With Guns N Rose’s November Rain on loop in our minds, AEW comes to Reading, Pennsylvania for the final AEW Dynamite before Full Gear. Five big matches have been announced, and the TikToker and Costco enthusiast, Big Boom A.J., will appear.
The social media celebrity might grab the casual’s attention, but there’s plenty on tap for the sickos.
A huge multi-person tag match that’s right in AEW’s wheelhouse. An encounter between a former master and student that will certainly have storyline implications ahead of Full Gear. Darby Allin in action in a match would not be out of place on PPV.
Let’s discuss the card. Boom!
The chaos has just begun as #AEW tears through the November Rain and rides into Full Gear NEXT WEEK!#AEWFullGear is LIVE on PPV on Saturday, November 23 at 8pm ET/5pm PT!
Order it on @YouTube now!
➡️ https://t.co/ZbeHeleP3x pic.twitter.com/6JdxeI6BmX— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 17, 2024
Announced Card Thus Far:
Matches announced:
- All-Star 8-man tag: Will Ospreay, Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricochet, and Mark Davies vs. Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, Lance Archer, and Brian Cage
- Kris Statlander vs. Hikaru Shida
- Darby Allin vs. Claudio Castagnoli
- Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta
- CMLL’s Hechicero, Atlantis Jr., and Mascara Dorada will be in action
Other segments announced:
- Big Boom! A.J. Live!
Speculation:
- What happens next with Adam Cole?
- What’s next for HOOK against The Patriarchy?
- More last-minute build to Full Gear
Banger of The Night: Darby Allin vs. Claudio Castagnoli
When writing about Darby Allin’s long-term chase to become the AEW World Champion, this is the obstacle I’ve looking forward to! Given the tag team match a few weeks ago, and how these two opponents have interacted over the past few weeks it’s going to be great.
This match on AEW Dynamite is likely to slap. Probably harder than Allin’s body after Castagnoli threw him at the ring post. The promise of this match goes beyond both men’s incredible diametrically individuals and characters.
The overlap in the Venn diagram is that both are incredibly skilled wrestlers with a million different ways to create a David vs. Goliath encounter.
Darby Allin’s underdog versatility against the power and finesse of Claudio Castagnoli has dream-match qualities. If given the time and a clean finish, unlike the teaser tag team match with Orange Cassidy and PAC a few weeks ago.
There are so many possibilities and options, even before the bell rings. Especially, if Allin again takes a guerilla warfare approach to the Swiss Superman.
What role will the rest of The Death Riders play in this encounter? There may be an overlap with another match on the card. Will either man be able to support their respective corners at Full Gear?
Story of the Night: Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta
#AEWDynamite THIS WEDNESDAY 11/20@Santander_Arena | Reading, PA
LIVE at 8pm ET/7pm CT | @TBSNetworkOrange Cassidy vs Wheeler Yuta
Before his match vs #AEW World Champ @JonMoxley at #AEWFullGear, @OrangeCassidy will get his hands on one of the Champ’s ‘pawns’ – @WheelerYuta! pic.twitter.com/vLnuPtLcWL
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 17, 2024
A year ago, AEW bled every drop of juice out of Wheeler Yuta leaving The Best Friends for The Blackpool Combat Club. Now, with Yuta trapped between loyalty and fear as a pawn (“I’m no one’s pawn”, “Shut up”), there are whole new dimensions and possibilities.
Yet Yuta isn’t the only one stuck between choices. Orange Cassidy likewise is an uncertain leader in the face of a revolution that threatens his version of AEW.
Yuta feels fresh again. Cassidy has direction after months of instability. Their history, as well as each man’s technical skills and psychology, could result in one final strong story beat ahead of Saturday.
Not just in the moves themselves but in the space between. Yuta is coming into his own as a character since Jon Moxley with violent splendour choked Bryan Danielson with a plastic bag. Cassidy’s ability to tell stories through body language in the tradition of history’s greatest babyfaces gets overlooked by critics.
Will there be a hint of doubt in Yuta? A spark of change, a potential hint that the scrappy terrier may open his arms up to Cassidy?
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
Header photo – AEW – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Dynamite on Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS. AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday night. AEW Collision airs Saturday at 8pm Eastern on TNT. More AEW content available on their YouTube.
