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Darby Allin made one final AEW World Championship defense in Wednesday’s double episode of “Dynamite” and “Collision” against “Speedball” Mike Bailey and did so in front of his Double or Nothing challenger, Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF).
Allin had been on an incredible streak of title defenses since capturing the championship over MJF about a month ago. In the run-up to a title vs. hair match against MJF, Allin proved again why he was one of the best in pro wrestling.
Bailey missed a high flying aerial maneuver that allowed Allin to hit a coffin drop. But MJF interfered and put Bailey’s foot on the rope to break the count. Bailey nearly got a three count on Allin after a kick, but Allin would ultimately survive.
Darby Allin competes in the ring during AEW Collision on October 3, 2024 at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
Allin put Bailey in several Scorpion Death Locks and forced Bailey to tap out. Still the champion, Allin and MJF battle Double or Nothing. If Allin keeps, MJF will have to shave his head.
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Willow Nightingale Reveals Injury, Relinquishes TBS Championship
Willow Nightingale and Momo Watanabe compete during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Wrestle Dynasty event at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 5, 2025. (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
Unfortunately, Willow Nightingale’s dominant reign as TBS champion came to an abrupt end Wednesday night. She announced under “Dynamite.”
“Winning this championship was one of the biggest moments of my career and I’ve had no shortage of big moments in my time with AEW. I’ve won Owen before, I’ve won the TBS title before this reign,” she said in a backstage segment. “And I became half of the very first AEW Women’s Tag Team Championships, but when I won this back from Mercedes (Moné), I knew that if I could do it, I could prove to myself, I could prove to the world that I’m everything that I believed I could be, that’s why I told myself that I’m going to fight day in, day out against any challenger that comes up, and if I can’t be the TBS champion, then I deserve I don’t do that.
“As fate would have it, in my last title defense against Red Velvet, I injured my right shoulder and I want so badly, I so badly want to fight in Double or Nothing in front of my family, at home in New York, against Alex Windsor. I want to continue in Owen and go All In and become AEW World Champion. But unfortunately, from Owensh, I have it again with the Hartwlin Cup. TBS Championship.”
Nightingale said she was “delighted” with TBS during her 10 title defenses and vowed to be back, although it was unclear when.
Mina Shirakawa will now take on Athena in the first round of Owen at Double or Nothing. Windsor will have a wild-card opponent in the tournament.
Will Ospreay speaks before Double or Nothing
Will Ospreay appeared on the “Collision” portion of Wednesday night’s special, where he took on Katsuyori Shibata – a member of The Opps. It was a tune-up match before Ospreay takes on fellow Opps member Samoa Joe in the first round of the Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament.
Ospreay has been more dangerous since training with The Death Riders in recent weeks, showing his tenacity last week against Ace Austin. It was much of the same against Shibata. His aerial stylings and hard hits ultimately proved too much for Shibata. He hit Shibata with a Styles Clash and a Hidden Blade, giving Shibata the win.
Joe approached Ospreay after the match and said he wanted to “put your a– to sleep.”
Ospreay responded, describing his own “nightmare situation” where he gets to address some of his doubters. He said that for years he received messages about how Joe was going to “kill” him and wondered how that would be possible if he is “already dead in this very ring.”
“This year the stakes are high because the winner of the Owen Hart Cup goes on to face whoever the world champion is in the biggest stadium that my country has. A stadium that every kid in my school wanted to be in and I have a chance to fulfill my country’s dream and I have a chance to fulfill my dream because it’s not just the company on my back, I’ve got a whole country on my back.
“My nightmare, Joe, my nightmare died and it was at the hands of these men (The Death Riders) and Marina (Shafir). They killed the old me and they rebuilt me. They rebuilt me into a killer, into a killer, into what I’ve been all along.”
He said Sunday at Double or Nothing started his path to winning the AEW World Championship.
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Swerve Strickland, Bandido brawl before Double or Nothing match
Referee Aubrey Edwards raises his hand to Swerve Strickland after he defeated Shelton Benjamin during AEW Dynamite at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio on October 30, 2024. Prince Nana celebrates nearby. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
For weeks, Swerve Strickland had made it clear that he was going after Ring of Honor champion Bandido. The two were scheduled to match in the first round of the Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament at the upcoming Double or Nothing pay-per-view, but they decided to give fans a taste of what’s to come.
Strickland was scheduled to address an audience in Portland, Maine when Bandido blinded Strickland. The two brawled for several minutes as Strickland attempted to hit a Vertebreaker on a char that he set up in the center of the ring. Bandido fought back and hit a military press slam on Strickland.
As Bandido went for a knockout punch with the chair, Strickland rolled out of the ring.
New matches added to Double or Nothing
Jon Moxley will defend the Continental Championship against Kyle O’Reilly after their eliminator match went the distance.
Viva Van and Zaya Steel will be part of a women’s tag team eliminator match against champions Megan Bayne and Lena Kross. The match takes place during the Buy In hour before the pay-per-view officially starts.
“Dynamite” match results:
Andrade El Idolo, Mark Davis and Ricochet def. Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, Chris Jericho.
Mark Briscoe def. Tommaso Ciampa in a match with no rules.
Jon Moxley and Kyle O’Reilly go the distance in an eliminator match for the Continental Championship.
Thekla, Julia Hart, Skye Blue and Athena def. Thunder Rosa, Jamie Hayter, Alex Windsor and Mina Shirakawa.
Darby Allin def. “Speedball” Mike Bailey to retain the AEW World Championship.
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“Collision” match results
Will Ospreay def. Katsuyori Shibata.
Rush def. TJ Crawford.
Megan Bayne and Lena Kross def. Kayla Loprez and Elle Valentine in an elimination match for the AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship.
Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler def. Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong in an elimination match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship.
