All Elite Wrestling is back with their final PPV of the year — Worlds End! The third annual edition comes our way from Hoffman Estates, Illinois at 8 p.m. Eastern tonight (Dec. 27).
Including a streaming pre-show that starts an hour earlier, the event will feature 11 total matches as of this writing. Counting the finals of the Continental Classic, that includes six title matches!
It’s a lot to process. But our motley crew is back to make predictions about the matches coming our way Saturday night from
Now Arena, and muse about all things AEW along the way.
Let’s get to it.
AEW WORLDS END PREDICTIONS
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland vs. MJF for the AEW World championship
Sean Rueter: Had this remained a three-way, I’d have assumed they were going the usual multi-person match means no-title change route. But having Maxwell Jacob Friedman return for this rather than his Dynamite Diamond Ring signals to me they’re gonna strap him while he’s around. Pick: MJF
Claire Elizabeth: Four-way math always favors the champ, and while I’m certainly not inclined to count any of these guys out, my gut feeling is that the title stays planted right where it is even with MJF trying to play spoiler. Hanger and Swerve’s alliance is firm but still not quite set in stone, and the segment at the Hammerstein Dynamite tells me they might be a little too focused on humbling Max and not quite enough on beating the champ. Pick: Samoa Joe
Cain A. Knight: MJF is going to look like a real dummy if he cashes in that Casino Gauntlet contract for a world title match with extra opponents and then blows it. Pick: MJF
Manolo H. Pizzazz: My mind says Joe keeps the gold, but my gut tells me a surprise might be coming with a new world champion crowned. I think Swerve has the biggest upside for fresh PPV matchups over the next few months. Pick: Swerve Strickland
Marcus Benjamin: I really want to pick Swerve. He’s my favorite wrestler so I tend to always want to pick him. But I believe AEW is positioning MJF as their true big bad. And no big bad worth their designation would give up a strategic advantage without having a secret plan in their back pocket. Pick: MJF
Kyle Decker: I don’t see Hangman or Swerve winning here. So the question is do they want the title back on MJF or is this just to get rid of his any time contract? I don’t think there should be a rush to get the title off Joe or on MJF, so let’s go with no change – something that’s more likely the more people you add to a match. Pick: Samoa Joe
Kris Statlander (c) vs. Jamie Hayter for the AEW Women’s World title
Sean Rueter: Still think she needs a mouthpiece, but this run appears to be about establishing Stat as the standard-bearer for the AEW Women’s division. That’s going to involve beating at least one more former World champ. Pick: Kris Statlander
Claire Elizabeth: Jamie is great and gonna for sure give her a run for her money, but I reckon the Kris Stat freight train continues until we get something that feels truly monumental. Pick: Kris Statlander
Cain A. Knight: Hayter feels like a placeholder opponent for Statlander until they find a more interesting creative direction. Pick: Kris Statlander
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Hayter hits hard. StatDaddy hits harder. Pick: Kris Statlander
Marcus Benjamin: Kris’ time isn’t nearly over yet. She defeated the Timeless one, meaning she’s gotta reign for a while. Pick: Kris Statlander
Kyle Decker: Too soon for Statlander to lose her title here. Pick: Kris Statlander
Babes of Wrath (c) vs. Mercedes Moné & Athena for the AEW Women’s Tag Team championship
Sean Rueter: Big fan of the champs, and am confident they’re retaining. Much more interested in how the heels’ frenemyship impacts the outcome, and where Ultimo Moné and the ROH Forever champ are coming out of the loss, Pick: Babes of Wrath
Claire Elizabeth: Babes always babe babes, and as something of a babe myself (albeit one running a little bit low on wrath), I gotta babe some babes here, babe. Pick: Babes of Wrath
Cain A. Knight: Never say never with Mercedes and Athena, but I’d be surprised if the inaugural champs lose the belts in their first title defense. Pick: Babes of Wrath
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Losing so soon would undo all the work from Willow and Harley. Pick: Babes of Wrath
Marcus Benjamin: I AM NOT PICKING AGAINST HARLEY. YOU WON’T MAKE ME DO IT. Pick: Babes of Wrath
Kyle Decker: I kind of like the idea of the Babes getting a feel good win only to quickly lose them to a pair of heels to maximize the heat. It’s more titles for Mercedes to continue that gimmick. And I don’t expect Willow to stay out of singles action for too long. Pick: Mercedes Moné and Athena
FTR (c) vs. The Bang Bang Gang in a Chicago Street Fight for the AEW Tag Team championship
Sean Rueter: The Juice will be loose, but that’s not gonna be enough in what feels pretty clearly like a placeholder feud for the Top Guys. Pick: FTR
Claire Elizabeth: Okay yeah yeah FTR are the greatest tag team of the last whatever, sure— are they ROCK HARD? But no yeah they’re gonna take a licking but keep on ticking and it’s gonna be a hoot but I don’t think the Bang Bang Gang are gonna take it in their current state. Pick: FTR
Cain A. Knight: FTR won’t drop the belts before Adam Copeland returns to AEW. Pick: FTR
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Never bet against Big Stoke in a street fight. He is craftier than MacGyver. Pick: FTR
Marcus Benjamin: FTR holds these belts until Ares is done filming, turns back into Adam Copeland, and teams with Christian. Pick: FTR
Kyle Decker: FTR will hold those titles for whenever Cope & Christian make their return. Pick: FTR
Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita in the semi-finals of the Continental Classic
Sean Rueter: This being the semis rather than the finals gives me pause. Perhaps The Alpha does win here, but I’m betting that moment and an official face turn come later. Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Claire Elizabeth: The Rainmaker has seemed distracted and put-upon lately, and the Alpha is running as hot as ever. I dunno how their drama shakes out in the long long run, but here on this show, Takeshita takes it… ah. I’ll show myself out. Pick: Konosuke Takeshita
Cain A. Knight: Takeshita finally gets his payback on Okada after all the middle fingers. Pick: Konosuke Takeshita
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Give the people what they want. Pick: Konosuke Takeshita
Marcus Benjamin: This seems like an easy pick for me. Pick: Konosuke Takeshita
Kyle Decker: Gotta go with the person holding a promotion’s world title as opposed to the guy holding one of three secondary titles. Pick: Konosuke Takeshita
Full Gear can be purchased on PPV.com, HBO Max, Amazon, and YouTube, or you can buy it on traditional PPV
Internationally, it’s on Triller TV, and may be available via those providers as well.
Kyle Fletcher vs. Jon Moxley in the semi-finals of the Continental Classic
Sean Rueter: Tempted to pick Mox to win the whole thing, on the theory that the Continental belt is for stars TK doesn’t want in the World title picture right now. But The Callis Family conflict should play out all the way to the end… Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Claire Elizabeth: (I’m not here for this one because of the terrible joke I made in the last one, but if I were, I’d pick the Protostar, because Jon Moxley ain’t out of branches to hit on the way down.) Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Cain A. Knight: I think Moxley is only here because Tony Khan couldn’t bring himself to not book the guy on PPV. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Tough choice. Beating Moxley would put another notch on Fletcher’s résumé so that it feels credible when the time comes for the Protostar to be world champion. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Marcus Benjamin: This is the time to truly make someone while telling a larger story about a former champion’s downfall. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Kyle Decker: The fact that the whole story is Mox has been losing more but he somehow still finds his way to the finals is a bit annoying. But I do think he’ll lose here again. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Takeshita/Okada winner vs. Moxley/Fletcher winner in the Continental Classic finals, for the AEW Continental championship
Sean Rueter: He’s not winning against Tanahashi or in a rematch with Takeshita, so he gets to remain the “Greatest Tournament Wrestler Alive”. Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Claire Elizabeth: Oh hey everybody, did I miss anything? Oh right, the finals… gimme Kyle Fletcher to win it all, baby! Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Cain A. Knight: Takeshita wins the Continental championship and then gives Don Callis the finger as he walks out on the family. Pick: Konosuke Takeshita
Manolo H. Pizzazz: If not for the IWGP world title, I would not have faith in Tony Khan finally pulling the trigger for the Alpha. Being a good business partner means that Takeshita is not losing on this night. Pick: Konosuke Takeshita
Marcus Benjamin: Once again, I’m picking the Protostar. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Kyle Decker: The NJPW championship really seems to give this away for me. Pick: Konosuke Takeshita
Darby Allin vs. Gabe Kidd
Sean Rueter: This will mostly likely be wrong, but… I’m glad he’s getting to be true to himself. Without Sting around to dilute his schtick, however, Dangerous Darbs’ just doesn’t seem to be my cuppa. Give me the young British tough. Pick: Gabe Kidd
Claire Elizabeth: Darby will of course recover from getting kicked down the stairs enough to grit his teeth and jump off a high thing to win this one. Pick: Darby Allin
Cain A. Knight: I expect that the guy who is under contract with AEW will beat the guy who isn’t under contract with AEW whenever they fight on an AEW PPV. Pick: Darby Allin
Manolo H. Pizzazz: I want to pick Kidd to make things more interesting moving forward, however, Kidd hasn’t been around enough on a consistent basis. I have concerns that he would disappear again, and the benefits from the rub of beating Allin would be wasted. Pick: Darby Allin
Marcus Benjamin: I’m not spending much thought on this one because I think it’s a layup pick. Pick: Darby Allin
Kyle Decker: It’s Darby. Pick: Darby Allin
Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, & Toni Storm vs. Claudio Castagnoli, PAC, Wheeler Yuta, & Marina Shafir in Mixed Nuts Mayhem
Sean Rueter: Roddy’s stance against conglomerating and Storm’s quest for vengeance are going to cost the babyface nuts against the heel nuts they’ve been mixed with for this mayhem. Pick: Claudio Castagnoli, PAC, Wheeler Yuta, & Marina Shafir
Claire Elizabeth: I’m sorry, Mixed… Nuts… Mayh— y’know what I’m okay not knowing. Anyway I’m going Team Conglomeration and Conglomeration-Adjacent here just because watching the video of Mark Briscoe selling his teeth on eBay is literally my only real Christmas tradition. Pick: Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, & Toni Storm
Cain A. Knight: It doesn’t really matter who wins this match, so I’ll just go with the team that has the biggest star, which in this case is Toni Storm. Pick: Toni Storm, Roderick Strong, Mark Briscoe & Orange Cassidy
Manolo H. Pizzazz: I’m picking the winners based on wanting to watch the after-party celebration. Pick: Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, & Toni Storm
Marcus Benjamin: I’m echoing Cain on this one. Pick the team with Toni. Pick:Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, & Toni Storm
Sisters of Sin vs. Hyan & Maya World
Sean Rueter: If it were Nixon Newell and Miranda Alize, I’d definitely pick them (too soon?)… Pick: Sisters of Sin
Claire Elizabeth: Never put it past a plucky upstart bringing it in a match like this, but… yeah, Sisters have this one. Pick: Sisters of Sin
Cain A. Knight: Like in virtually all cases, the jobbers are here to lose. Pick: Sisters of Sin
Manolo H. Pizzazz: The underdogs are going to score an upset win sometime. Might as well be here. Pfft, who am I kidding. Pick: Sisters of Sin
Marcus Benjamin: Give the Sisters of Sin some love. Pick: Sisters of Sin
[Editor’s note: Eddie Kingston vs. Zack Gibson and any other pre-show matches were added late enough that most predictions for the other matches were already in at that point. But as longtime readers may know, drafts of our predictions posts sometimes have placeholder matches entered as “??? vs. ???”, and one cSs staffer likes to make picks for those. We didn’t want you to miss these gems.]
Claire Elizabeth: It’s a toughy but every time they’ve worked PPV I’ve picked ??? and I’m not gonna stop now. Pick: ???
Claire Elizabeth: Where they’re gonna get a fifty gallon drum of tapioca pudding from on such short notice I don’t know, but it sure is gonna be a match. Pick:
Anyway… that’s who we’ve got. Who are you taking, Cagesiders?
