Anthony Sulla-Heffinger
AEW Worlds End 2024 results and grades: Kazuchika Okada wins Continental Classic; Kenny Omega, Adam Copeland return
AEW's final pay-per-view of 2024 was one of it's strongest, despite no championships changing hands
Heading into 2025 and a brand new streaming deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, AEW put on one of its strongest shows of the year, Worlds End, on Saturday night.
Emanating from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida, Worlds End featured eight matches (11, if you count Zero Hour), including the semifinals and finals of the Continental Classic tournament. While none of the five championships up for grabs changed hands, there were two instant rematch classics with Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher 2 and Mercedes Moné vs. Kris Statlander 2. In addition, Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada met in the Continental Classic Final in a match that likely would have stolen the show on any other card.
Despite no championship reigns ending, there was still very significant story progression as Worlds End saw two major returns near the end of the night. After Ospreay and Okada's clash in the penultimate contest, Kenny Omega returned after an extended absence due to illness. Omega and Okada shared a brief moment in the ring, but that was enough to get the wrestling world's blood pumping for a potential renewal of their iconic rivalry.
Defending AEW World Champion Jon Moxley may have won his chaotic four-way involving Orange Cassidy, Jay White and Hangman Adam Page, but he did not stand tall at the end of the show. Instead, it was FTR and the returning Adam Copeland — who has been out since the spring with a broken leg — who sent Moxley and his Death Riders running into the new year.
Elsewhere on the card, Uncrowned's Breakthrough Star of 2024 Mariah May and Konosuke Takeshita each successfully defended their championships and MJF again managed to retain the Dynamite Diamond Ring in a grudge match against Adam Cole.
AEW Worlds End Results
Jon Moxley defeats Jay White, Orange Cassidy and Hangman Adam Page in 15:38 to retain the AEW World Championship.
Grade: B-
Best spot: Moxley being powerbombed through the table
Jon Moxley goes crashing through the announce desk!
Order #AEWWorldsEnd LIVE on PPVhttps://t.co/JlBXZPLNGj@orangecassidy | @JayWhiteNZ | @JonMoxley | #HangmanAdamPage pic.twitter.com/fQk6zzi8IT— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 29, 2024
Analysis: A lot like the Continental Classic, this match had most of its thunder stolen by the return of a wrestling icon in Adam Copeland. Moxley looked more vulnerable than he has during his recent run as AEW World Champion, but he continues to have the ultimate advantage in the numbers game with his Death Riders. We’re going to get an immediate payoff with Rated FTR vs. Death Riders on the Jan. 1 episode of "AEW Dynamite" and Christian Cage still holds the contract for a guaranteed AEW World Championship match, so the main event picture is both crowded and unclear. Options are good, and despite losing, the involvement of Death Riders protects White, Hangman and to a lesser extent because he lost twice, Cassidy.
Kazuchika Okada def. Will Ospreay in 19:10 to win the Continental Classic and remain AEW Continental Champion.
Grade: A
Best spot: Ospreay countering Rainmaker into standing Spanish fly
Will Ospreay is still in this match!
Order #AEWWorldsEnd LIVE on PPVhttps://t.co/JlBXZPLNGj@RainmakerXOkada | @WillOspreay pic.twitter.com/Y6UeEGRMYP— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 29, 2024
Analysis: Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada. That’s it. That’s the analysis. Look, all due respect to the banger of match Will Ospreay and Okada put on, but it was overshadowed by the aftermath, which saw the return of Omega. It’s unclear just how soon we’ll see Okada and Omega clash, but if it’s anything like their previous clashes, it’ll be on the short list for Match of the Year for 2025.
Mercedes Moné def. Kris Statlander in 24:35 to retain her TBS Championship.
Grade: A+
Best spot: The Seven (Siete) Amigos
Moné continues to target Statlander's lower back!
Order #AEWWorldsEnd LIVE on PPVhttps://t.co/JlBXZPLNGj@mercedesvarnado | @callmekrisstat pic.twitter.com/ofQ4MGZ807— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 29, 2024
Analysis: I wasn’t sure how these two would manage to come close to their classic at Full Gear last month, but they did. Moné and Statlander could have come out and basically had the same match as Full Gear and we would have eaten it up. Instead, the ramped up the violence, storytelling and creativity to put on maybe the second-best women’s match of 2024 (I still have their first encounter rated higher). Two losses make it hard for Statlander to stay in the title picture, which is unfortunate because these two have such remarkable chemistry together that a trilogy showdown in the future would have been welcomed. We might still get that, but it’s a ways off now. Moné has a double-title match against Mina Shirkawa at WrestleDynasty next week, so we’ll see where she goes after the Tokyo Dome clash.
Konosuke Takeshita def. Powerhouse Hobbs in 15:36 to retain the AEW International Championship.
Grade: A
Best spot: Takeshita’s superplex of Hobbs
Hobbs and Takeshita both looking for that knockout blow RIGHT NOW!
Order #AEWWorldsEnd LIVE on PPVhttps://t.co/JlBXZPLNGj @takesoup | @true_willie_hobbs pic.twitter.com/Bj1YtEsOyH— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 29, 2024
Analysis: Looking up and down the card before Saturday, this might not have jumped off the page immediately. After a slow start to the match, these two did a masterful job of telling a coherent story and pulling out all of the stops in the ring. Sometimes wrestling isn’t all flips and counters but just a couple of beefy bruisers laying into each other (and some flips and counters, too). Takeshita continues to be a revelation and his star is on the upswing in AEW. Hobbs’ stock rose, even in defeat, but he’ll be out of the title picture for a little while.
MJF defeats Adam Cole in 14:35
Grade: B+
Best spot: MJF’s combo powerbomb/backbreaker
A devastating knee drives straight into the spine of Adam Cole!
Order #AEWWorldsEnd LIVE on PPV
🔗 https://t.co/JlBXZPLNGj@AdamColePro | @The_MJF pic.twitter.com/Q9wDOT3YYu— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 29, 2024
Analysis: MJF remains among the best — if not the best — AEW has to offer when it comes to his ability both in-ring and on the microphone. After a solid, overdue showdown with Adam Cole, both stars came out looking strong and have fairly clear paths forward. For MJF, I would love to see him challenge for AEW gold again. With most of the singles titles currently accounted for from a feud standpoint, perhaps he can step up and face Takeshita for the International Championship. For Cole, a trios run after reuniting with Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly seems like the direction he’ll go in to start next year.
Mariah May def. Thunder Rosa in 13:25 to retain her AEW Women's World Championship.
Grade: B
Best spot: Thumbtack piñata reveal
That's not candy in that piñata!
Order #AEWWorldsEnd LIVE on PPVhttps://t.co/JlBXZPLNGj@MariahMayX | @ThunderRosa22 pic.twitter.com/iSnbT6v7d3— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 29, 2024
Analysis: I’d be lying if I said I enjoyed any singular moment from Worlds End more than I enjoyed the piñata busting open to dump thumbtacks onto the ring. That was awesome. AEW has done a really good job historically with these types of women’s matches and this had some intense moments. That said, on a show loaded with incredible wrestling, this was lost in the shuffle. May is the present and future of the women’s division so her reign never really felt threatened and her next big challenger remains a little murky.
Kazuchika Okada def. Ricochet in 12:55 to advance to the Continental Classic Final.
Grade: B+
Best spot: Ricochet’s Shooting Star Press
Don't count the Continental Champion out yet!
Order #AEWWorldsEnd LIVE on PPV
🔗 https://t.co/JlBXZPLNGj@KingRicochet |@rainmakerxokada pic.twitter.com/S7HLe6cE0l— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 29, 2024
Analysis: This match was good, but had the remarkably unenviable task of following Ospreay and Fletcher. Again, when you consider how the rest of the night played out, Okada winning here was absolutely the right call and we’re continuing to see the descent/heel turn of Ricochet. Swerve Strickland cut a really strong promo on Ricochet and set up a feud between the two for early next year. We’re exiting 2024 with a rubber match between Ospreay and Fletcher, Swerve vs. Ricochet and Okada vs. Kenny Omega — it’s a great time to be an AEW wrestling fan.
Will Ospreay def. Kyle Fletcher in 16:20 to advance to the Continental Classic Final.
Grade: A+
Best spot: Opening sequence
Analysis: Absolutely unreal match that set the bar extremely high for the rest of the night. Considering the chemistry these two have and the result of the Continental Classic Final later on in the night, it’s safe to say that we’re going to get a rubber match between these two very early in 2025. Ospreay even signaled after the win that the former friends were tied with one victory a piece. If you’re able to watch one match from this entire card, it should be this one.
Lio Rush, Action Andretti and the Murder Machines def. The Outrunners and Top Flight in 10:47.
Grade: B
Best spot: Lio Rush’s surprise tag and frog splash for the finish.
Analysis: A solid showing from all parties involved. The Outrunners remain the most over tag team in the division and the Murder Machines’ stock continues to rise. Solid storytelling between the Murder Machines and Action Andretti/Lio Rush, with the No. 1 contenders for Private Party’s championships scoring the pin over Top Flight. It’s unlikely that they end Private Party’s reign, but there’s an undeniable buzz in the AEW tag team universe.
Jeff Jarrett def. QT Marshall in 9:28.
Grade: C+
Best spot: Marshall’s back springboard into step-up enziguri.
Analysis: A solid showing from both technically sound stars. The crowd was super into this match but there’s little to dissect beyond that. Marshall continues to milk his “Big Doom” persona and is a wonderful comedic heel while Jarrett is always good to get a crowd going, especially in the south. Jarrett is planning to make an announcement about his career on Wednesday’s Dynamite.
Toni Storm def. Leila Grey in 6:58.
Grade: C+
Best spot: Grey’s second-rope neck-breaker.
Analysis: Even in a relatively forgettable match, it was clear that Toni Storm remains a fan favorite and Leila Grey showed off some solid offense during this match. Storm likely continues to push back toward the top of the women’s division — she’ll get Deonna Purrazzo next — while Grey more than likely remains in neutral. Smart decision here putting Storm on the Zero Hour pre-show to help add to the storyline amnesia/rookie angle.
For full match breakdown and analysis, check out the recaps from Uncrowned's coverage below.
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