Following a series of high-profile AEW Dynamite shows with fancy names, history was made, and now we somewhat return to business as usual before All In. However, the unusual aspect of business as usual with AEW is that it is never just business as usual.
The legendary Kota Ibushi returned on Collision. For the first time, Ibushi competes in his first one-on-one contest as an All Elite wrestler. Yet, given that The Golden Star has been out of the ring for nearly two years, we’ll get to that later!
Elsewhere, The Hurt Syndicate will be live. After MJF’s disrespectful actions last week in Arena Mexico, the potential of a rematch seems possible for Texas. Anyone else thinking mask vs. hair?
It’s likely Tony Khan will be dropping more match graphics like mic drops before show time, so take a closer look at Ibushi’s return and the two #1 spot matches for the All In Texas Casino Gauntlets.
Who is about to cross a brand new low?
AEW Dynamite Matches Announced:
- 4-Way for the #1 Spot in the AEW All In Texas Men’s Casino Gauntlet: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mark Briscoe vs. Roderick Strong vs. Bandido
- 4-Way for the #1 Spot in the AEW All In Texas Women’s Casino Gauntlet: Willow Nightingale vs. Athena vs. Thunder Rosa vs. Kris Statlander
- Kota Ibushi vs. Trent Barretta
AEW Dynamite Segments Announced:
- AEW World Tag Team Champions, The Hurt Syndicate, appear live
Gamble of the Night: The Golden Star Returns
Before Kota Ibushi’s injury, there were questions about whether The Golden Star was still the same incredible, mesmerizing athlete of his prime. Ibushi’s initial AEW run consisted of only four matches before injury. Each of these was a multi-man match.
Ibushi’s Performances were entertaining. Ibushi post-Blood and Guts even threw himself into thumbtacks for fun. There was a memorable spot in the Like a Dragon Gaiden Street Fight, Ringside, on a bike with a lead pipe (sounds like a game of Clue).
However, it felt like protection. As I discussed last week, AEW’s philosophy, even when trying to protect wrestlers’ weaknesses, often exposes their vulnerabilities.
Which version of Kota Ibushi are we getting? The gamble is clear: will Ibushi be able to live up to expectations and his reputation?
Ibushi’s taken off ring rust with performances for GLEAT and other smaller promotions in Japan up until February of this year. Against a seasoned veteran and workhorse like Trent Barretta, Ibushi has a strong dance partner. We’re seeing what the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion can do.
And with Dynamite 300 next week and the return of The Golden Lovers for tag team action, there’s going to be some post-match intrigue.
Both #1 Spots for the All In Casino Gauntlet Matches
Fans are rightly pumped for the return of the Casino Gauntlet match. Yet before the match comes the pre-tradition: a four-way to determine who takes the number one spot. In kayfabe, the fact that you start as number one means you are guaranteed to get to the ring before the contest ends.
The men’s match offers four distinct styles of action. Red Neck Kung fu, pure wrestling, powerhouse lucha, Japanese precision. A party match that guarantees fun for the audience. A preview of all-in chaos.
Yet the women’s four-way comes packed with story potential. First, on ROH, Thunder Rosa has had her eyes on Athena’s world championship. Then, there’s the lingering bad blood between Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale.
After Moxley’s words of advice to Statlander on Collision, we’ll soon see if this impacts the next stage of their rivalry. This isn’t even considering the match quality!
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
Header photo – AEW – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more AEW 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 Collision airs Saturday at 8 pm Eastern on TNT. More AEW content is available on their YouTube channel.
