{"id":190327,"date":"2025-01-01T12:34:46","date_gmt":"2025-01-01T18:34:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=190327"},"modified":"2025-01-01T12:34:46","modified_gmt":"2025-01-01T18:34:46","slug":"aew-feud-tracker-barbers-grading-and-assessment-of-moxley-white-hangman-cassidy-mercedes-statlander-mjf-cole-thunder-rosa-mariah-may-christian-hook-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2025\/01\/01\/aew-feud-tracker-barbers-grading-and-assessment-of-moxley-white-hangman-cassidy-mercedes-statlander-mjf-cole-thunder-rosa-mariah-may-christian-hook-more\/","title":{"rendered":"AEW FEUD TRACKER: Barber&#8217;s grading and assessment of Moxley-White-Hangman-Cassidy, Mercedes-Statlander, MJF-Cole, Thunder Rosa-Mariah May, Christian-Hook, more"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-4256970934\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><h3>NEWS &amp; NOTES<\/h3>\n<p>\u2022Wrestle Dynasty takes place from the Tokyo Dome this Sunday. The show will be available on Triller.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022Kenny Omega made his return to AEW following Kazuchika Okada defeating Will Ospreay to win the Continental Classic, seemingly teasing a match between the two for All In: Texas.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>INTRO<\/h3>\n<p>This past weekend was Worlds End and what a show it was. There were three incredible matches. If you haven\u2019t seen them, got out of your way to see it.<\/p>\n<p>With 2024 in the rearview mirror and having arrived in 2025, hopefully AEW can turn it around and get hot again this year. It all starts with \u201cThe Mother of All Simulcasts,&#8221; tonight\u2019s &#8220;Fight for the Fallen&#8221; edition of Dynamite which begins the era of Dynamite streaming on Max. The show will be headlined by Rated FTR fighting Mox &amp; The Mechanics. Also on the card, Jamie Hayter battles Julia Hart in Hart\u2019s return match back. This should be a very good show and of course all proceeds go to the victims of last fall\u2019s hurricane in Asheville, S.C.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Jon Moxley vs. Jay White vs. &#8220;Hangman&#8221; Page vs. Orange Cassidy<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Latest Developments<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Jon Moxley retained the AEW World Title with help from the Mechanics before finding his most immediate threat in the FTR and a returning Adam Copeland.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The story of this feud was the inability of OC, White, and Hangman to present a united front against Mox &amp; The Mechanics. That\u2019s why Mox was so confident. The faces and Hangman showed some unity on the go-home Dynamite. They showed unity in the early going of the main event at Worlds End overcoming an early ambush by the Mechanics to put Mox through a table with a Shield Bomb. Hangman quickly turned his attention to Jay White. As they fought amongst themselves Mox got back into the match and the Mechanics regrouped. Pin attempts by OC and White were broken up by Claudio and Yuta. Marina attempted to interfere but got caught by White with the Blade Runner she\u2019s been flirting with for weeks now. That distraction allowed Yuta to hit a Busiku knee which Mox followed with a Death Rider for the pin.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-4183665868\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>The match was fine although it definitely suffered from predictability. Mox proved his point, that a united Mox and the Mechanics will beat a disunited opposition every time. I think, if looked at more as storytelling device, it was successful. My one issue was pinning Jay White. I still assume he\u2019s getting the title match in Australia so pinning him in this match was a peculiar choice.<\/p>\n<p>After the match, Mox was attempting to further injure Jay White (something to come back to later) when FTR came out to make the save. They didn\u2019t come alone, though. Adam Copeland joined them, making his return from the injury suffered in May. Copeland speared Mox and then got on the mic and called Mox out.<\/p>\n<p>As predicted, Rated FTR are here. It\u2019s good to see Copeland back. One unfortunate thing is that Rated R fell into the pro wrestling trope of having to wait to make the big return until after the match even if it made them look somewhat foolish. That said, the return was well-executed. I would hope the forthcoming Cope vs, Mox match is for TV, perhaps the \u201cMaximum Carnage\u201d Dynamite in Cincinnati. It\u2019s certainly not a PPV match.<\/p>\n<p>The one part of this I\u2019m over is Christian Cage hanging out in the background like a specter waiting to cash-in his contract. He\u2019s not going to win the title, so get the contract off of him already. The whole point of this Mox story is crown a new babyface champion. Having the threat of Christian making an appearance dampens the potential celebration.<\/p>\n<p>Grade: B+<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Thunder Rosa vs. Mariah May<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Latest Developments<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mariah May defeated Thunder Rosa in Tijuana are street fight to retain the AEW Women\u2019s Title.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Analysis<\/strong><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2563239915\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>By the standards of women\u2019s street fights in AEW, this one was incredibly tame. Yes Rosa got slammed into tacks and the match went all over the ringside area but it felt like the match never quite hit that second gear. Mariah won after blinding Rosa with dirt \u201cfrom the graveyards of Tijuana\u201d and hitting a Storm Zero off the apron.<\/p>\n<p>The women worked hard, but this match was handcuffed by the fact that it had no reason to be a street fight. The feud just didn\u2019t merit it. It also didn\u2019t help that it didn\u2019t feel like Rosa had a chance. She fell into the trap every other opponent Mariah\u2019s had, just another time-filler on the road to Mariah clashing with Toni Storm again.<\/p>\n<p>About Toni Storm. Her sit down segment with R.J. City two weeks ago was great. Given her history of mental health issues, it\u2019s fully believable that she could have trauma-induced amnesia. Even Tony Schiavone wisely brought that up on commentary Wednesday night during Toni\u2019s match with Taya Valkyrie. I really think this is \u201cTimeless\u201d Toni playing the role of an amnesiac rookie Toni (hence why Toni was emotional at her return).<\/p>\n<p>Grade: B<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Mercedes Mon\u00e9 vs. Kris Statlander<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Latest Developments<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mercedes Mon\u00e9 retained the TBS Title after another excellent match with Kris Statlander.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The build to this was pretty bare bones. Stat challenged Mercedes to a rematch. She said she went on a downward spiral after she lost the TBS Title and winning it back would be part of her road to redemption. Along the way she made an effort to repair her friendship with Willow Nightingale. Mercedes confidently accepted the rematch.<\/p>\n<p>Once the bell rang on Sunday, these two absolutely killed it. The match was great, in my opinion better than their first encounter which got high praise in part because the quality was unexpected. This match went 25 minutes and never felt too long. The bigger, stronger Statlander somehow believably worked from underneath against the smaller, crafty heel.<\/p>\n<p>Stat took both a powerbomb and piledriver on the apron. Mercedes hit a sequence of seven suplexes instead of the normal Three Amigos. At one point Mercedes thought she had it won by count when Stat slid in the ring at the last possible second. This was shot perfectly and proved that when done sparingly the nine-and-nine-tenths spot is great.<\/p>\n<p>Mercedes won the match with a inventive crucifix type pin in which Mercedes ended up flat on her belly underneath Stat. It wasn\u2019t the smoothest, but that was perfect because Mercedes was desperate at that point.<\/p>\n<p>This match was great, possibly the best women\u2019s match of the year. These two have really good chemistry. Hopefully Stat continues to work on repairing her things with Willow and getting back over as a face. Mercedes meanwhile heads to Japan this weekend for a title vs. title match against Mina Shirakawa. I predict Mercedes is going to look like 1997 Ultimo Dragon by the time Wrestle Dynasty is over.<\/p>\n<p>Grade: A-<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Adam Cole vs. MJF<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Latest Developments<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>MJF defeated Adam Cole to retain ownership of the Dynamite Diamond ring. Cole got his heat back afterwards hopefully bringing this rivalry to a close.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Between the &#8220;Holiday Bash&#8221; Dynamite and Collision from the Hammerstein Ballroom, Cole and MJF tried to add some fuel to this feud through a couple of intense promos. While the promos were good, they simply couldn\u2019t save this moribund mess.<\/p>\n<p>The match couldn\u2019t either, to be quite frank. Both guys tried. They bled (or in Cole\u2019s case, tried to). At one point they had a mid-match hockey fight preceded by MJF screaming that he hated Cole. MJF got Matt Taven and Mike Bennett ejected in a way that made the ref look none too bright.<\/p>\n<p>In the end MJF pinned Cole with the Heat Seeker after kicking him low. After the match, MJF was going to break Cole ankle when Roddy Strong made his return. Kyle O\u2019Reilly appeared to chase MJF back to the ring where Cole punched him with the ring and embraced his Undisputed Kingdom friends.<\/p>\n<p>This match was what it was. Because of the ring, MJF had to be booked to win, but Cole got the last laugh and hopefully everyone can move on.<\/p>\n<p>Also, I\u2019m relived that the UK didn\u2019t turn on Cole. If the choice was between that and them reuniting, I\u2019ll take the reunion for sure. That said the crowd didn\u2019t seem to care about it so I don\u2019t know how much it\u2019s going to do for Cole. He\u2019s been in a rough spot since his return and the best that he can hope for is that being away from MJF will give a bit of a reset and being with his friends won\u2019t drag him down.<\/p>\n<p>Grade: C+<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Check out the latest episode of &#8220;Wrestling Night in America,&#8221; part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/episode\/wrestling-night-in-america-aew-worlds-end-post-show-leclair-peteani-talk-continental-classic-4-way-for-aew-title-mercedes-statlander--63508676\">CLICK HERE<\/a> to stream (or search \u201cpwtorch\u201d on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?episode_id=63508676&amp;theme=light&amp;playlist=false&amp;playlist-continuous=false&amp;chapters-image=true&amp;episode_image_position=right&amp;hide-logo=false&amp;hide-likes=false&amp;hide-comments=false&amp;hide-sharing=false&amp;hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"200px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Christian Cage vs. Hook<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Latest Developments<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Hook defeated Nick Wayne at the Hammerstein Ballroom.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This was pretty straightforward. Hook, on his home turf in New York City, defeated Nick Wayne in the main event of the very last Rampage. The following night he positioned himself in a suite down from The Patriarchy, ostensibly to prevent Christian from cashing-in.<\/p>\n<p>The feud is fine. It\u2019s probably time for the Christian\/Hook singles match but perhaps they\u2019re waiting for Hook to cost Christian his cash-in.<\/p>\n<p>Grade: B<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"AEW World&#039;s End PPV Post-show LIVE w\/ Brandon LeClair &amp; Frank Peteani\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l3pJ68FrEzE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-4226509998\"><div id=\"pwtor-3985513591\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>NEWS &amp; NOTES \u2022Wrestle Dynasty takes place from the Tokyo Dome this Sunday. The show will be available on Triller. \u2022Kenny Omega made his return to AEW following Kazuchika Okada defeating Will Ospreay to win <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2025\/01\/01\/aew-feud-tracker-barbers-grading-and-assessment-of-moxley-white-hangman-cassidy-mercedes-statlander-mjf-cole-thunder-rosa-mariah-may-christian-hook-more\/\" title=\"AEW FEUD TRACKER: Barber&#8217;s grading and assessment of Moxley-White-Hangman-Cassidy, Mercedes-Statlander, MJF-Cole, Thunder Rosa-Mariah May, Christian-Hook, more\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":190330,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,6447,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-190327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-feud-tracker","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-01-at-12.23.24\u202fPM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190327","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=190327"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190327\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":190331,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190327\/revisions\/190331"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/190330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=190327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=190327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=190327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}