By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Worlds End
Chicago, Illinois, at NOW Arena
Aired live December 27, 2025, on pay-per-view
AEW Worlds End pre-show results: Julia Hart and Skye Blue beat Maya World and Hyan in 6:10, Eddie Kingston beat Zack Gibson in 5:40, Bandido and Mascara Dorada beat Mark Davis and Rocky Romero in 7:30, and Mike Bailey, Kevin Knight, Jack Perry, and Luchasaurus beat Josh Alexander, Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun in 9:00 in an eight-man tag…
Pyro shot off on the stage. Excalibur welcomed viewers to the show and was joined on commentary by Bryan Danielson and Tony Schiavone. Excalibur said they were opening with the
A video package set up the opening match. Ring announcer Arkady Aura delivered the introductions. Konosuke Takeshita made his entrance, which was followed by the entrance of Kazuchika Okada…
1. Blue League winner Konosuke Takeshita vs. Gold League runner-up Kazuchika Okada in a Continental Classic semifinal match. Don Callis sat in on commentary. Fans chanted “holy shit” once the bell rang. Okada offered Takeshita a handshake, but Takeshita slapped his hand away to cheers.
Takeshita performed a flip dive onto Okada on the floor, which drew loud cheers from the fans. Takeshita stopped and took a look at the Continental Title belt that was on the broadcast table before returning to the ring. Okada took offensive control and flipped off the camera and then stuck his middle finger in the face of Takeshita as he was getting to his feet.
Takeshita and Okada traded elbow strikes. Takeshita got the better of it, as Okada sold acting woozy and dropping to the mat momentarily. Okada got up and fired back, which sent Takeshita to his knees. Okada went for a tombstone, but Takeshita reversed into one of his own and then followed with a German suplex.
Okada came right back and set up for a Rainmaker, but Takeshita countered with a Blue Thunder Bomb. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. Okada went for a short-arm clothesline, but Takeshita no-sold it. Okada eventually put him down with another clothesline.
Okada dodged a knee strike and then put Takeshita down with a German suplex. Okada held on to Takeshita and went for his finisher, but Takeshita rolled him into a pin for a two count. Okada threw a pair of dropkicks. Takeshita came back with a Poison Rana and a knee strike for a great near fall.
Okada pulled a screwdriver out of a turnbuckle pad. Takeshita hit him from behind with double knees. Okada went for a short-arm screwdriver strike right in front of the referee. Takeshita appeared to duck Okada’s first attempt to hit him with the screwdriver, but the referee turned his head and looked at the turnbuckle pad for no good reason while Okada hit Takeshita on the second attempt. Okada stuffed the screwdriver in his tights and then pinned Takeshita…
Kazuchika Okada defeated Konosuke Takeshita in 17:25 to advance to the finals of the Continental Classic.
Powell’s POV: They are probably telling a story with the screwdriver, as Excalibur or Schiavone immediately mentioned that Callis knows a thing or two about using the a screwdriver as a weapon. Even so, that was a dreadful finish to a match that the company had built up for a long time. Worse yet, it occurred during a Continental Classic match. I’m sure some will argue this is good heat for Okada and Callis, but this is the type of lousy finish that fans blame the company for. It didn’t help that it appeared to be poorly executed, as it’s hard to imagine that referee Paul Turner was supposed to watch Okada fail to hit Takeshita with the screwdriver once and then turn away for no good reason when Okada hit Takeshita with the weapon on his second try.
A video package set up the second semifinal match. Kyle Fletcher made the first entrance. Renee Paquette spoke at ringside. Jon Moxley entered through the crowd…
2. Gold League winner Kyle Fletcher vs. Blue League runner-up Jon Moxley in a Continental Classic semifinal match. Don Callis did not sit in on commentary despite Fletcher being a member of his family.
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