Ospreay/Swerve II headlines four hours of AEW action on TSN2
Will Ospreay takes on Swerve Strickland. Plus, the Hurt Syndicate is in trios action, AEW Women's World Champion Toni Storm meets Julia Hart and Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada sign their contract for All In. You can catch a special four-hour edition of AEW Summer Blockbuster: Dynamite and Collision on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT on TSN2, the TSN App, and TSN.ca.
"The Aerial Assassin" Will Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland (w/ Prince Nana)
Will Ospreay is hoping to beat some sense into Swerve Strickland. Ospreay has nothing but love and respect for the former AEW World Champion, a man he considers to be like an older brother to him. But Ospreay needs Strickland to see things the same way he does. At last month's Double or Nothing, "Hangman" Adam Page defeated Ospreay in the final of the Owen Hart Foundation Cup to earn a title shot at next month's All In in what was an instant classic. It was the first ever meeting between the two men and it lived up to expectations. Not only did Page win a shot at regaining his AEW World Championship from Jon Moxley, he also earned the respect of Ospreay. Two weeks ago Dynamite, Ospreay made it clear that he would do whatever he could to help Page take back the world title - and the company - from the Death Riders. He wanted Strickland to make the same pledge, but that would be easier said than done with Swerve and the Cowboy being mortal enemies. That Wednesday night, Hangman and Swerve almost came to blows when the latter accused the former of arranging for the Young Bucks (Nicholas Jackson and Matthew Jackson) to screw him out of the world title at Dynasty in April, something Page vehemently denied. When Ospreay tried to make peace, they both blew him off and vowed to never work with one another. Later in the back, Ospreay drew Swerve's ire by calling Hangman the best wrestler in the world right now and the two eventually came to blows. Last Wednesday night, Ospreay made the challenge to Strickland official, so at Summer Blockbuster night, the two will go one one one for just the second time in their careers. Last June, Strickland retained the AEW World Championship over Ospreay at Forbidden Door. Can Strickland make it two in a row or will Ospreay get Swerve to see the light by giving him a loss?
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AEW Women's World Champion "Timeless" Toni Storm (w/ Luther) vs. Julia Hart (with TBS Champion "The CEO" Mercedes Mone on commentary)
On last week's Dynamite, TBS Champion Mercedes Mone was supposed to sit in on commentary for a match featuring her upcoming opponent at All In, the AEW Women's World Champion Toni Storm. While Mone was near the commentary desk during Storm and Mina Shirakawa taking on Julia Hart and Skye Blue, she wasn't exactly on commentary. Instead of offering her thoughts on the match, Mone enjoyed a steak dinner and a glass of wine. Storm's team was victorious when the world champion submitted Blue with the TCM Chicken Wing. After the match, Storm took a giant bite of Mone's steak and a big swig of her wine. On Wednesday night, Mone is once again scheduled for commentary as Storm meets former TBS Champion Hart in singles action. It's the first time that the two women have met one on one and it will be Hart's most high-profile match since her return from 10 months on the shelf with a shoulder injury this past January. The match is undoubtedly more important to Hart than it is to Storm, so that itself presents a different kind of problem for the champion. While not officially a World Title Eliminator, a victory for Hart would almost certainly put her in the conversation for a title match down the line. Storm should be ready for a level of desperation and concentrate on her opponent in the ring and not her future opponent outside of the ring (who may or may not be eating a porterhouse again). Ideally for Hart, she can use Mone's disruptive presence to her advantage. Can Hart spring the upset and potentially put herself into title contention or will Storm use Wednesday night's match to send a message to Mone?
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The Hurt Syndicate (AEW World Tag Team Champions "The Almighty" Bobby Lashley and "The Standard of Excellence" Shelton Benjamin and Maxwell Jacob Friedman) (w/ Montel Vontavious Porter) vs. JetSpeed (Kevin "The Jet" Knight and "Speedball" Mike Bailey) and Komander (w/ Alex Abrahantes)
On Wednesday night, the new-look Hurt Syndicate takes to the ring as MJF competes as member of the faction for the first time when he teams with AEW World Tag Team Champions Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin in trios action to take on Kevin Knight, Mike Bailey and Komander. The latter three men made their debut as a unit on last week's Dynamite when they defeated La Faccion Ingobernable (Rush, Dralistico and the Beast Mortos). The match marked Knight's return from Japan where had been competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Best of the Super Juniors Tournament. Wednesday night's match will be an interesting one for a number of reasons. Firstly, MJF will be out to make a splash. Having earned the trust of the rest of the Hurt Syndicate, the former AEW World Champion will look to make good on that and carry his end of the bargain. The bout also represents quite the styles clash as the speed and agility of Knight, Bailey and Komander meet the unmatched power of Lashley. We got a brief preview of the match last Wednesday night when the Hurt Syndicate entered the ring after JetSpeed and Komander's match. Speed won out in the end as Knight and Bailey peppered Lashley and Benjamin with dropkicks, while Komander took Friedman out of the equation with a springboard plancha. That's the type of strategy they'll need at Summer Blockbuster to have a chance at picking up a victory. Will the Hurt Syndicate make a statement on Wednesday night or will (Jet)Speed (and Komander) kill again?
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"The Toxic Spider" Thekla vs. Queen Aminata
Thekla's in-ring debut last week was more of an assault than a match. "The Idol Killer" destroyed Lady Frost with a punishing spear and then locked in the Death Trap for the victory. The ring bell wasn't enough for Thekla to let go of the hold, so Queen Aminata made her way down to ringside to chase the former Stardom star off. At Summer Blockbuster, Aminata will take her chances with the frightening Austrian. The match will be Aminata's first on a Dynamite since a loss to Toni Storm on Feb. 2. In fact, Aminata hasn't picked up a victory on Dynamite since she and Yuka Sakazaki defeated the team of Serena Deeb and Mariah May by disqualification on Sept. 19, 2024. Taking on Thekla will be a tall task, but Aminata is up for the challenge. She holds wins over the likes of Julia Hart, Harley Cameron, Anna Jay and Skye Blue. Despite Thekla's impressive display last week, she won't be daunted on Wednesday night. Will Aminata find a way to avenge Lady Frost or will Thekla prove her path of destruction in AEW is only just beginning?
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"The Pride of Pro Wrestling" Anthony Bowens (w/ "Daddy Ass" Billy Gunn) vs. "The Protostar" Kyle Fletcher (w/ Don Callis and "The Murderhawk Monster" Lance Archer)
In the wake of The Acclaimed's dissolution, it's not unfair to say that Anthony Bowens is in much better shape than his former partner Max Caster. Bowens has been able to pick up victories, while every single one of Max Caster's Open Challenges has ended with the former AEW World Tag Team and World Trios Champion staring up at the lights. But Bowens isn't satisfied with using Caster as his measuring stick. He wants more. He wants gold. Coming off of losses to Ricochet and AEW Continental Champion "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada in a Title Eliminator, Bowens issued a challenge to one of AEW's brightest stars in the Don Callis Family's Kyle Fletcher. At 26, it seems like only a matter of time before the cocky Australian will have an AEW title around his waist. Big, strong and sadistic, Fletcher is even more of a problem with Callis by his side and other members of the Family ready to run interference for him at every turn. Certainly, a victory over Fletcher would be quite the statement of intent for Bowens, but has he bitten off more than he can chew in order to break his mini-losing streak? With his mind on Adam Cole and the TNT Championship, Fletcher sees Bowens as just another obstacle in his way of getting another shot at that title after his first match with Cole ended in disqualification. Can Bowens pick up an important victory or will Fletcher remind Cole to keep looking over his shoulder?
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TayJay (Tay Melo and Anna Jay) vs. "Megasus" Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford
Last Wednesday night looked like it was going to end in disaster for Anna Jay. Battered and downed by Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford, it appeared the worst was yet to come as the two women brought Jay from the back out onto the stage. As Bayne prepared to deliver a Fate's Descent to Jay on the ramp, Ford had a better idea and instructed Bayne to do it off of the stage. Before Bayne could unleash hell, Jay was saved by a familiar face from her past in the returning Tay Melo. Melo jumped Ford and chased off Bayne, much to the relief of Jay. It was Melo's first appearance in AEW in over two years, having taken time off after the birth of her and Sammy Guevara's first child. Melo made her in-ring return in Japan this past January, teaming with Mina Shirakawa in a losing effort against Thekla and the ROH Women's World Champion Athena. Jay had been teaming with Harley Cameron in recent weeks, but the Aussie was injured in their street fight against Bayne and Ford last month. Melo's return gives Jay a partner she's more than comfortable with, having teamed with her on numerous occasions in the past. While ring rust might be a concern for Melo, there's also the matter of excitement. Melo will be pumped to get back into action, but she can't let adrenaline get the better of her against the wily Ford and powerhouse Bayne. Will Melo mark her return with a win or will Bayne and Ford dole out more punishment?
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Mistico returns
CMLL's biggest star makes his return to AEW on Wednesday night as Mistico is back. We last Mistico on the May 22 edition of Collision when he was victorious in trios action alongside Templario and Mascara Dorada over Los Depredadores (Magnus, Rugido and Volador Jr.). With Dynamite headed to Arena Mexico next week, MJF has been throwing Mistico's name around as a potential opponent. Will Mistico address MJF on Wednesday night?
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AEW International Champion "The Cleaner" Kenny Omega and AEW Continental Champion "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada sign their contract for their title-versus-title match at All In
Ahead of the highly anticipated Omega-Okada V at next month's All In at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington, TX, the two men will share a ring on Wednesday night to officially sign their contracts. What are the chances that these two refrain from physicality? Probably not very good.