AEW Holiday Bash Night 1 Review – December 20, 2023
Gold League Match Of The 2023 Continental Classic
Swerve Strickland (9) vs. Rush (6)
If Strickland wins he advances to the Semi Finals.
Swerve Strickland & Rush starts the match trying to take each other down and start running the ropes by taking each other down with arm drags.
Rush is able to dodge Strickland in the corner and send him to the outside with a back elbow before diving onto him.
Rush keeps Strickland grounded in the corner where he teases doing Bull’s Horns before hitting the Tranquilo pose. Strickland takes advantage and goes right after Rush with an armbar.
They take it to the outside where they start fighting against the barricades before we head to picture in picture.
After the break they are battling each other before both taking the fall down on the mat.
Rush takes control and goes for the Bull’s Horns but his leg gives out as Strickland goes right after his left leg by twisting it up into a Stretch Muffler.
They start trading chops until Rush hits a straight jacket piledriver for a two count.
They start trading chops on the apron before Rush sends Strickland flying to the mat with a belly to 2 belly suplex.
Back inside Rush struggles to get to the top and ends up missing a senton so Strickland takes advantage and hits a 450 splash then goes for the cover but Rush kicks out at one.
Strickland comes back with a brainbuster for a two count followed by House Call then Swerve Stomp for the win.
Winner: Swerve Strickland (12) (14:53)
Rate: 7
Chris Jericho is in the back with a microphone and talks about last Thursday when Kenny Omega ended up in the hospital because of diverticulitis & as a result Omega is out of AEW indefinitely and it has affected The Golden Jets’ opportunity to go after the AEW World Tag Team Titles. Jericho wishes Omega the best in his road to recovery and when he’s ready to come back he will be waiting for him and he does Omega’s send off.
Gold League Match Of The 2023 Continental Classic
Jay Lethal (0) vs. Mark Briscoe (0)
Match starts off with Jay Lethal & Mark Briscoe testing each other with shoulder blocks before going into a big chop exchange before they end up running the ropes until Lethal takes down Briscoe with a dropkick.
Briscoe comes back with a missile dropkick for one count before they go back & forth with a suplex attempt until Lethal holds on and delivers it. Lethal sends Briscoe to the outside and meets him with a dive.
Lethal tries another dive but gets caught and suplex to the floor before Briscoe hits the Nestea Plunge as we go to picture in picture.
After the break Lethal hits Lethal Combination then hey head to the top rope but both come crashing down as Lethal heads back up just to get punched to the outside by Briscoe.
Briscoe meets him with a dropkick through the ropes before grabbing another chair that he uses to dive off of onto Lethal.
Lethal catches Briscoe with a German suplex and some kicks before hitting a rolling Torture Rack then heads to the top rope and hits the flying elbow drop for a two count.
Briscoe comes back with a fisherman’s buster for a two count before he goes for Froggy Bow but Lethal puts his knees up then Briscoe counters Lethal Injection but Lethal turns it into Jay Driller for two.
Briscoe blocks another Lethal Injection and hits Burning Hammer followed by Jay Driller for the win.
Winner: Mark Briscoe (3) (13:53)
Rate: 7
We see highlights of AEW World Champion MJF getting inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall Of Fame with comments from MJF about how much this means to him.
We see a video from Wardlow & he says MJF’s clock is ticking and we are getting closer and closer to his world ending. We’ve seen MJF run, cry, weak and soon the world will see him broken. Wardlow says the payment for MJF’s sins can’t be delayed any longer and he will be the one to bring the devil to his knees.
Samoa Joe says he has come here seeking answers. Last week he was asking the right questions to the wrong people and says Roderick Strong brings up a good point. For some odd reason Hangman Page was a victim and brings up how footage of MJF being taken out was never seen but when the other attacks happen cameras are there. Joe then calls MJF to come out and answer a few questions.
MJF comes out and asks Joe if he is accusing him of being the devil which he says is correct. MJF recalls Joe saying that he was going to protect him before their main event at Worlds End and it’s clear that he cares about his property as much as he cares about his diet. Since they are throwing accusations out, MJF throws one out that he doesn’t recall the masked men ever laying a finger on Joe. MJF says he doesn’t like Joe, trusts him and is confused about why he is waiting for Worlds End when he can end his world right now as they go face 2 face. MJF ends up pushing Joe before a dozen or so masked men run out just for Joe & MJF to easily take them all out. More masked men come from the crowd and start surrounding Joe & MJF in the ring. The lights go out and when they come back on we see The Devil on the screen with the message Where can you go? Who can you trust? Next week will you accept a challenge for your ROH World Tag Team Titles? Are you a hero, Max? MJF gets on the mic about making a promise to defend those ROH World Tag Team Titles until Adam Cole comes back as Joe accepts saying next week they will be the Devil’s boys’ asses.
Backstage Renee Paquette is with Best Friends and talks about International Champion Orange Cassidy & Kris Statlander’s recent wins and asks with 2023 winding down what does the future look like for Rocky Romero & Trent Beretta. Romero talks about his reign as CMLL World Historic Welterweight Champion and talks about getting more gold around his waist as Cassidy says he will see him Friday. Romero looks surprised at getting the match and said he didn’t mean that.
Women’s Title #1 Contenders Match
Riho vs. Saraya
Saraya goes right after taking Riho down with pin attempts before Riho sets Saraya up on the ropes but Saraya is able to escape to the outside.
Riho chases her and takes her down with a couple of headscissors all around the ring before Saraya goes to hide behind a security guard at ringside.
Saraya takes advantage of this and starts swinging Riho against the barricades as we head to picture in picture.
After the break Riho hits a Tiger Faint Kick and a top rope crossbody for a two count. Riho heads to the top again but Saraya catches her with a kick for two.
Riho hits a northern lights suplex for a two count followed by a top rope stomp and running knees for the win.
Winner & #1 Contender To The Women’s Title: Riho (7:41)
Rate: 5
After the match we see Ruby Soho smiling in the back as Luther carries Women’s Champion Toni Storm to the ring where she looks at Riho with opera glasses. Storm goes after her but Riho sends Storm on the ropes and hits her with the Tiger Faint Kick. Mariah May runs out and takes out Riho with the AEW Women’s Title. Toni Storm looks confused as if she doesn’t know who May is.
We go to Tony Schiavone with a prepared statement from TNT Champion Christian Cage that says that if Schiavone phones it in like he usually does Cage will slap him. Cage’s message tells this crowd to shut their mouth and have some respect. The message continues with Cage saying he took Nick Wayne on a vacation after his win against Adam Copeland. In regards to Copeland’s challenge at Worlds End he will address and answer it on this Saturday’s episode of Collision. Cage expects nothing less but a hero’s welcome upon his return.
After the break we see MJF & Samoa Joe arguing a bit in the back as MJF tells Joe to keep standing there as he will keep walking. MJF then sees a mask on the floor in front of the Mogul Embassy’s door which he knocks on. As Prince Nana answers MJF corners him and asks what the mask is about. Swerve Strickland takes over and says it’s nice to finally see MJF eye 2 eye. MJF starts mimicking Strickland’s theme song and talks about the history they have together making long car rides while doing the independents together. MJF says he’s proud of Strickland and the reason he’s been ducking Swerve is because there’s a level to this shit and Strickland isn’t on his. Strickland calls MJF the best chauffeur he’s ever had in his life and brings up how MJF failed his tryout with William Regal and tells MJF to be careful how he talks to him. MJF says Strickland is getting good at talking but tells him to watch his tone and watch his mouth. MJF brings up how Swerve hates Hangman Page and is begging to be AEW World Champion so putting those 2 together why wouldn’t he jump Page and get in MJF’s head and ask him straight up if he’s the devil? Strickland says he isn’t the devil MJF is looking for but if he keeps swinging that AEW World Title by his face, he’s going to bring him hell. Mogul Embassy joins Strickland as Joe pulls MJF away and says they have business elsewhere. Nana tells Strickland he forgot to put him on about Collision last week.
Roderick Strong vs. Komander
Komander starts the match trying to dodge Roderick Strong but ends up getting a knee to his face for his trouble.
They end up running the ropes as Komander takes advantage after a dropkick but the momentum gets stopped by a kick from Strong before Strong follows with a backbreaker.
Strong pushes Komander as he was sitting on the ropes but Komander ends up flipping Strong to the outside as we go to picture in picture.
After the break Komander stops Strong off the corner with a kick as both men are now laid out then Komander bounces off the ropes with a crossbody for a two count.
Strong places Komander on the top rope but sunset flips his way out and knocks Strong off the ropes.
Komander heads back to the top and hits Phoenix Splash for a two count before Strong heads to the outside where Komander meets him & The Kingdom with a dive.
Komander tries to springboard back in but gets stopped with a kick from Strong followed by End Of Heartache with Komander during a couple of extra rotations to get the win.
Winner: Roderick Strong (9:55)
Rate: 6
After the match Renee Paquette joins Strong in the ring and asks why he & The Kingdom are handing out MJF is the Devil signs to everybody in the crowd. Strong tells Samoa Joe that it’s so obvious now that MJF is the devil when Hangman Page mentioned MJF, he got taken out and told Joe to wake up and believe him. Strong says that Samoa Joe is his best friend by proxy and calls Paquette crazy for doubting him.
Gold League Match Of The 2023 Continental Classic
Jon Moxley (12) vs. Jay White (9)
If Moxley wins or draws the Semi Finals is Moxley vs. Strickland
If White wins the Semi Final Match is a Triple Threat Match.
Jay White heads to the outside and when he goes back in starts talking trash about not being intimidated by Jon Moxley before Moxley puts on a sleeper hold right away then hits elbow drops and a piledriver for a two count.
They fight on the outside for a bit with Moxley dragging White up the ramp before White goes for a piledriver but Moxley counters into a back body drop.
Moxley corners White with 10 punches in the corner with a bite but White escapes out of the corner and takes down Moxley with a chop block before pushing him to the outside of the apron as we go to picture in picture.
After the break White is in command by attacking Moxley with chops to the back of the head/neck & this only gets Moxley upset and he comes back with a forearm taking White to the corner where Moxley stomps him out.
Moxley sets White to the top rope where he rakes his back and bites White some more before hitting a superplex. Moxley sends White to the outside with a clothesline before meeting him with a dive.
They start fighting on the outside where White drops Moxley on the steel steps right on his knee. White attacks Moxley’s knee with a chair as the referee is distracted.
Moxley just makes the 10 count back inside and hits the Paradigm Shift for a two count then They fight in the corner before White hits a dragon screw.
After a pin attempt Moxley hits a running knee strict for another a two count before White comes back with a dragon suplex and uranage for a two count then Kiwi Crusher for another two count.
White hits another Dragon Sleeper but Moxley comes back with 2 lariats and a stomp followed by a Death Rider attempt but White reverses it and hits Blade Runner for the win.
Winner: Jay White (12) (15:09) (Since White won it’s a Triple Threat Match)
Rate: 7
After the match Swerve Strickland comes out and stares down White & Moxley as White attacks Moxley from behind to close out Holiday Bash.
Final Gold League Standings After Night 10
1st Place- Jon Moxley, Swerve Strickland & Jay White (12 Points) (4-1)
2nd Place- Rush (6 Points) (2-3)
3rd Place- Mark Briscoe (3 Points) (1-4)
Last Place- Jay Lethal (0 Points) (0-5)
Holiday Bash Card
Night 2 (Dec 22nd)
International Title Match
Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Rocky Romero
Tag Team Match
The Kingdom (Mike Bennett & Matt Taven) vs. The Hardys (Matt & Jeff)
Skye Blue vs. Queen Aminata
AAA Mega Title Match
El Hijo Del Vikingo (c) vs. Black Taurus
Night 3 (Dec 23rd)
Blue League Match Of The 2023 Continental Classic
Andrade El Idolo (9) vs. Eddie Kingston (6)
Blue League Match Of The 2023 Continental Classic
Bryan Danielson (9) vs. Claudio Castagnoli (6)
Blue League Match Of The 2023 Continental Classic
Brody King (6) vs. Daniel Garica (0)
Trios Titles Match
The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) & Billy Gunn (c) vs. Top Flight (Dante Martin & Darius Martin) & Action Andretti
Tag Team Match
TBS Champion Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Abadon & Thunder Rosa
Brian Cage vs. Keith Lee
New Year’s Smash Card So Far (Dec 27th)
Semi Final Match Of The 2023 Continental Classic
Gold League Winner 1 Jon Moxley vs. Gold League Winner 2 Swerve Strickland vs. Gold League Winner 3 Jay White
Semi Final Match Of The 2023 Continental Classic
Blue League Winner 1 vs. Blue League Winner 2
ROH World Tag Team Titles Match
AEW World Champion MJF & Samoa Joe (c) vs. 2 Masked Men
Worlds End Card So Far (Dec 30th)
Finals Of The 2023 Continental Classic
Gold League Winner 1 Jon Moxley, Gold League Winner 2 Swerve Strickland or Gold League Winner 3 Jay White vs. Blue League Winner 1 or 2
AEW World Title Match
MJF (c) vs. Samoa Joe
Women’s Title Match
Toni Storm (c) vs. Riho
