3 Major Takeaways from AEW World's End

12/30/2024 12:11 AM

As the last pay-per-view on the AEW calendar in 2024, not to mention the last show of this year, AEW World’s End had a good number of high points. Multiple matches were excellent showcases of professional wrestling, led by three final bouts of the evening. Saturday’s main event was a fun sprint of a match but left fans wanting more. The fatal four-way between AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and three challengers was filled with chaos and interference, but the sudden ending sucked the air out of Addition Financial Arena to an extent.

Jon Moxley retains his AEW World Championship, but Adam Copeland and FTR have returned to even the odds here at #AEWWorldsEndpic.twitter.com/DUDvnefQxB

— Jordan Llanes (@llanesjordan) December 29, 2024

“Jon Moxley retains his AEW World Championship, but Adam Copeland and FTR have returned to even the odds here at #AEWWorldsEnd,” reported ClutchPoints live from the event Saturday.

However, the ending was overshadowed by the return of the Rated R Superstar Adam Copeland and FTR, the former two-time AEW Tag Team champions. The trio teamed up to form Rated FTR, and they will face off against Moxley and his fellow Death Riders Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta on Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite. That episode will be very special to AEW for a number of reasons. Most notably is the fact that it will be the first ever Dynamite simulcast live on MAX. This might make the upcoming edition of AEW’s flagship show the most important one yet.

AEW’s new streaming deal with MAX now at forefront

The upcoming Dynamite is also the latest edition of Fight for the Fallen, live from Asheville, North Carolina. Rated FTR lives there currently, and they were hit particularly hard from Hurricane Helene in late September. Because of this, AEW will be donating a good amount of the proceeds to local charities around the city. Due to the multiple historical angles related to the next episode, it means a special amount to the trio as well as AEW President and CEO Tony Khan.

“I think we have some really exciting opportunities, and this week is going to be massive for us,” stated Khan during the AEW World’s End media scrum following the show. “Two huge shows in North Carolina. Wednesday night, the mother of all simulcasts, our first show streaming on MAX.”

Hitting six years as a company is a big milestone, and AEW’s second television contract was a massive win for Khan and his roster. They have a lot more on tap with 2025 coming up soon. AEW’s president touched on multiple upcoming events, including AEW Revolution in March. As the company moves further into the streaming era with next week’s simulcast, it opens up an entirely new realm of possibilities for a group of wrestlers hungry to prove their company’s mantra true: AEW is “where the best wrestle.”

Mercedes Mone/Kris Statlander II steals show at AEW World’s End

Following a stellar match for Mone’s TBS Championship at Full Gear in November, the duo ran it back Saturday night in Orlando. Once again, the match was an intense back and forth affair. The two competitors were once again very closely matched, and referee Stephon Smith allowed them to bend the rules in a few spots.

Brutal.

Order #AEWWorldsEnd LIVE on PPVhttps://t.co/JlBXZPLNGj@mercedesvarnado | @callmekrisstatpic.twitter.com/h7WwUlTFyZ

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 29, 2024

“Brutal,” posted AEW’s official account on X, formerly Twitter.

This spot on the ring apron was one of many moments in their match that had the crowd enraptured. Mone and Statlander also had the longest bout on the card, at almost 25 minutes long. The match ended with a strong sequence of mat wrestling, one of the fundamentals of the sport. Mone reversed a pinning attempt from Statlander and retained her title. Next up for the champion? Mina Shirakawa for the NJPW Strong Women’s World Championship, as well as Shirakawa’s RevPro Undisputed Women’s Championship. Could Mone add a third belt to her waist? On January 5th at Wrestle Dynasty, it could very well happen.

Multiple returns overshadow two of AEW’s biggest matches

The Continental Classic final between Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada was stellar, as it was framed to be a master (Okada) versus pupil (Ospreay) confrontation. It certainly seemed to be just that throughout the matchup, as the Japanese pro wrestler almost always had a counter for his younger British counterpart. The match followed Mone and Statlander, yet still managed to shine brightly on its own, to the surprise of no one.

However, Okada’s win over a battered and bruised Ospreay was overshadowed by the return of former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega. The Canadian national is one of AEW’s original Executive Vice Presidents, and he awarded Okada with the Continental Championship after his victory. The two had an intense faceoff before Omega left his longtime rival in the ring. Omega, aka the “Best Bout Machine,” had his reappearance one-upped by Rated FTR.

Copeland’s return, along with the official reunion with FTR to form their trio, has set up a major confrontation in Asheville next Wednesday. The trio will have home field advantage, and the crowd should very well help them against Moxley and his fellow Death Riders. At the scrum, Copeland touched on his goals, along with FTR’s, in AEW now that he’s returned.

“I think they should be tag team champions,” stated Copeland during the post-show. “I think we should win the trios championships. I’m going after the World Heavyweight Championship.”

With all of their eyes fixed on championship gold, the first step towards capturing said gold is winning on what could be AEW’s biggest stage yet. If Copeland is successful in his pursuit of the AEW World Championship, his best friend might just be waiting for him on the other side. That friend? None other than Christian Cage, a multi-time world champion in promotions all around the world. 2025 is sure to be one of, if not the most, riveting years in All Elite Wrestling’s history. That is, at least in some part, due to the crucial storylines introduced by the returns of both Omega and Copeland.

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