Play video
AEW delivered a thrilling episode of Dynamite tonight, which concluded Beach Break with the reveal of what looks to be one of the most epic Anarchy in the Arena matches to date. Dynamite’s main event was the anticipated Steel Cage match for the AEW World Championship between Jon Moxley and Samoa Joe, though by the end of the match, a host of AEW’s biggest stars also found their way into the match. While Moxley walked away with his Championship in tow, it was Swerve Strickland who challenged Moxley’s Death Riders, The Elite, and an unexpected New Japan star to an intergender Anarchy in the Arena match at Double or Nothing.
As you would expect from a match that involved Jon Moxley, Samoa Joe, and a steel cage, the match was physical from the onset and delivered several brutal moments throughout. Joe was intent on punishing Moxley with slams against the cage, but Moxley fired right back with slams into the cage and hard strikes, and it wasn’t long before both were bleeding.
Play video
While Joe was cut, it was Moxley who was really looking rough, sporting a crimson mask. That only got worse when Joe locked him in the clutch, and that drew Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta to the cage to help Moxley. They attempted to climb up the side of the cage, but then Willow Nightingale and Powerhouse Hobbs showed up to lend an assist to Joe, pulling Claudio and Wheeler off the cage and throwing them to the floor.
Unfortunately, that’s when a mystery hooded figure emerged, and it turned out to be New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Gabe Kidd. Kidd slid the briefcase into the cage to Moxley, who then hit Joe in the head with it and got the win, retaining his Championship. The chaos wasn’t over yet, though, as The Elite came out and lifted the cage, allowing Marina Shafir and Kidd to join in on the attack on Joe.
[RELATED: Adam Cole on Finding Himself Again in AEW, Most Underrated Final Fantasy, and Witcher’s Big Debate]
That’s when Kenny Omega came running in, taking out Yuta on the way to the ring, though he was quickly outnumbered, and the Young Bucks then brought the cage back down to cut off any other support. The Bucks took out Joe as everyone else focused on Omega, but then Swerve came out and climbed the side of the cage before diving and taking out almost everyone in the ring. The Young Bucks lifted the cage again, and that’s when Hobbs and Willow got back into the fight, running everyone off. As they all walked into the crowd, Strickland challenged the whole group to an Anarchy in the Arena match at Double or Nothing, but this will be a bit different than past matches.
Most Anarchy in the Arena matches have been 5 on 5 or 4 on 4, but this one could end up being 7 on 7. With the people out in the arena, the match is currently between The Elite, Death Riders, and Gabe Kidd vs Swerve, Joe, Willow, Hobbs, and Omega, though that is not even at 7 vs 5. If it follows past matches, we could see this as 5 on 5, with certain members of the Death Riders sitting out, though we could also see the first 7 on 7 match of this type, and that would mean Joe’s team needs two more people. That is easily remedied though if the rest of The Ops group joins, which would be Hook and Katsuyori Shibata.
This will also be the first time an Anarch in the Arena match has been intergender, as it will feature Willow on Joe’s team and Marina on Moxley’s team. Plus, just the talent involved makes this impressive, as fans are going to see a team that consists of Joe, Swerve, Omega, Willow, and Hobbs, which would be epic on its own, nonetheless facing a team that includes AEW’s biggest heel factions and a New Japan star.
AEW: Double or Nothing will take place on May 25th in Glendale, Arizona, and will kick off at 5:00 PM PT.
Are you excited for the Anarchy in the Arena match? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!
