On Monday, Tony Schiavone and AEW announced the competitors for the third annual Continental Classic tournament. The AEW Continental Classic, or CC, has become the preeminent professional wrestling tournament in North America. The CC has been the showcase tournament where the best wrestlers in AEW — and their partner promotions —try to make the case to be listed among the best wrestlers in the world.
Being in the CC will come with losses, as not everyone can make the semi-finals, let alone the finals. However, most CC competitors end up in a better position than they were before the tournament started, even if they finish with a losing record. There will be winners and losers. There will be triumph and heartache. That is what makes this tournament so great.
The Best Continental Classic Yet
The 2025 edition of the tournament might be the best version yet. Not only is the CC filled with some of the best in-ring wrestlers in the world, but each table is also loaded with juicy storylines. What do you mean Jon Moxley has to face Claudio Castagnoli?
Speedball and Kevin Knight are picking up right where they left off in the Casino Gauntlet match. And of course, the story everyone is waiting for to explode, the Don Callis Civil War. Konosuke Takeshita, Kazuchika Okada, and now Kyle Fletcher will battle for Caliis Family supremacy.
I am here to tell you who wins, who advances– which storylines pop off– and who will be named the 2025 Continental Classic Champion.
Gold League
Contestants
Kazuchika Okada: The best tournament wrestler will look to live up to that moniker as he tries to repeat as CC champion. His match against Fletcher will be an absolute must-watch.
Darby Allin: This year’s CC will be much more than just a tournament for Darby. It will be a chance for him to get his win back against PAC and to continue his path of destruction of the Death Riders.
Kevin Knight: The young, outstanding high-flyer will look to not only win his first-ever CC in his first appearance, but also toast his tag team partner in the process.
“Speedball” Mike Bailey: Just like Knight, Bailey will need to get past his tag partner to win the tournament. Bailey is the perfect wrestler for this tournament, and he will shine on the big stage.
Kyle Fletcher: Fletcher reached the semi-finals in the 2024 CC tournament and will look to rebound and reach the finals this time around. He’ll have to get past stablemate Okada to do so.
PAC: The Death Rider’s rising star is going to take the mantle as the main guy for the Death Riders. While not one of the favorites to make it out, he is on a run that could allow him to sneak past Fletcher and Okada to the semi-finals.
The Gold League Storylines
Where to start. Not only do we have the much-anticipated Okada versus Fletcher match, but we also have the return match between PAC and Darby Allin. Another storyline that immediately follows Full Gear (check out my Full Gear fallouts here) is the match that will undoubtedly be a contender for match of the year between tag team partners Kevin Knight and Mike Bailey.
That match is so intriguing! They were teasing a fight at Full Gear, but because they know each other too well, they couldn’t land a punch.
One aspect of the Death Rider’s story that shouldn’t go ignored is the power vacuum that will be left when they turn on Moxley. Will PAC be that guy to step up? If so, he might make his way to the finals. PAC’s scheduled match against Knight will be one to watch.
Match-By-Match Predictions
| X | Kazuchika Okada | Darby Allin | Speedball | Kyle Fletcher | Kevin Knight | PAC |
| Kazuchika Okada | X | Okada | Okada | Okada | Okada | Okada |
| Darby Allin | Okada | X | Darby | Fletcher | Darby | PAC |
| Speedball | Okada | Darby | X | Fletcher | Tie | PAC |
| Kyle Fletcher | Okada | Fletcher | Fletcher | X | Fletcher | Fletcher |
| Kevin Knight | Okada | Darby | Tie | Fletcher | X | PAC |
| PAC | Okada | PAC | PAC | Fletcher | PAC | X |
Who Are the Two Who Advance:
1st) Takeshita, 15 points
2nd) Orange Cassidy, 12 points
3rd) Claudio Catastagnoli, 9 points
4th) Roderick Strong, 6 Points
5th) Mascara Dorada, 3 points
6th) Jon Mosley, 0 points
Blue League
Contestants
Orange Cassidy: Believe it or not, this is Orange Cassidy’s first-ever CC tournament. He has been such a workhorse for AEW that this being his first CC tournament is shocking. There is a path for Cassidy to win, but it won’t be easy.
Claudio Castagnoli: The only three-time participant in this tournament, Claudio, will look to claim his first CC tournament in 2025. Castagnoli will have to get past his Death Rider partner and leader, Jon Moxley. That is set to be the match of the tournament.
Mascara Dorada: This will be the CMLL star’s first CC tournament. He will look to make a name for himself to an American audience, if he hasn’t already.
Jon Moxley: This is Moxley’s first CC tournament since the inaugural one in 2022. He will look to reclaim his throne as the king of the hill in AEW. More than likely, this will be his Julius Caesar moment instead.
Roderick Strong: Strong will look to add the Continental Championship to his stellar AEW resume. Strong will also seek revenge for his fallen comrade, Kyle O’Reilly. This will be the former International Champion’s first CC tournament.
Konosuke Takeshita: This will be the IWGP Heavyweight Champion’s first CC tournament. Takeshita will look to make a point by claiming he is the best wrestler not only in the Don Callis Family but also in the world.
The Blue League Storylines
The obvious headlining match on this table will be Jon Moxley vs Claudio Castagnoli. My prediction is that this match will be the last for each competitor in the tournament, and this will officially end Moxley as the leader of the Death Riders. An intriguing person to keep an eye on is Roderick Strong. Now that Kyle O’Reilly has been written out of the storyline, Strong might go on a legit tear and win this.
Orange Cassidy is also someone to keep an eye on. He will now, without a doubt, be the X-factor in how the rest of the tournament ends up. If he can get a couple of upset wins, don’t be surprised to see OC in the semifinals.
Mascarada Dorada, despite having no chance to win this thing, will be the most entertaining wrestler in the Blue League. He will have a coming-out party and will make CMLL proud.
Match-By-Match Predictions
| X | Orange Cassidy | Claudio Castagnoli | Mascara Dorada | Jon Moxley | Roderick Strong | Konosuke Takeshita |
| Orange Cassidy | X | Cassidy | Cassidy | Cassidy | Cassidy | Takeshita |
| Claudio Castagnoli | Cassidy | X | Castagnoli | Castagnoli | Castagnoli | Takeshita |
| Mascara Dorada | Cassidy | Castagnoli | X | Dorada | Strong | Takeshita |
| Jon Moxley | Cassidy | Castagnoli | Dorada | X | Strong | Takeshita |
| Roderick Strong | Cassidy | Castagnoli | Strong | Strong | X | Takeshita |
| Konosuke Takeshita | Takeshita | Takeshita | Takeshita | Takeshita | Takeshita | X |
Who Are the Two Who Advance
1st) Okada, 15 points
2nd) Kyle Fletcher, 12 points
3rd) PAC, 9 points
4th) Darby Allin, 6 points
5th) Speedball, 1 point
6th) Kevin Knight, 1 point
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
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