While AEW played it safe with World's End, they have made a major shift towards 2025.
There was no championship change at the company's final pay-per-view of 2024, marking a lackluster end to the MJF and Adam Cole saga on Saturday at Orlando's Addition Financial Arena.
But it somewhat made up for it with two big gains and three great matches, including a classic match between two long-time rivals.
Here are five takeaways from World's End:
At the end of tomorrow
The Fatal 4-Way main event was far more important than the match itself and what it set up. Orange Cassidy, Jay White, and “Hangman” Adam Page focused on defeating Jon Moxley and found success. This included a shield-like triple powerbomb that went through the announce table and bloodied the back of the champion's head.
It looked like chaos was going to ensue as Cassidy, White, and Page fought each other. That cost either of them any chance of winning, especially when Page pulled the referee out of the ring to stop Cassidy, and that same referee was knocked out so he couldn't count Hangman's pin attempt.
In the end, the Death Riders faced interference from Yuta Wheeler, Marina Shafir, and Claudio Castagnoli, and Moxley hit a Death Rider DDT on White for the pin.
This led to FTR's early return (attacked by the Death Riders in the parking lot) and Adam Copeland's sudden return to reform Rated-R FTR. Copeland has been sidelined since breaking his ankle in a cage match with Malachi Black in May. He broke part of the chair and put it in Moxley's mouth trying to pull him back.
This sets up Dynamite's Jan. 1 trios match in Asheville, North Carolina, streaming for the first time on Max, and presents a group that feels like a real threat to the Death Riders and one that doesn't. So it was a really effective ending to the show. They fear extreme violence against them.
It also means a world title fight between Copeland and Moxley begins in 2025, with Christian retaining the contract for a championship match whenever he chooses. Copeland and Moxley have never faced each other before. This should be fun, but
continental classic
Tokyo Dome Kazuchika Okada finally arrived in AEW, bringing out everything that makes Rainmaker one of the best wrestlers in the world in the Continental Classic finals against rival Will Ospreay. These two men could probably have had this match in their sleep, as their timing, selling, and explosiveness always felt like they were in sync.
Ospreay came into the match talking about how he lost a lot of blood in his semi-final win over Kyle Fletcher (who continues to compete at an exceptional level), but Okada beat him to the point where Ospreay could barely stand. .
However, Ospreay gradually built a fierce rally, culminating in kicking out Okada's first rainmaker. Okada got his shoulders up from the Styles Clash and ended up hitting the Stormbreaker, but he couldn't get Ospreay to hit the Hidden Blade.
Ospreay foolishly countered Rainmaker's attack and hit a Flash Spanish Fly, but Okada repelled all of his Hidden Blade attempts and eventually went for a second one to end the match. It was Okada's fifth major tournament victory, tying him with Masahiro Chono.
More importantly, Okada's win gives Kenny Omega a chance to face Gabe Kidd at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5th in AEW, before returning to the ring for the first time in a year after recovering from diverticulitis surgery. It was a surprise return to television. Taking over the EVP title from Christopher Daniels, he silently presented the belt to his longtime rival with an All In Texas sign in the background. This could foreshadow one of the biggest matches AEW can have on its biggest show.
monet team
Mercedes Mone may have found Charlotte Flair or Bayley, who faced Chris Statlander in AEW, as someone she could wrestle 100 times and never have a bad match. These two at least matched and probably surpassed the great match in Full Gear. This was the first AEW women's match to last over 20 minutes, and it looked like Statlender would become the TBS Champion.
There were multiple delays and it looked like Statlender was headed for a loss. Mone hit the Mone Maker finisher from outside, but he never left the spot twice and won by countout. The first time, he returned at nine and crushed Statlender's ankle into the ring frame, leaving him stuck there. Mr. Statlander eventually took off his boots and was free.
After both men returned to the ring, Monet, needing a late kickout to survive, piledrived Statlender on the ring apron and began celebrating in the ring as he looked like he would win by countout. AEW got a great camera shot of Statlender jumping into the ring, much to Monet's surprise.
The champion will ask, “Why don't you die?” exclaimed Statlander after reaching the ropes to block STF's attempt. It prompted chants of “Fight Forever.”
Monet, who was really strong in 2024, turned Statlender's Saturday Night Fever finisher into an ankle lock to his exposed ankle. Mone throws himself into the ropes and Statlender fails to roll out of there. Statlender tried twice to roll Mone into a pin, but to no avail. The champion fought back with a unique pin that put her under Statlender, but was able to hook her arm and leg and hold them back to secure the victory.
The story and audience reaction felt like it was building towards Statländer's victory – Statländer is still looking great in a good spot. However, it will likely be a while before these two face off again, so AEW needs to make sure they don't regret not making a title change here.
not worth the wait
AEW took the easy way out when it came to the feud between Adam Cole and MJF. MJF won the match by distracting the referee by appearing to be attacked by Matt Taven and Mike Bennett on the outside. That opened the door for him to get in the ring and dish out a low blow to Cole and win the Dynamite Diamond Ring for the sixth year in a row with a Heatseeker DDT from the apron.
MJF then tried to break Cole's surgically repaired ankle again with a chair, but Roderick Strong, who MJF had previously tried to injure, and Kyle, who had been at odds with Cole during this tour revenge try, O'Reilly came to help. Eventually, Cole, Taven, Bennett, O'Reilly, and Strong came together and Cole punched MJF in the face in the ring.
Instead of someone turning on Cole, AEW maintained the status quo in the ring and let The Undisputed Kingdom leave on the same happy page again. Did O'Reilly just chill the conglomerate? It felt like compensation for a lackluster story that lasted almost two years due to injuries. Hopefully, both men can finally move on.
move in the right direction
Ricochet may have lost to Okada in the Continental Classic semifinals, but his heel turn is here to stay. Fans in the arena yelled, “He's bald!” After he sometimes gestured as if he had hair. After the defeat, Swerve Strickland came out and had Prince Nana hand out toilet paper to the audience in order to fulfill his promise to hug Ricochet.
They showered it with boiling ricochets. A feud with Strickland could reveal new territory for Ricochet's character that we haven't seen yet, especially since it feels like a possible connection to the Hart Syndicate still looms in the background. .
Other matches
Konosuke Takeshita defeats “powerful” Hobbs to defend international title
It felt like a long shot for Takeshita to lose the title as he was set up with a date with Shingo Takagi at Wrestle Dynasty, but these guys really captivated the crowd. The match ended with each man throwing the proverbial haymaker and ending things off the sidewalk with slams, blue thunder bombs, superplexes, and avalanche powerslams. The match wasn't over until Takeshita delivered his Raging Fire finisher. Takeshita's star has so far been built slowly and effectively.
Mariah May defeats Thunder Rosa to retain AEW Women's World Championship in a street fight
This had a couple of cool spots, including a well-connected storytelling element and a pinata filled with thumbtacks. May taunted Rosa's father at ringside with the challenger down. She even picked up his cane to mock his age. Rosa recovered and eventually used her staff to attack the champion.
Rosa broke the submission by putting a chain in May's mouth that wouldn't tap. Mae gets a bag of dirt from a Tijuana cemetery that Rosa's father brought to give her inspiration and throws it in her face. May, who is on deadline for a rematch with Tony Storm, rolls Storm Zero out of a table at ringside to get the pin.
Precautions
- Jeff Jarrett teases an announcement regarding his Dynamite career.
- Revolution was announced on March 9th at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Biggest winner: Kazuchika Okada
Biggest loser: Adam Cole and MJF
Best match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay
Grade: B+
