audiences and love for this company that so many of us have enjoyed since its inception.

And that’s it!

Full Gear was a blast. Was it the best show AEW has done all year? No, but who cares? It was fun, it had some good wrestling, and it’s given us some very interesting possibilities for future rivalries and matches. Oh! And Mariah May turned on beloved visiting superstar Mina Shirakawa by trying to smash her upside the head with a champagne bottle! Mina, lovely and wise performer that she is, saw that attack coming and put her former partner through a table for her troubles. So, no Toni Storm just yet, but Mina vs Mariah should be a blast.

I still think it’s too soon to get right into Darby vs Moxley, but that’s because I think all signs point to the little skull-faced psycho becoming the last man standing for AEW. I think we’ve got to let things get worse, in kayfabe, before a Sting-like Darby appears in the rafters, ready to set things right again. I thought about Mark Briscoe being the next sacrifice to the Riders: a man literally every wrestling fan loves getting laid out to end 2024 feels like the way to go before the good guys finally mount a real comeback. Briscoe’s presence in the Continental Classic likely puts an end to that theory, but I still think there’s a few months in Moxley’s latest title reign before we put a new hero over. 

Next weekend is Survivor Series, which I’m not super high on because I don’t like WarGames as much as some fans. It’s usually fun, but I feel like WWE made a good decision in ending stipped-up premium live events like Hell in a Cell, and it always feels forced to make teams for the annual big cage match. I am looking forward to the stories that come out of this show, which has become the time of year when WrestleMania plans start to come into focus. Owens/Rhodes should transition nicely into Cody versus Rocky and KO taking Sami Zayn, and the Bloodlines will evolve and separate into a few different matches, I think. 

I’ll sim the announced matches a little later this week, and the Let’s Watch Some Wrestling Survivor Series preview will go up on Thursday or Friday. Then we’ve got some catching up to do with NXT before their next big show, Deadl1ne.

Thank you so much for reading. If you liked what you saw, consider telling your friends, mentioning Let’s Watch Some Wrestling on social media, or even buying me a hot cup of coffee using the Ko-Fi button. Have a great week, have a great Thanksgiving whether you celebrate or not, good luck to you retail warriors on Black Friday, and I’ll see you back here next time, dear reader. Until then, Let’s Watch Some Wrestling!

2024 Predictions

WWE Royal Rumble 2/4

NXT Vengeance Day 1/6

WWE Elimination Chamber Perth 4/4

AEW Revolution 9/11

NXT Roadblock 4/6

NXT Stand and Deliver 5/7

WWE WrestleMania Night One 4.5/7

WWE WrestleMania Night Two 4/6

AEW Dynasty 11/12

WWE Backlash 5/5

WWE King and Queen of the Ring (SSM XIV) 6/6

AEW Double or Nothing 9/12

NXT Battleground 4/6

WWE Money in the Bank 2/5

NXT Heatwave 3/6

AEW All In 6/10

WWE Bash in Berlin 3/5

NXT No Mercy 3/6

AEW Full Gear 8/9

Total Correct/Total Predictions 93.5/133

2K Predictions

AEW Full Gear 4/9