AEW Worlds End Review

This weekend was AEW’s end-of-year PPV Worlds End, which I have some good things to say, along with some fair and justified criticism fitting for what AEW has been in 2024. Initially, I had a predictions piece ready to post but lost track of time at a holiday party and did not post it. So here is my review of the show with our respected Right Hook rating system, and let’s start with the opening match.

Continental Classic Semifinal: Kyle Fletcher vs. Will Ospreay

AEW might have gotten the match card right with Ospreay and Fletcher II, which certainly got that excited crowd in Orlando going. The match itself was pretty standard for Ospreay and Fletcher’s style. Again, as great as they are at working that type of pace, it will become less exciting every time. But this was an excellent opening match, especially for the AEW audience, with Ospreay coming out victorious and bloody to the continental classic final.

RHR Rating: 4 out of 5

Continental Classic Semifinal: Kazuchika Okada vs. Ricochet

The next match certainly had a challenge to follow that opener, but Okada faced Ricochet in the other semifinal match. At the same time, the crowd was into its parts but nowhere near Ospreay and Fletcher. Whatever the vision is for Ricochet, it is not good and needs to be scrapped. Ricochet is not a good talker on the mic and in-match trash talk. The match itself was blah. Okada does his “funny” part, smacking Ricochet’s head after running the ropes, but Okada wins, sending him to the finals against Ospreay later in the evening.

After the match, Swerve Strickland cut a promo on Ricochet. The promo ended with Nana coming out with a wheelbarrow of toilet paper and giving rolls to the front row. Swerve led the crowd in a New Year’s countdown, throwing the TP in the ring, where Ricochet looked defeated. I have extreme doubts that this will do anything positive for Ricochet and, more importantly, don’t bring Swerve down after his incredible 2024.

RHR Rating: 2.5 out of 5

AEW Women’s World Championship (Tijuana Street Fight): Mariah May vs. Thunder Rosa

Mariah May defends the women’s world championship against Thunder Rosa in this street fight with no good build-up. There’s not much to say about the match because it’s the standard AEW chaotic mess match where Mariah May retains the title. Hopefully, 2025 will have more promising things ahead for her.

RHR Rating: 1.5 out of 5

AEW International Championship: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

Takeshita and Hobbs were a good match, and both guys have so much damn potential that hopefully will be utilized in the new year somehow, somewhere, someway. It’s a decent match with two legit wrestlers who can do much more if the creative opens their eyes.

RHR Rating: 3 out of 5

Dynamite Diamond Ring Match: MJF vs. Adam Cole

Next was the match for the Dynamite diamond ring between MJF and Adam Cole (BAY BAY). Hopefully, this match concluded this disjointed feud from last year’s Worlds end. Regardless, they had a solid match where MJF won but went to attack Cole afterward with a chair when Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly came down to help Cole attack MJF, where the Undisputed Kingdom stood tall.

RHR Rating: 2.5 out of 5

TBS Championship: Mercedes Mone (Champion) vs. Kris Statlander

Mercedes Mone vs. Kris Statlander II was next, and they had another good match, even if the result wasn’t what I and others hoped for. Mone has some undeniable go-away heat but can have decent matches when motivated. Statlander continues to impress and is a main-event player. She should have won the title here, but Mone retained, leaving the question of what is next for the CEO in 2025.

RHR Rating: 3 out of 5

Continental Classic Final: Will Ospreay vs. Kazuchika Okada

Now to the show-stealing night match: Ospreay vs. Okada, which at one point would have been an enormous deal years ago and can be for AEW in the future. The match was exactly what that crowd wanted with the back-and-forth between them. Ospreay is one of the best wrestlers out there, but he has to evolve a bit for more people to see his potential. In the end, Okada wins to retain his Continental championship.

Of course, there was some post-match action, where Christopher Daniels came out to announce he is no longer an EVP, but “this man is.” Cue Kenny Omega, who returns. Omega takes the continental title and presents it to Okada, where they stare down, setting up a potential big match between them at All In: Texas next year.

RHR Rating: 4 out of 5

AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley (Champion) vs. Orange Cassidy vs. “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Jay White

Finally, the main event was when Jon Moxley defended the AEW championship against Orange Cassidy, Hangman Page, and Jay White. The match was another Moxley special of nonsensical no rules, garbage mess except for some decent spots from White and, surprisingly, Page. Shocker, the Death Riders eventually got involved in the match, helping Moxley retain the title, but we weren’t done yet.

The Deathriders try to attack Jay White when FTR comes out where they wait for someone else… Adam Copeland! Copeland makes his return to form the new group of Rated FTR (A kin to CMFTR, maybe?), where they hit the ring to run the Deathriders off, leaving Moxley to be put in an STF with a part of the chair from Copeland, ending the show with Copeland calling out Moxley telling him Rated FTR are taking it all.

RHR Rating: 2 out of 5

Overall, AEW Worlds End was a decent show for the promotion to end the year with, but it did not give any clarity about where things are going in 2025 product-wise. Hopefully, going to MAX will make Tony step up or live in this echo chamber he has been in.

Overall Show Rating: 3 out of 5