AEW closed 2024 with a bang, delivering yet another excellent PPV in Worlds End. Unlike the 2023 edition which was fine but a bit underwhelming, this was a streamlined 8-match card where the worst thing on the show was still very good, plus we got two instant classics, two big returns, and a slew of **** bouts. In fact only one of the eight matches failed to crack that ceiling for me.
The show kicked off with one of the best opening matches I've ever seen, as Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher renewed their heated feud in a Continental Classic semifinal. This was 16 blistering minutes of two of the top in-ring workers today, building on what they did last month at Full Gear. Ospreay bled early and by mid-match his face was covered in crimson, which splattered all over the ring like a grotesque work of pointillist art. Fletcher cemented himself as one of the most over heels in the company, alternating crowd-pleasing moves with smarmy asshole antics. At one point a fan held up a sign that said "Ospreay better," which Fletcher grabbed and tore in half, and the fan held up another sign saying "Ospreay still better." I laughed. The match built to a peak of nearfalls and counters until Ospreay put Fletcher away with a Styles Clash (which paid off in a hot nearfall later in the night). Fantastic match and it wasn't even the best thing on the show. *****
Next up was the other semifinal, Kazuchika Okada vs. Ricochet. This couldn't possibly live up to the opener but they worked hard and kept the crowd into it, partly because the AEW audience loves Okada and partly because Ricochet has become one of the best dorky heels in the business. WWE really dropped the ball with this guy and he's proving it week after week. Ricochet twice went for his Spirit Gun finisher but Okada countered both, the second time followed by an Emerald Flowsion and Rainmaker for the win. Damn good match. Following Okada's exit, Swerve Strickland came out and ran down Ricochet on the mic for coming up short, and said he was there to humiliate him. Prince Nana dragged a wagon full of toilet paper rolls down to the ring and handed them out to the ringside fans, who pelted Ric with TP. Ric stood there fuming as the fans laughed. This loser heel gimmick is great. ****
The weakest match of the night, though still very enjoyable, was Mariah May vs. Thunder Rosa in a Tijuana Street Fight, with Rosa's father at ringside. These two fought all over the place and used trash cans, tables and thumbtacks (which Rosa brought out in a pinata). May stole Rosa's father's cane but it was used against her. Rosa's father had also brought a bag of Tijuana cemetery dirt, but May stole it and threw the dirt in Rosa's eyes before hitting Storm Zero off the apron through a table. Solid stuff. ***1/2
In the fourth slot was the looooooong overdue MJF vs. Adam Cole match. This was for the 2024 Dynamite Diamond Ring, which was guarded at ringside by Cole's friends Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. This played out in typical MJF fashion, starting slow and building throughout. Fans began chanting for Max but he cut them off by telling them to "shut the fuck up," which got the desired heat. MJF went after Cole's surgically repaired ankle and got a figure four late in the match. Both guys ended up bleeding. Max wanted to use the diamond ring but needed to get rid of the Kingdom, so he faked being slammed into the ringside steps and then told the referee Bennett and Taven did it, resulting in the Kingdom being ejected. While the ref was distracted MJF grabbed the ring and tried to use it, but ran into a superkick. Cole then took the ring but MJF cut him off with a low blow, followed by a Heat Seeker for the win. After the match MJF went to Pillmanize Cole's leg but Roderick Strong and Kyle O'Reilly ran down and ganged up on Max. They held Max allowing Cole to knock him out with the diamond ring and stood tall. Weird aftermath to this, and hopefully there's a plan for the Undisputed Kingdom to feud with someone new. Really good match though. ****
The sleeper hit of the night was the match everyone forgot about, Konosuke Takeshita vs. Powerhouse Hobbs for the International Title. This sadly got almost no hype the last couple weeks but as expected these two delivered big and had the crowd the whole time. This was your NEVER Openweight-style "meat" match, with two big dudes beating the bejesus out of each other. Takeshita went after Hobbs' recently rehabbed knee, dropping it on the apron. The knee would plague Hobbs throughout, such as went he hit a powerslam but clutched it in pain afterwards, or when Takeshita went for a top-rope superplex and Hobbs collapsed to the apron. Takeshita eventually did get the superplex but went for a running knee afterward and was countered with a spinebuster for two. Hobbs got a powerslam off the top rope but couldn't follow up, and Takeshita hit a knee and locked in a guillotine choke, followed by a falcon arrow for the win. Damn good stuff and probably Hobbs' best match to date. ****1/4
The TBS Title was next as Mercedes Moné once again faced Kris Statlander. The crowd was very subdued for the first two thirds of this match but these two worked so well together once again that they got "fight forever" chants by the end. Mercedes was the ring general here, always a step ahead of Kris, while Stat used her power to stay in the game. An odd near-countout spot took place late in the match where Mercedes almost had the countout win but rolled outside to trap Kris's foot in the ring structure and go for another countout. I'm guessing she forgot to set that up the first time? Anyway, Kris had to remove her boot to escape, which made her ankle a target for an STF and ankle lock. Kris hit a pair of F5s but Moné hit an Owen Hart tombstone on the apron. Stat almost hit Saturday Night Fever but Moné escaped, they traded rollup nearfalls, and Moné locked in a seatbelt for the win. I was very surprised Statlander didn't win the title this time. Great match from these two once again. I think I liked the Full Gear one a shade better but this was on par. ****1/2
The semi-main slot went to the CC final, and holy jeezus was this great. Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay renewed their years-long rivalry and delivered a Tokyo Dome-worthy main event. Ospreay, bandaged up and still groggy from the first match, fought from behind for the first portion of this one, while Okada finally looked like his old NJPW self in an AEW ring. The crowd was nuclear for this from start to finish, and bought into every spot (including the Styles Clash callback to the first bout). There were so many stellar sequences here I can't even recap them all, but my favorite was Ospreay charging for Hidden Blade, getting dropkicked, firing up long enough to hit a hook kick, going for an Oscutter, and getting dropkicked mid-air. They had an incredible closing sequence full of counters and counters on counters, ending with Okada escaping a Stormbreaker and hitting the Rainmaker for the three. Stunning match. Christopher Daniels came out and said he'd like to award Okada the belt, but he couldn't since as of now he's no longer an EVP. Suddenly Kenny Omega's music hit, and we got his long-awaited return. Kenny handed Okada the belt and the camera angle showed the All In Texas poster in the background. After seven years we're finally getting the fifth installment in arguably the greatest rivalry in wrestling history. *****
Finally the main event was the AEW World Title 4-way match with Jon Moxley defending against Orange Cassidy, Jay White and Hangman Page. This was wild and chaotic as expected, with lots of interference from Moxley's Death Rider friends. The three challengers ganged up on Mox to start, but Claudio and Wheeler ran out to try and save him. The ref ejected Claudio and Wheeler and the challengers did a Shield-style powerbomb through the announce table which took Mox out for several minutes. There was a lot of three-way action in the ring with lots of nearfalls. Mox finally got back in it, bleeding profusely from the back of his head. Eventually Orange Cassidy hit Beach Break on Moxley but Hangman yanked the ref out of the ring, then after several exchanges hit a Buckshot on Mox but the substitute referee didn't get to the ring in time to make the three count. Jay White then hit Bladerunner but Yuta knocked out the second ref. Marina Shafir tried to attack White from behind but he spun around and gave her a Bladerunner. Wheeler hit White with a busaiku knee and Mox gave him a Death Rider for the win. Crazy match, though shorter than I expected. After the match the Death Riders were about to beat up White but FTR came out, followed by a returning Adam Copeland (the trio is now known as Rated FTR. The babyfaces beat up the heels to close out the show and challenged Mox, Claudio and Wheeler for Dynamite. Very good main event but it was never going to top the Okada-Ospreay match. ****1/4
Overall another fantastic PPV from AEW with two amazing Ospreay bouts, another great Mercedes match, and a bunch of other very good stuff, plus Omega and Copeland's memorable returns. AEW 2024 is the greatest calendar year of PPV events mine eyes have ever seen in the 38 years I've been watching wrestling.
Best Match: Okada vs. Ospreay
Worst Match: Mariah vs. Thunder (by default)
What I'd Change: I might have swapped the last two matches in the order, but both segments ended with big returns and the Copeland bit plays into this week's Dynamite. So I get why it was last. I'd also probably have given Statlander the win, but maybe there'll be a third match?
Most Disappointing Match: None
Most Pleasant Surprise: Omega's return to set up his fifth match with Okada
Overall Rating: 10/10 - I think I gotta go the full monty on this; eight matches, two 5-star classics, only one match below 4?
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