What's the story, enthusiasts of elastic elbowing?
Burning the midnight oil for this post, something I hate doing, but circumstances this week led to this one being a last-minute review.
If all goes as planned, I'll be better prepared for next week and not drafting my intro paragraph in the wee hours of Friday evening. But, c'est la vie.
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| DPW |
Weekly Roundup
Here's what I watched for the week;
AEW Continental Classic 2025
AEW Collision - Winter is Coming 2025 - 12/13/2025
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Konosuke Takeshita
What an incredible matchup this was. If it wasn't for Bailey and Fletcher the week before, I'd be inclined to call this the match of the tournament, that's how much I enjoyed this. Claudio and Takeshita are in the very small minority of men that can match one another strength-for-strength. I'd be inclined to put Claudio a notch or two above Takeshita, but not by much, honestly. These two beat the living hell out of one another in this match, some of the gnarliest and meanest strikes in this match that you'll find anywhere. I especially loved Claudio catching Takeshita with a big European uppercut after he went for a dive off of the apron. Nasty work. Both men landed their biggest and heaviest shots on one another, but nothing was good enough to keep the other man down. In the end, the first time limit draw for this year's C2 gives both men 1 point, but they weren't content to stop there! They brawled after the final bell, leading me to believe that this rivalry between World Champions has got plenty more left in the tank. Yes please.
The match is a draw, +1 to both men.
Mike Bailey vs. Kevin Knight
The battle between tag partners was about as evenly contested a match as you'll find anywhere. Bailey had the added momentum of picking up an upset win in a brilliant match against Kyle Fletcher earlier in the week, so he was clearly the favourite going into this one and had the crowd behind him more often than not. Knight, to his credit, put in an exceptional shift and managed to really get the crowd on his side in this match, coming back with some exciting counters and landing some heavy shots on the other half of JetSpeed. He made a more than solid case for himself in this match, but in the end, Bailey was able to score a second victory in the C2, putting him right at the top alongside Okada and Fletcher. It just goes to show you, you aren't truly down and out until it's all said and done.
Mike Bailey wins, +3
AEW Dynamite - Holiday Bash 2025 - 12/17/2025
Roderick Strong vs. Jon Moxley
As seasoned a pair of wrestlers as you’ll find anywhere, Roddy knows that sometimes you need to dig into tactics you aren’t used to using if you hope to win. Mathematically on the back foot, Strong bones in on the ankle of Moxley to try and get his first C2 win of 2025, knowing it is a major weakness of the leader of the Death Riders. Moxley, to his credit, works double time to make sure Roddy can’t get any submission locked on him for very long. Laying into Roddy with heavy handed strikes, the momentum shifts back and forth but swings heavily in Moxley’s favour when he finds opportunities to stay on top. In the end, Mox plants Roddy with a Death Rider for the three.
Jon Moxley wins, +3
PAC vs. Kyle Fletcher
A remarkable even match between the Bastard and the Protostar. Despite PAC’s added size, it’s important to remember that he is still an incredibly gifted high flyer that is not afraid to leave his feet when he needs to. Putting Fletcher on the back foot more often than you might anticipate, PAC had an impressive outing in front of his countrymen in England, seemingly turning back the clock at times to the Man That Gravity Forgot. Fletcher nearly had PAC bested, but even the sheer drop brainbuster isn’t enough to put the Bastard away. In the end, PAC is able to crush Fletcher with a black arrow, matching Okada and Fletcher at 6 points.
PAC wins, +3
AEW Collision - Holiday Bash 2025 Day 1 - 12/17/2025
Orange Cassidy vs. Mascara Dorada
A far more technical open to the match than you may expect between these two, Dorada and Cassidy slowly but surely quicken the pace as the match rolls on. Weakening the arm and back of Cassidy throughout the match, Dorada sought to weaken the arsenal of Cassidy one move at a time and wear him down to nothing at all, if possible. Evenly contested from the opening bell, Cassidy was able to tie up Dorada just past the 10 minute mark to score himself a victory.
Orange Cassidy wins, +3
Here's where the C2 currently stands;
Here’s what we’re reviewing for the Watchlist;
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Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Miracle Generation - BLURB
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A Generation vs. The Grizzled. DPW
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Basic Breakdown
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| What it's all about. DPW |
Making a strong debut in the 2024 Tag Festival, the Grizzled Young Veterans had been away from DPW for close to half a year before returning to the company at the start of 2025, winning tag team gold in their second match back by defeating 2x DPW World Tag Team Champions Violence is Forever in controversial fashion. GYV made it clear from the very start, they aren't in DPW to become anybodies favourite tag team or make anyone happy but themselves. As long as they stay on the winning side, that's all that matters to them.
On the flipside, Miracle Generation have been with DPW off-and-on since 2023, only competing for the Tag Team Championships in the 2023 Tag Festival, but getting knocked ut in the first round by then champions Violence is Forever. I gave them the spotlight in a post from a long while back, giving that matchup a solid 5 stars and the main event slot in Weekly Watchlist 017. For the first time since that match, Miracle Generation are competing for gold in DPW, looking to dethrone the deeply detested GYV.
Bell to Bell
Zack Gibson of GYV and Kylon King the 'Generation start this match off with a sturdy lockup, despite Kin's left shoulder being in a sling of sorts. Gibson isn't blind to this weakness, honing in on it from the start with a strong arm wringer and a wrist lock to maintain control when King tries to fight out. He succeeds in breaking Gibson's grip, who fires off a shot to the jaw of Dustin Waller, King's partner, on the apron. James Drake is tagged in now, with he and Gibson working in tandem right from the start, landing a low-high dropkick combination, with Drake flying off the prone back of Gibson to land another shot on Waller, this time in the form of a dropkick.
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| As graceful as they are grizzled. DPW |
From the opening bell, GYV have made it very, very clear; "you're not gonna beat us unless you try your fucking best."
With King back inside the ring and Waller on the apron, King tags out to give his partner a shot, finally. A shoulder tackle from Drake flattens Waller quickly, but he's back on his feet as fast as he hits the canvas. Snatching a side headlock, Waller backs himself to the ropes and tags King in, shooting off for the ropes but holding fast, to the surprise of Drake. From behind, King shoots in for a waistlock, but Drake is able to fire back a quick elbow shot to drop King. Waller, distracted by his partner, gets his hair grabbed by Gibson, pulling him down to his knees. Fighting out of his grip, Waller ducks a forearm shot from Drake and do-see-do's him in the opposite direction, allowing for King to drill Drake with a bodyslam. Acting quickly, King picks up Waller and wheelbarrows his partner into a splash on Drake.
All it took was one momentary distraction for the Miracle Generation to take over, with Gibson kicked off the apron and Drake sent over the top to the floor, with King taking off from the top rope with a big 'ol moonsault to the floor! Miracle Generation move at double speed now, with both men seated on the top rope, King holding Drake, but Gibson is still fresh enough to save his partner. Leaping to the apron, he shoves Waller to the floor and gets King into position for a Doomsday Device!
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| What a rush, as they say. DPW |
Gibson tries for a pin, but King survives, despite being totally isolated in the ring. Gibson uses this as an opportunity to lay into King, landing a vicious lariat and a butterfly suplex, trying for another pin, but Waller gets in to save his partner! Realizing they'll need to work double time to keep King isolated, Drake tags in as they double team King back flat out on the canvas, not afraid to let him get within spitting distance of his partner, but never close enough to tag. Drake crushes king with forearm shot after forearm shot, standing firm in the middle as King does everything in his power to stay vertical.
When Gibson tags in, he takes Drake's place in the centre, back to Waller, making sure King is totally isolated. King fights to get Gibson off him, even able to kick Drake off not once, not twice, but three times in succession to finally make a tag to Waller. With Dustin in the ring, he boots Gibson off of the apron and goes to work on Drake with chops and a headscissors out of the corner. Keeping his one-man advantage, he springboards out to the floor to crush Gibson, then springboarding back inside the ring to catch Drake with a lariat to take him off his feet. A pin is attempted, but Gibson makes it back inside in time to break it up and save his partner.
Fighting back both members of GYV, Waller catches them both with a handspring cutter, tagging in a fresh King to allow him to land a crushing moonsault on Drake for a close two count. With Drake isolated, Waller tags back in for some Miracle Generation 2-on-1 offence. A pair of kicks drops Drake to his knees as King and Waller back up to opposite corners, lining Drake up between them. Gibson is able to yank out King to save his man, with Drake fighting off Waller to springboard from the ring to the floor, assisting Gibson in spiking King on the floor with a Tombstone Piledriver.
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| Best protect ya neck. DPW |
Now, Waller truly finds himself all alone, with both members of GYV stalking him at ringside. They go to opposite sides of the ring and try to swarm, but Waller is able to put up a good fight. He keeps Drake off of him until Gibson tags in and lands a combination Michinoku driver-dropkick for a pinfall attempt, with Waller getting out at two to survive. Drake tags back in as both he and Gibson stand at neighbouring corners, lining up Waller for Grit Your Teeth, their combination double facebreaker. This time, it's King making the save, catching the ankle of Gibson and holding him back. Drake tries to help his man but is nearly folded up in a sneaky pinfall by Waller, only scoring him a close two count.
Gibson was able to fight King off and remain inside the ring, grabbing the arms of Waller and holding him in place for Drake to rebound off the ropes with a superkic- no! Waller slips free at the last moment, catching his own partner under the jaw instead! Drake is utterly stunned, in complete disbelief that he hit his own partner with a kick. When he turns around, he's able to flip Waller over top and avoid the attack, but isn't quick enough to fend off King, charging back in the ring and landing a combination kick to the head of Drake in the corner.
⚡Move of the Match⚡
With Drake all alone, King takes him to the top rope as Waller ascends the neighbouring corner. King rips Drake off the top and plants him with a superplex; the power. Once he lands, Waller takes flight and crushes Drake with a picture-perfect splash; the glory.
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| Always love seeing Power and Glory. DPW |
Wasting no time, King rebounds off the ropes and flattens Drake with a dive while Waller rolls up Drake for the pin. It's one, it's two, it's three! We have new DPW Tag Team Champi- wait! No! When Waller folded up Drake for the pin, he had him too close to the ropes and accidentially allowed for Drake's foot to land on the middle rope. The referee didn't notice this until his hand landed for the three, so Waller thinks he's won! Unfortunately, he hasn't and the referee is quick to let him know that this match is still going on, so stop celebrating and get to wrestling!
A cutter catches Drake once he's back on his feet, with Waller trying to rally both his partner and the crowd as he goes to make a tag.Tandem kicks drop Drake to his knees in the centre again, with the Miracle Generation lining him up for the killing blow. Running double knees soften Drake up enough for King to pull him up onto his shoulder, as if he is set to powerslam him, but Gibson is back inside the ring and dumps Waller out, allowing for Drake to counter the hold into an assisted facebreaker. With King dazed and barely on his feet, Total Elimination totally eliminates him, with Drake covering for the three. Waller is seconds away from breaking up the fall, but doesn't quite get there in time. The GYV retain.
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| Eliminated... totally. DPW |
Overview & Final Rating
🟢 - Grizzled, Young, and Highly Recommendation
An overall exceptional match between two exceptional teams. GYV were very strong in how they handled Miracle Generation, with King and Waller getting great moments of hope but were almost always snuffed out by the champions. Really, really fun stuff.
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cliffmorganwstl@gmail.com
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