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Darby Allin made one final defense of the AEW World Championship on Wednesday’s double episode of “Dynamite” and “Collision” against “Speedball” Mike Bailey and did so in front of his Double or Nothing challenger, Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF).
Allin had been on an incredible run of title defenses since winning the championship from MJF about a month ago. Ahead of a title versus hair match against MJF, Allin proved once again why he is one of the best in professional wrestling.
Bailey missed a high flying maneuver allowing Allin to hit a Coffin Drop. But MJF intervened, putting Bailey’s foot on the rope to stop the count. Bailey almost got a three count on Allin after a kick, but Allin ultimately survived.
Darby Allin competes in the ring during AEW Collision on October 3, 2024, at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
Allin placed Bailey in several Scorpion Death Locks and forced Bailey to kick out. Still the champion, Allin and MJF will face off at Double or Nothing. If Allin retains, MJF will have to shave his head.
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Willow Nightingale reveals injury, drops TBS Championship
Willow Nightingale and Momo Watanabe compete during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Wrestle Dynasty event at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 5, 2025. (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
Unfortunately, Willow Nightingale’s dominant reign as TBS champion came to an abrupt end on Wednesday night. She announced it during “Dynamite”.
“Winning this championship was one of the biggest moments of my career and I haven’t missed any big moments since I’ve been in AEW. I’ve won the Owen before, I won the TBS title before this reign,” she said backstage. “And I became half of the first ever AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions. But winning that return from Mercedes (Moné), I knew if I could do that, I could prove myself, I could prove to the world that I am everything I thought I could be, that’s why I told myself that I would fight day in and day out against any challenger that came along and if I couldn’t do that, then I didn’t deserve to be the TBS champion.
“As fate would have it, in my last title defense against Red Velvet, I injured my right shoulder and I want so much, I want so badly to wrestle at Double or Nothing in front of my family, at home in New York, against Alex Windsor. I want to continue in the Owen and go to All In and become the AEW World Champion. But unfortunately, I have to withdraw from the Owen Hart Cup. Also, I have to forfeit the TBS Championship.”
Nightingale said she was “excited” to face TBS during her 10 title defenses and vowed to be back, although it’s unclear when.
Mina Shirakawa will now face Athena in the first round of the Owen at Double or Nothing. Windsor will have a wild card opponent in the tournament.
Will Ospreay makes statement ahead of Double or Nothing
Will Ospreay appeared on the “Collision” portion of Wednesday night’s special, facing off against Katsuyori Shibata – a member of the Opps. It was a warm-up match before Ospreay faced fellow Samoa Joe in the first round of the Owen Hart Foundation men’s tournament.
Ospreay has proven more dangerous since training with the Death Riders in recent weeks, showing his toughness last week against Ace Austin. It was pretty much the same against Shibata. His aerial styles and hard punches eventually proved too much for Shibata. He hit Shibata with a Styles Clash and a Hidden Blade, pinning Shibata for the victory.
Joe addressed Ospreay after the match, saying he was going to “put you to sleep.”
Ospreay responded, detailing his own “nightmare” situation in which he finds himself battling some of his doubters. He said he had received messages for years about how Joe was going to “kill” him and wondered how that would be possible if he was “already dead in that same ring.”
“This year the stakes are high because the winner of the Owen Hart Cup will face the world champion in my country’s biggest stadium. A stadium that every kid at my school wanted to be in and I have a chance to make my country’s dream come true and I have a chance to make my dream come true because it’s not just the business on my back, I have a whole country on my back.
“My nightmare, Joe, my nightmare died and it was in the hands of these men (The Death Riders) and Marina (Shafir). They killed my old self and they rebuilt me. They rebuilt me into the murderer, into the killer, into what I’ve been all this time.”
He said Sunday at Double or Nothing began his road to winning the AEW World Championship.
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Swerve Strickland and Bandido fight before the Double or Nothing match
Referee Aubrey Edwards raises Swerve Strickland’s hand after defeating Shelton Benjamin during AEW Dynamite at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio on October 30, 2024. Prince Nana celebrates nearby. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
For weeks, Swerve Strickland had made it clear that he was going after Ring of Honor champion Bandido. The two were scheduled to face each other in the first round of the Owen Hart Foundation men’s tournament at the upcoming Double or Nothing pay-per-view, but they decided to give fans a glimpse of what to expect.
Strickland was going to address the crowd in Portland, Maine, when Bandido blindsided Strickland. The two fought for several minutes as Strickland attempted to hit a Vertebreaker on a tank he had set up in the middle of the ring. Bandido fought back and delivered a military press slam on Strickland.
As Bandido attempted a knockout with the chair, Strickland exited the ring.
New matches added to Double or Nothing
Jon Moxley will defend the Continental Championship against Kyle O’Reilly after their elimination match went the distance.
Viva Van and Zaya Steel will be part of a women’s tag team elimination match against champions Megan Bayne and Lena Kross. The match will take place during the Buy In hour before the official pay-per-view kicks off.
Results of the match “Dynamite”:
Andrade El Idolo, Mark Davis and Ricochet def. Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, Chris Jericho.
Mark Briscoe def. Tommaso Ciampa in a match without rules.
Jon Moxley and Kyle O’Reilly go the distance in a Continental Championship playoff match.
Thekla, Julia Hart, Skye Blue and Athena def. Thunder Rosa, Jamie Hayter, Alex Windsor and Mina Shirakawa.
Darby Allin def. “Speedball” Mike Bailey will retain the AEW World Championship.
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Results of the match “Collision”
Will Ospreay def. Katsuyori Shibata.
Rush definitely. TJ Crawford.
Megan Bayne and Lena Kross def. Kayla Loprez and Elle Valentine in an AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship elimination match.
Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler def. Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong in an AEW World Tag Team Championship elimination match.
