SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
First of all, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
The final push to World’s End is upon us as AEW presented “Dynamite on 34th Street” on Wednesday night. My podcast partner Joel Dehnel and I are headed to Chicago for World’s End on Saturday so we are fired up for what should be a great show. We’ll have a special preview of the event on our Friday podcast which will be posted on the PWTorch Dailycast lineup. Until then, here’s how “go-home show no. 1” went.
HITS
THE CONTINENTAL CLASSIC MATCHES
The producers and commentary did a great job on this episode setting up each tournament match explaining the stakes for each wrestler and showing the standings so viewers could understand what the match meant to each guy.
Konosuke Takeshita and Orange Cassidy had a great battle and with the upsets earlier in the tournament, it made you think OC had a real shot of getting the win. The story was well-told and Takeshita got the job done to clinch a spot in the semifinals.
Mascara Dorada has established himself as someone to keep an eye on after his performances in the tournament as well.
Jack Perry continued to play the role of underdog to perfection. He was a substitute for Darby Allin, he has an injured ankle, but he kept fighting and fighting while making Pac look like a million bucks. And just like the entire tournament has gone, he pulled off an upset setting up three huge matches on Christmas Collision to determine the semi-finals. It makes that show a must-watch with a ton of stakes, which is smart booking.
WORLD TITLE PREVIEW
When it came to the MJF squash victory and all the talking that followed, I saw four of the company’s top stars successfully put over the World Title as well as showing that the 4-way match on Saturday will be very personal. MJF got the worst of it, perhaps foreshadowing the result of the match, but we heard enough from him last week, so I thought it was a good idea for the other three to turn the tables on him. Some of the dialogue was not polished, but I am always a fan of it not being perfect, because perfect is not realistic. There is a lot on the line for all four of the participants which should make for a great match at World’s End.
BANDIDO VS. RICOCHET
I think we all knew what we were going to see when this match was made and they did not disappoint with great moves and athletic spots. I could do without the Macarena. This was another example of AEW doing a great job being less predictable when it comes to match finishes. Hopefully, this is something that continues into the new year. Bandido has had a fantastic 2025. He really has become a fan favorite and a wrestler who you can put in the ring with anyone and he has a great chance to win every time.
QUICK HITS
– Gabe Kidd vs. Darby Allin at World’s End?? — Hell yeah, gimme some of that!!
– FTP vs. Bang Bang Gang in a Chicago Street Fight at World’s End? — I’ll take that one too!!
– The Manhattan crowd singing Feliz Navidad during the Mascara Dorada vs. Roderick Strong match was awesome! Made for a very festive atmosphere! And I also appreciated the “Happy Hanukkah” chant to MJF.
– As I noted last week, Marina Shafir is getting better and better in the ring and it was nice to see her get a meaningful singles win over Mina Shirakawa and taking out Toni Storm as well.
– I continue to like how Renee Paquette is being used as a “sideline reporter” and adding the audio-only reports as well to further explain the Continental Classic. What I can do without is the cheer-leading persona when she interviews wrestlers like The Babes of Wrath.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
MISSES
WOMEN’S TITLE HYPE
I feel bad picking on Kris Statlander week after week, but this title reign and this feud is just not hitting for me. Statlander’s promos still seem extremely scripted and littered with cliches. The basic story makes sense in regard to Stat improving her game in the second half of 2025 and earning the title, but it’s not being delivered in a believable way. And what is with Jamie Hayter being heelish and looking to take a cheap shot all of a sudden? I’m sure the match will be decent, but it’s time to move on from this and feature someone who will move the needle a bit more.
Once again, don’t forget to check out the weekly free podcast I’m part of, “The All Elite Conversation Club” that drops on Fridays the PWTorch Dailycast lineup. Joel Dehnel and I have a great time breaking down all things AEW. Search “pwtorch” on your podcast app to subscribe. Send questions and comments to allelitecc@gmail.com.
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