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 Continental Classic final.
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. By the way, WrestleTix listed the venue as being set up for 9,054 and that 8,966 tickets had been distributed. Meanwhile, Tony Khan tweeted this afternoon that the show would be “a clean sellout.”
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. Fletcher had Moxley’s leg trapped between the ring steps and the apron when he kicked the steps. Moxley bled from the mouth a bit. Excalibur speculated that he suffered a broken tooth. Moxley hit Fletcher with a cutter out of nowhere.
A short time later, Fletcher hit a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Excalibur spoke about how Moxley would go into the finals on one leg if he could get past Fletcher. A short time later, Fletcher performed a brainbuster on the ring apron that sent both men to the floor. Fletcher returned to the ring, and then Moxley broke the count at the last moment.
Fletcher put Moxley down with a Last Ride style powerbomb for a near fall. Fletcher put Moxley’s bad leg in a single-leg crab. Moxley teased tapping out, which Excalibur said we’ve seen more from him in the last couple of months than at any point during his career. Fletcher wrenched back on the crab to the extent that his back was on the mat. Moxley hooked his arm around Fletcher’s head and applied the Bulldog Choke.
Fletcher escaped the choke and applied an ankle lock. Moxley flailed his arms and eventually reached the ropes to break the hold. Some fans chanted for Moxley. Excalibur said he didn’t think he would ever hear AEW fans chant Moxley’s name again. Fletcher set up Moxley on the top turnbuckle and went to the ropes, but Moxley bit him. Moxley got behind Fletcher on the ropes and put him in a chokehold, but he had to release it because they were on the ropes.
Moxley put Fletcher in a sleeper and then held it while suplexing Fletcher from the ropes. Fletcher landed on his head from the sleeper suplex. “Oh my God,” Danielson said after watching the replay. Moxley hit Fletcher with a Stomp and went for the pin, but Fletcher hooked him into a pin for a near fall. Fletcher hit a half-and-half suplex and covered Moxley for just a one count. Fletcher hit Moxley with a running kick in the corner and followed up with a brainbuster, but Moxley kicked out at two.
A short time later, Fletcher searched the turnbuckle pad for the screwdriver that Okada used earlier, but he couldn’t find it. Moxley used an inside cradle to get a two count. Moxley applied a sleeper. Fletcher backed onto Moxley, and got a two count that forced Moxley to release the hold. Moxley put Fletcher down with a Paradigm Shift for a near fall. Moxley followed up with a Death Rider for another near fall. Moxley put Fletcher in a sleeper. Fletcher got to his knees, and the referee eventually called for the bell.
Jon Moxley defeated Kyle Fletcher in 22:35 to advance to the Continental Classic final.
Fletcher came to and argued with the referee, who told him that he was out when he called for the bell. Excalibur said that Okada threw the screwdriver underneath the ring earlier. He assumed that Fletcher planted the screwdriver earlier in the day. Fletcher clipped the back of Moxley’s knee and then made his exit. Moxley got to his feet and fired up a bit, but he sold the bad knee as he climbed over the barricade to head to the back. A graphic showed Okada vs. Moxley as the Continental Classic final…
Powell’s POV: A hell of a match. The sleeper suplex from the ropes looked bad, but Fletcher seemed fine. Here’s hoping it stays that way once the adrenaline wears off. Moxley is following up his recent babyface promos by showing the heart of a babyface. It seemed to work on some fans during that match, and I think he can win over the majority of the remaining fans during his match with Okada.
A video package set up the AEW Tag Team Title match. Entrances for the match took place…
3. “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler (w/Stokely Hathaway) vs. Austin Gunn and Juice Robinson in a Chicago Street Fight for the AEW Tag Team Titles. Nigel McGuinness replaced Bryan Danielson on commentary. The teams fought in and around the ring. Hathaway set up a table on the floor. Harwood set up Robinson for a piledriver, but Robinson stuffed it and then catapulted Harwood into the ring post.
Robinson got Harwood on the ringside table. Robinson went up top, but Wheeler cut him off by crotching him on the top turnbuckle. Wheeler stood on the middle rope and then executed a suplex. FTR worked over Gunn with a trashcan. A short time later, Wheeler shoved Gunn into the ringsteps.
Wheeler grabbed one of the title belts and returned to the ring. Robinson tossed Wheeler back to the floor. Harwood picked up the title belt and hit Robinson with it. Wheeler picked up a kendo stick and swung it at Gunn, who blocked it with a trashcan lid. Gunn strapped the lid to his back and then ran and backed into Wheeler. Gunn tried to do it again, but Wheeler moved and tossed him over the broadcast table.
FTR targeted the left knee of Robinson, who was bleeding from the belt shot. Wheeler held Robinson down while Harwood slammed a chair on the bad knee several times. FTR continued their assault on Robinson’s knee. Harwood hooked him into a submission hold. Wheeler held the title belt in front of Robinson’s face and encouraged him to reach for the ropes. Once he got close, Wheeler pulled Harwood to help drag Robinson away from the ropes.
Gunn showed up with a fire extinguisher at ringside. Wheeler dove toward Gunn, who moved, causing Wheeler to crash through a table on the floor. In the ring, Robinson grabbed the fire extinguisher and sprayed Harwood with it. Moments later, Robinson had Harwood beat, but Hathaway took out the referee. Robinson slammed a chair over Harwood’s back several times. Wheeler returned and was also hit with several chair shots.
Robinson wound up to hit Harwood with the chair, but Hathaway grabbed the chair while standing on the apron. Robinson shoved Hathaway with the intention of putting him through a table on the floor, but Hathaway overshot the table and landed next to the broadcast table. Ouch.
FTR hit Robinson with a Shatter Machine and had him pinned, but Gunn returned to break it up. Wheeler wound up to hit Gunn with a trashcan, but Gunn kicked him in the balls. Harwood piledrove Gunn onto the trashcan and covered him for a near fall. FTR hit a spike piledriver and then a second one on the title belt, which led to Harwood pinning Gunn…
“FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler defeated Austin Gunn and Juice Robinson in 17:00 in a Chicago Street Fight to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles.
Powell’s POV: A wild brawl that made good use of the street fight stipulation. Hopefully Hathaway is okay. He wasn’t shown with FTR afterward.
Excalibur set up a video package on Sports Illustrated’s year-end awards that went to AEW wrestlers…
A video package set up the AEW Women’s Tag Team Title match, and then entrances for the match took place…
4. Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron vs. Mercedes Mone and Athena for the AEW Women’s Tag Team Titles. The challengers isolated Cameron. She eventually put Athena down with a DDT and then made a hot tag to Willow, who worked over Mone. Athena tagged in. Athena powered up Willow and stumbled while performing a clunky move on her that led to a two count.
A short time later, Cameron performed a crossbody block onto both challengers and then hit them with a double crucifix and got a two count while pinning both challengers. Mone caught Willow in a submission hold. Willow eventually powered out of it and hit a Death Valley Driver. Willow put down Mone and Athena before going up top, but Athena cut her off and then held up Mone, who then superplexed Willow. Athena drove her partner onto Willow, and Cameron returned to break it up.
In the end, Cameron took out Athena with a neckbreaker. Mone hit the Statement Maker on Cameron. Mone avoided Willow’s Doctor Bomb and set up for her own finisher, but Willow rolled her into a pin and got the three count.
Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron defeated Mercedes Mone and Athena in 13:10 to retain the AEW Women’s Tag Team Titles.
After the match, a dejected Mone sat on the apron while Athena glared at her. Willow and Cameron went to ringside and posed with front row fans who brought signs for them…
Powell’s POV: The match was nothing special, but it was still a good win for the champions to beat two of the company’s top singles wrestlers. Mone’s slump continues.
A video package set up the Darby Allin vs. Gabe Kidd match. A black and white Allin video played, and it included a dead rabbit. The words “I’ll remember you as you were, not as what you’ll become,” appeared on the screen. Allin made his entrance with a skateboard. Gabe Kidd entered through the crowd…
5. Darby Allin vs. Gabe Kidd. Kidd entered the ring and went after Allin, who dropkicked him to start the match. Kidd dumped Allin over the top rope and a replay showed Allin’s head hitting the apron on his way to the floor. Allin fought back and slammed Kidd’s head into the barricade several times. Allin broke the count and went back to Kidd, who drove him over the barricade.
Kidd set up the ring steps over Allin and then catapulted him into a piece of the steps. Kidd played to the crowd for heat. Allin was bleeding from the forehead when Kidd tossed him back inside the ring and headbutted him. Kidd licked some of Allin’s blood off his hands. Kidd grabbed Allin, who was on the apron, and ran him into the ringpost, causing Allin to tumble to the floor.
Kidd went to ringside and grabbed a chair. Kidd swung the chair at Allin, who moved, and the chair hit the ring post. Allin dropkicked the chair into the face of Allin, who came up bleeding. Allin seated Kid on a chair at ringside and then went up top and hit him with a missile dropkick.
A short time later, Allin hit a Code Red and then set up for a Coffin Drop, but Kidd rolled to the floor. Allin went up top again and performed a Coffin Drop onto Kidd, who was on the floor. Back inside the ring, Allin applied the Scorpion Death Lock. Kidd pushed up and tried to crawl to the ropes, but Allin pulled him back.
Allin released the Scorpion Death Lock. McGuinness said Allin was exhausted. Kidd grabbed Allin’s hands and headbutted him twice. Kidd followed up with a lariat and a piledriver for a near fall. Kidd bit Allin’s head and went for a sleeper, but Allin rolled on top of him and got the three count.
Darby Allin beat Gabe Kidd in 12:50.
Powell’s POV: I suspect this will be a polarizing match. The violence in this match was earned when you look at some of the things they’ve done to one another. The problem is that their feud has been so staggered due to Kidd’s infrequent appearances in AEW that it didn’t feel hot going in. It didn’t help that Allin was initially dismissive when he was asked about facing Kidd again. More than anything, I hope these guys were able to walk way without being concussed.
A video package set up the Mixed Nuts Mayhem match. The Death Riders team entered via the crowd, and then the babyfaces made their entrances via the stage…
6. Marina Shafir, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, and Daniel Garcia vs. Toni Storm, Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, and Roderick Strong in a Mixed Nuts Mayhem match. Cassidy got the better of Garcia a couple of minutes into the match and mocked him by performing Garcia’s dance.
Popped in to see what stupid shit AEW would do. See that Slokada and the Plumber won the first two matches in nearly 40 minutes of match time. Fucking hell, Tony Khan is actually trying to go out of business at this point.
Wahhh wahh wahhh what a whiny baby you are!