AEW is set to deliver on Christmas evening a sleigh-full of bangers and drama at New York’s infamous Hammerstein Ballroom. Like a stocking, the card is stuffed.
The final five group stage matches of the Continental Classic make up the card. This year’s tournament has delivered and built on the hopes and promise of last year’s inaugural C2. This will be exactly what wrestling fans need to wake them up after three helpings of turkey.
Elsewhere, AEW “newcomer” Toni Storm will take on The Vendetta’s Taya Valkyrie. There will likely be more surprises and storyline developments during this final Dynamite before Worlds End. If you’re pondering what if Jon Moxley loses the AEW World Championship, check out this speculative analysis here.
Flashes of light, now it’s time.
AEW Dynamite (12/25/24) Announced Card:
- Toni Storm vs. Taya Valkyrie
- AEW Continental Classic Gold League: Will Ospreay vs. Brody King
- AEW Continental Classic Gold League: Ricochet vs. Darby Allin
- AEW Continental Classic Blue League: Shelton Benjamin vs. Kazuchika Okada
- AEW Continental Classic Blue League: Daniel Garcia vs. Kyle Fletcher
- AEW Continental Classic Gold League: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Kommander
AEW Continental Classic – Blue League
Everything is still to play for as wrestlers in both the Gold and Blue leagues compete for those two top qualifying places. Masterfully executed this year, the tension and various combinations or ways that wrestlers can advance make it hard to call.
Wrestlers, either by their own initiative and drive or by luck, have the chance to advance. Nothing is for sure.
It is already a precedent from last year that a multi-man semi-final is possible. This could be how Mark Briscoe, with nine points, scrapes through if Daniel Garcia can beat Kyle Fletcher and Kazuchika Okada loses or draws with Shelton Benjamin.
The Rainmaker must beat Benjamin to have a chance of retaining his AEW Continental Championship and becoming the greatest tournament wrestler ever. Fletcher only needs a draw to finish at the top of the table. Yet TNT champion Garcia is proving himself a threat compared to last year’s tournament.
Yet, the two or more that qualify for the semi-finals will not have an easy route when we consider who might qualify in the gold league.
AEW Continental Classic – Gold League
In all three gold league contests, each result will matter to the winners as there is the risk of a four-way tie if Darby Allin can beat Ricochet, Will Ospreay beats Brody King, and Claudio Castagnoli falls in an upset to Kommander.
Ricochet, with a tweak to his character, has demonstrated how (with time) former WWE wrestlers can overcome the initial difficulty of transiting between promotions. Ricochet is close within reach of the semi-finals, thanks to cheating.
Even though the man who is out of this world faces a battered and bruised Darby Allin, that’s hardly an advantage. Does Ricochet have something in his bag of tricks that will eliminate Allin from the tournament?
Kommander is riding the emotions and momentum of winning the Ring of Honor TV Championship at Final Battle. Fighting in the same venue and it being nearly Christmas, can a miracle on 34th Street happen?
Is Will Ospreay underperforming? Lost what was likely the best TV wrestling match of 2024 on Dynamite last week then falling against Ricochet on Collision. The Billy GOAT has something to prove.
As has Brody King who justifiably feels cheated from several victories. This match is likely to be hard-hitting and vicious and embodies AEW’s mantra of wins and losses matter.
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.
