The final AEW Dynamite/Collision before Full Gear this weekend, and with four big matches announced, plus the return of Kenny Omega, it’s going to be an interesting three hours of wrestling.
Kenny Omega’s battle with diverticulitis continues to impact his career. Since his return, it’s noticeable, not just with absences. Omega’s persistence and will to continue are to be admired. As seen at All In Texas against Okada, Omega is adapting to a new stage of his career. Reality adds more drama to Omega’s role in AEW. When the Cleaner returns on Wednesday, don’t expect the Don Callis Family to give Omega space. What has Omega got to say about Josh Alexander? Alexander has taken out two of Omega’s closest friends in Kota Ibushi and Michael Nakazawa. On the weekend, he teams with former best friends and Elite members, The Young Bucks.
Ahead of their steel cage match, the AEW Men’s World champion continues his hunt. Hangman Adam Page has one more member of The Opps to eliminate ahead of Full Gear before he can isolate Samoa Joe. Wednesday night, Page takes on Katsuyori Shibata in what’s likely to be a stiff and hard-hitting affair. This could be a western-style showdown between two wrestlers who are unafraid of bludgeoning heads and tearing skin. The NJPW legend, alongside Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs, has looked dangerous, but on Wednesday, he is without back-up. Beyond a victory, you have to imagine Page is looking to take Shibata out of the equation.
Last week, the women’s Blood and Gut went beyond the promise. In very AEW fashion, they overachieved in the ring, compensating for the storyline inequities compared to the men’s double cage match. This week, we have three potential women’s bangers: two AEW World Tag Team Champions Quarterfinals and an undisputed title match. Mercedes Mone won her 13th championship over the weekend. Yet the ROH World TV Championship she won at WrestleDream came with the prefix “interim”. The injured champion, Red Velvet, returns and is ready to mix things up. Elsewhere, “Timeless” Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa are looking past opponents Riho and Alex Windsor. The Timeless Love Bombs are already thinking about vengeance after the finale of Blood and Guts.
TayJay may be the women’s division’s longest serving tag team, yet against the newly formed team of Megan Bayne and Marina Shafir, can experience overcome power? Tay Melo thinks that she has the skills to take on Shafir because of her Brazilian jiu-jitsu background. Yet Anna Jay and Melo have never been able to defeat The Goddess. Bobby Lashley will face Ricochet to determine the #1 spot in the Casino Gauntlet mMatch at Full Gear for the AEW National Championship. On the other hand, Mike Bailey will go up against Shelton Benjamin to see who’ll get the #2 spot in the Casino Gauntlet match. Considering the in-ring skills of all four competitors, are matches are expected to be great ones.
