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Darby Allin made one final AEW World Championship defense on 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 run of title defenses since capturing the championship over MJF about a month ago. In the lead 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 allowing Allin to hit a Coffin Drop. But MJF interfered, putting 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 Oct. 3, 2024, at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
Allin put Bailey into multiple Scorpion Death Locks, and forced Bailey to tap out. Still the champion, Allin and MJF will square off at Double or Nothing. If Allin retains, 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 Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 5, 2025. (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
Unfortunately, Willow Nightingale’s dominant reign as TBS champion came to an abrupt end on Wednesday night. She announced during “Dynamite.”
“Winning this championship was one of the greatest moments of my career and I haven’t had a shortage of great moments in my time at AEW. I’ve won the 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 champions But winning this back from Mercedes (Moné), I knew that if I could do that, I could prove to myself, I could prove to the world that I am everything I believed I could be which is why I told myself I would fight day in, day out to any challenger that steps up and if I couldn’t do that, then I didn’t deserve to be the TBS champion.
“As fate would have it, in my most recent title defense against Red Velvet, I injured my right shoulder and I want so bad, I want so bad to wrestle at Double or Nothing in front of my family, at home in New York, against Alex Windsor. I want to go on in the Owen and go to All In and become the AEW world champ. But unfortunately, I have to withdraw from the Owen Hart Cup. Furthermore, I must relinquish the TBS Championship.”
Nightingale said she was “overjoyed” to the face of TBS over the course of her 10 title defenses and vowed to be back, though it was unclear when.
Mina Shirakawa will now take on Athena in the first round of the Owen at Double or Nothing. Windsor will have a wild-card opponent in the tournament.
Will Ospreay makes statement before Double or Nothing
Will Ospreay appeared on the “Collision” portion of Wednesday night’s special, taking 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 he trained 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 proved to be too much for Shibata in the end. He hit Shibata with a Styles Clash and a Hidden Blade, pinning Shibata for the win.
Joe addressed Ospreay after the match, saying he was going to “put your a– to sleep.”
Ospreay responded, detailing his own “nightmare” situation in which he comes to grips with some of his doubters. He said that he received messages for years about how Joe was going to “kill” him and wondered how that would be possible if he’s “already died 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 at the biggest stadium 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 got a whole flipping country on my back.
“My nightmare, Joe, my nightmare died and it was in 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 murderer, into a killer, into what I’ve been this entire time.”
He said Sunday at Double or Nothing started his road to winning the AEW World Championship.
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Swerve Strickland, Bandido brawl before Double or Nothing match
Referee Aubrey Edwards raises the hand of Swerve Strickland after he defeated Shelton Benjamin during AEW Dynamite at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio, on Oct. 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 set to square off 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 preview of what’s to come.
Strickland was going to address the crowd in Portland, Maine, when Bandido blindsided Strickland. The two brawled for several minutes as Strickland was trying to hit a Vertebreaker on a char that he set up in the middle of the ring. Bandido countered and hit a military press slam on Strickland.
As Bandido was going for a knockout blow 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 a part of a women’s tag team eliminator match against champions Megan Bayne and Lena Kross. The match will take place during the Buy In hour before the pay-per-view officially kicks off.
“Dynamite” match results:
Andrade El Idolo, Mark Davis and Ricochet def. Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, Chris Jericho.
Mark Briscoe def. Tommaso Ciampa in a no rules match.
Jon Moxley and Kyle O’Reilly go the distance in a Continental Championship eliminator match.
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 AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship eliminator match.
Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler def. Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong in an AEW World Tag Team Championship eliminator match.