The curtain may have closed on the big ‘25, but it’s business as usual Tony Khan.
I much prefer “Hangman” Adam Page’s mantra: “new year, new me, dumbass.”
Here are this week’s “Five Finds from Fight Night.”
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Jake Something and Andrade Join The Don Callis Family
NOTE: This is an open letter to Tony Khan.
We need to have a frank discussion. The Don Callis Family has become a scourge on All Elite Wrestling, and last night, the epidemic continued to spread its tendrils into the fabric of the promotion I love.
Jake Something was one of the greatest babyfaces on the independent circuit, whose disposition and work belied his stature. Rechristening him as “Jake Doyle” aside, his abrupt debut as an adjutant in Don Callis’ ranks seems errant.
The Don Callis Family has become a catch-all solution for the heel locker room; a melting pot for villains of all nationalities and styles that feel lost in the shuffle. That is, save for Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher, whose talents are simply too sublime to be denied. In that ecosystem, the unique talents of Jake Doyle will assuredly become stifled.
Juxtaposed to Jake Something’s debut, I was pleasantly surprised to see Andrade El Ídolo return to AEW. One of the stranger stories of the big ‘25 was Andrade’s return and abrupt departure from AEW. I’m certainly no pro bono lawyer, so I won’t pretend to understand the litigious elements of his absence. What I do know is that I’m happy to see Andrade back in AEW. I’ve loved watching AEW’s burgeoning relationship with CMLL unfold, and I can’t wait to see how Andrade fits into that puzzle.
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MJF Confronts Bandido
Next week, MJF will defend the AEW Men’s World Championship against Bandido on the special “Maximum Carnage” edition of Wednesday Night “Dynamite.” Bandido earned the opportunity when he won the “Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royal,” in addition to the Dynamite Diamond Ring;” a distinction which Friedman has exclusively held.
Bandido faced Sammy Guevara last night, in a veritable tune up match. Afterwards, MJF confronted Bandido alongside his manager in CMLL, Jon Cruz.
Some of MJF’s greatest work happened in the big ‘25, under the auspices of CMLL. Alongside Jon Cruz, MJF perfected the art of physical storytelling — allowing Cruz to be his proverbial mouthpiece.
As a sycophant, there’s something bespoke about lucha libre. It’s simple. The dichotomy between tecnico and rude is easily understood. The work allows it to breathe. I’m exhilarated to see what MJF can do with Bandido, from a purely technical perspective. MJF may be one of the most eloquent orators in all of pro-wrestling, but he truly shines like a diamond in the squared circle.
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Willow Nightingale’s Championship Celebration
Willow Nightingale’s two-belts tour began with a championship celebration, cake, and the humiliation of Mercedes Moné.
Long may she reign.
The newly crowned TBS Champion was accompanied by her friends, Harley Cameron and Kris Statlander. Together, the consortium holds all of the gold in the women’s division, marking an inflection point for the promotion. For better or worse, the division goes through these three women.
Moné’s contributions here were brilliant, bumping into the cake like only a miserable heel would.
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Lights Out Match
When HOOK debuted four years ago, I never would have imagined that he would be hung from the top rope with a steel chain by “Hangman” Adam Page one day. In many ways, it may be the crowning achievement of his nascent career. Whether or not that’s something he should be proud of is a different matter entirely.
There were a lot of external forces working against this match. The first being the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission, which prohibits professional wrestlers from blading. The second were the lights, which gave new meaning to the titular stipulation. The result was a husk of an unsanctioned “lights out” match, using Page and Swerve Strickland’s history of violence to yield diminishing returns.
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Jon Moxley vs. Shelton Benjamin
Jon Moxley continues to strike while the iron’s hot.
Mox carried his momentum from the big ‘25 into 2026, facing Shelton Benjamin in a Continental Championship Eliminator Match.
Benjamin is a freak of nature, whose athletic ability and skill can overwhelm any opponent — even the ace.
Watching Moxley steal victory from the jaws of defeat through sheer perseverance and guile alone accentuates the “Death Rider’s” malleability. Whether he’s a physically imposing heel or an underdog, Mox finds a way to fit the bill.
Rating: ***½
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