AEW’s annual “Thanksgiving Eve” AEW Dynamite episode returns to Chicago, Illinois. While momentum from Full Gear maintains the high standard of AEW PPV.
While in many respects, AEW has made progress between last year’s and this year’s Full Gear (which you can read more about here), Dynamite’s consistency has fluctuated.
Breaking the recent pattern also, few segments have been announced at the time of writing. What’s going to be served on the table for this week’s show has been teased rather than laid out.
Returning to Chicago, in the week that marks one year after CM Punk’s exit, AEW needs to bring their all. AEW doesn’t want to deliver the wrong type of turkey.
A lot is resting on the shoulders of the opening round of the second annual Continental Classic. Plus, with the fallout of Fall Gear also, there are plenty of directions to go on the road to World’s End in Florida.
Pop!
Announced Card Thus Far for AEW Dynamite:
Matches announced:
- ROH World Championship: Chris Jericho vs. Tomohiro Ishii
- Continental Classic Gold League: Ricochet vs. Claudio Castagnoli
- Continental Classic Gold Leaue: Darby Allin vs. Brody King
- Continental Classic Gold League: Mark Briscoe vs. Shelton Benjamin
Other segments announced:
Speculation:
- Full Gear Fallout: who will step up next to face the AEW World Champion, Jon Moxley? What’s next after Mina Shirakawa and Mariah May’s champagne fallout?
ROH World Championship
Hi guys! Chris Jericho makes his first title defense of the ROH World Championship against “The Stone Pitbull” Tomohiro Ishii.
The last time these men collided, Jericho was left bleeding from the pec in an extremely memorable match. It’s something The Learning Tree has not acknowledged.
The build-up has focused on Jericho’s arrogance. Dismissing Ishii as beneath him based on their past when Ishi was still a “young boy”. Beneath the comedy of last week’s speed-walking stalk through the back of the arena, there is the promise yet again that Jericho’s going to pay for his hubris.
Your mileage on Chris Jericho may vary. Jericho in many ways established many of the principles of the AEW we as fans love.
At the same time, if Jericho’s time with the ROH championship is designed to help with the promotion’s TV rights deal, there are different lessons to learn from how over time Jericho’s ability to get concepts, wrestlers, and titles over has changed.
While the novelty of Ishii in AEW has been normalized, The Stone Pitbull is more than capable of putting on exciting displays. A bit of catharsis from Jericho leaking crimson from around his nipples is a bit of schadenfreude many fans can get behind.
The Continental Classic Begins
Wrestling’s top tournament is now a holiday tradition!
AEW Continental Classic starts THIS WEDNESDAY, 11/27 Thanksgiving Eve #AEWDynamite on TBS!
We reveal all 12 wrestlers in the selection special NOW! pic.twitter.com/Ds6MxiuEWn
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 25, 2024
Overall, the balance of the brackets contains a mixture of returns, strong new additions and more credible pin-eaters than last year (sorry, Jay Lethal). There are various opportunities for big stories, moments and classic matches.
Even stories linked to last year’s event could be revisited. You can read my suggestions for how AEW should build on last year’s successes with the C2 here.
Another chapter in the rivalry of Darby Allin and Brody King? This will be the pair’s ninth match against each other. With Allin being a glutton for punishment, and King’s desire to prove without the cask that he’s unstoppable, could there be an upset?
Claudio Castagnoli taking on Ricochet, two former indy darlings one-on-one. Their first ever singles match was in Chikara in 2007. Both men have something to prove to themselves and the world.
Finally, Mark Briscoe faces Shelton Benjamin in a match that could go either way. Benjamin feels revitalized. Ready to set a new gold standard? But this is a different Mark Briscoe compared to one year ago.
The collegiate wrestler vs. redneck kung fu. My veins are ready. Hook me up!
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.
