AEW: FINAL STAND
Live on Pay-Per-View
“Every champion falls. Every legend is tested. Tonight… AEW reaches its Final Stand.”
The pyro exploded throughout a sold-out arena as Excalibur welcomed fans to what he called “the biggest AEW event of the summer.” Jim Ross added that tonight careers would change forever, championships would be defended, and someone would move one step closer to becoming the next AEW World Champion.
Drilla Maloney, Clark Connors & Gabe Kidd vs. Ace Austin & The Gunns
The opening contest wasted no time becoming an all-out sprint. Before Justin Roberts could even finish the introductions, Gabe Kidd blindsided Colten Gunn on the entrance ramp, igniting a six-man fight that spilled into the crowd.
Clark Connors rag-dolled Austin with a release German suplex onto the entrance stage while Drilla Maloney and Austin traded blistering forearms. The Gunns eventually regained control using quick tags and isolating Connors in their corner. Austin dazzled with a springboard moonsault onto all five men on the floor, bringing the crowd to its feet just five minutes into the match.
As momentum shifted back and forth, Gabe Kidd became increasingly unhinged. He shoved the referee after a slow count before screaming at ringside fans that AEW belonged to him. His aggression gave Austin an opening for a superkick followed by The Gunns’ 3:10 to Yuma, but Maloney barely broke up the pinfall at the last possible second.
The pace only intensified. Connors Speared Austin through the barricade, eliminating both men temporarily. Inside the ring, Gabe Kidd and Austin exchanged stiff strikes until Kidd smiled after being busted open. The two traded headbutts before Kidd planted Austin with a devastating piledriver.
The Gunn brothers nearly stole the match with tandem Fame-Assers on Maloney, but Clark Connors returned just in time, flattening Austin with No Chaser.
With the ring finally cleared, Gabe Kidd delivered a brutal running knee before planting Austin with the Tombstone Piledriver, scoring the first victory of the evening.
Winner: Drilla Maloney, Clark Connors & Gabe Kidd
Eddie Kingston vs. Shane Taylor
Months of animosity finally exploded into one of the night’s most physical contests.
Neither man waited for the opening bell.
Kingston charged down the aisle and tackled Taylor before officials could even react. The fight spilled through the timekeeper’s area as punches landed from every direction. Taylor launched Eddie shoulder-first into the steel ring post before driving him through the ringside barricade with a thunderous body block.
Back inside the ring, Taylor slowed the pace, punishing Kingston with crushing body shots and repeated elbow drops. Every time Eddie attempted to rally, Taylor’s power shut him down.
The Chicago crowd refused to let Kingston quit.
“Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!”
Kingston answered with machine-gun chops that echoed throughout the arena. Taylor laughed and demanded more.
The exchange became a hockey fight.
Neither man defended themselves.
They simply stood in the center of the ring throwing bombs.
Taylor staggered Kingston with a rolling elbow before connecting with Welcome to the Land. One…
Two…
Kingston somehow kicked out.
Taylor couldn’t believe it.
Growing frustrated, Taylor attempted another finisher, but Kingston escaped and leveled him with a thunderous Uraken.
Taylor somehow remained standing.
Kingston hit another.
Still standing.
A third spinning backfist finally dropped the giant.
Instead of covering immediately, Kingston collapsed beside him, exhausted.
One…
Two…
Taylor barely survived.
The crowd erupted.
Moments later Taylor charged one last time.
Kingston countered with a perfectly timed Northern Lights Bomb before delivering one final Backfist to the Future.
This time there was no kickout.
The two warriors remained motionless after the bell before Taylor slowly stood and offered Kingston a nod of respect.
Kingston returned it.
No handshake.
None was needed.
Winner: Eddie Kingston
Alex Windsor vs. Marina Shafir
Alex Windsor entered to one of the loudest ovations of the night, fueled by her surprise return just weeks earlier.
Marina Shafir entered without emotion.
No music.
No smile.
Just violence.
The match immediately became a gritty submission battle.
Marina repeatedly targeted Windsor’s arm, twisting it into unnatural positions while talking trash the entire time. Windsor answered with heavy European uppercuts and vicious kicks that stunned the former MMA standout.
Neither woman showed any fear.
Marina attempted her trademark judo throws, but Windsor repeatedly escaped before delivering a beautiful spinning heel kick that nearly earned the upset.
Late in the contest Marina trapped Alex in a brutal armbar.
The crowd screamed for Windsor to tap.
Instead, she rolled through the hold, lifted Marina onto her shoulders, and planted her with a sit-out powerbomb.
Both women were down.
The referee counted to eight before they staggered back to their feet.
Marina charged.
Alex countered with a crushing lariat that nearly turned Marina inside out.
One…
Two…
No!
Frustrated, Windsor climbed to the top rope.
Marina recovered just enough to shove her off balance.
Both women fought on the turnbuckles before Alex exploded off the top with a breathtaking avalanche German suplex that left the crowd speechless.
With Marina barely moving, Windsor delivered a devastating running knee before locking in a modified crossface.
Marina fought for nearly a full minute before finally tapping.
The arena exploded as Windsor scored the biggest victory of her AEW career.
Winner: Alex Windsor
AEW World Championship Tournament – Semifinal – Brody King vs. Bobby Lashley
Two absolute monsters collided in what quickly became less of a wrestling match and more of a demolition derby.
Lashley immediately attempted a Spear.
Brody caught him with a knee.
The impact echoed through the building.
The crowd erupted into dueling chants as both men absorbed punishment that would have ended most matches.
Lashley repeatedly targeted Brody’s knee with chop blocks before trapping him in the Hurt Lock.
Brody refused to submit.
Instead, he literally carried Lashley backward into the turnbuckles three consecutive times before breaking the hold.
The momentum shifted dramatically when Brody connected with a cannonball that flattened Lashley against the barricade.
Back inside the ring Lashley answered with a thunderous Dominator.
One…
Two…
Brody kicked out.
The arena came unglued.
Lashley looked stunned.
He immediately charged for another Spear.
Brody sidestepped him.
Lashley crashed shoulder-first into the ring post.
Moments later Brody delivered a devastating lariat before following with the Gonzo Bomb.
The crowd counted along.
One…
Two…
Three.
The impossible had happened.
The heavily favored Bobby Lashley had been eliminated.
Brody King sat in the corner, exhausted, as the audience gave both men a standing ovation.
Winner: Brody King
The commentary team reminded everyone that the road to the AEW World Championship continued next as one of the greatest wrestlers in the world looked to punch his ticket to the tournament finals.
⸻
AEW World Championship Tournament – Semifinal – Bandido vs. Kenny Omega
The crowd rose to its feet before the opening bell, fully aware they were about to witness something special.
Bandido extended his hand.
Omega accepted.
For nearly five minutes, neither man gained a clear advantage as they traded breathtaking counters, chain wrestling, and respectful nods after every exchange. Every move seemed one step ahead of the other until Bandido stunned the audience by escaping a Snapdragon Suplex and effortlessly deadlifting Kenny into a delayed vertical suplex that lasted nearly thirty seconds.
Omega answered with his trademark speed, landing a V-Trigger that echoed throughout the arena. Bandido somehow remained standing, smiling through the pain before firing back with a running cutter that nearly ended the match.
The pace became unbelievable.
Bandido connected with a springboard moonsault.
Omega kicked out.
Omega landed another V-Trigger.
Bandido kicked out.
Bandido delivered the 21-Plex.
Omega survived at 2.99.
“This is insane!” Excalibur shouted.
Omega sensed the finish and lifted Bandido for the One Winged Angel.
Bandido escaped.
Another V-Trigger.
Another kickout.
The crowd erupted into a standing ovation before the match was even over.
As Omega prepared for one final V-Trigger, the lights briefly shifted toward the entrance.
Cope.
He sprinted toward ringside, chasing a hooded figure.
The camera revealed Christian Cage.
The crowd exploded.
Christian pulled a pair of brass knuckles from his jacket.
Before Cope could stop him, Christian slid into the ring.
Bandido had no idea what was happening behind him.
Omega turned—
CRACK!
Christian blasted Kenny across the jaw with the brass knuckles before rolling out of the ring unseen by Bandido.
Cope chased Christian through the crowd as officials scrambled in confusion.
Bandido slowly turned around, completely unaware of what had happened.
Seeing Omega barely standing, Bandido hesitated.
The crowd urged him to capitalize.
Bandido reluctantly charged.
21-Plex.
One…
Two…
Three.
The arena sat in stunned silence before applauding both competitors.
Bandido celebrated, but confusion washed over his face as replays revealed Christian’s attack.
Bandido looked furious while staring toward the entrance, realizing he had advanced under controversial circumstances.
Omega remained laid out in the center of the ring.
Winner: Bandido
⸻
Falls Count Anywhere – Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong vs. Claudio Castagnoli, PAC, Daniel Garcia & Wheeler Yuta
Chaos erupted before introductions even ended.
Mark Briscoe launched himself from the stage onto everyone with a cannonball as Orange Cassidy casually walked to the ring with his hands in his pockets.
Within minutes, the fight spilled into the crowd.
PAC and Kyle O’Reilly traded vicious kicks across the arena concourse while Daniel Garcia and Roderick Strong fought inside the merchandise stand.
Claudio literally swung Orange Cassidy around using the Giant Swing on the entrance ramp before throwing him into a stack of production crates.
Meanwhile Briscoe climbed nearly fifteen feet onto the lighting platform.
Jim Ross couldn’t believe it.
Briscoe looked down…
“…Here we go!”
He launched himself with a Froggy Bow onto Claudio and Yuta through two catering tables.
The arena erupted.
Backstage, PAC attempted to choke Orange Cassidy unconscious with electrical cables until Cassidy somehow countered into an Orange Punch that sent PAC crashing into a rolling equipment case.
Everywhere fans looked, someone was fighting.
Garcia trapped Strong inside a production truck before Strong answered with repeated knee strikes against the vehicle door.
Late in the match Claudio nearly finished Briscoe after a Neutralizer onto the concrete floor.
One…
Two…
Kyle O’Reilly barely broke the count.
The finish came inside the ring.
Orange stunned Yuta with an Orange Punch.
Garcia immediately answered with a piledriver.
Strong leveled Garcia with End of Heartache.
PAC wiped out Strong with a Black Arrow.
Kyle trapped PAC in an ankle lock.
Claudio broke it up.
Briscoe flew off the top rope onto everyone.
Orange Cassidy slowly stood.
Hands…
Still…
In…
His…
Pockets.
ORANGE PUNCH!
Yuta collapsed.
One…
Two…
Three.
The exhausted winners celebrated among broken tables, ladders, and chairs as the audience gave them a thunderous ovation.
Winners: Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong
⸻
AEW International Championship – Jack Perry (c) vs. David Finlay
This wasn’t a wrestling match.
It was a fight.
David Finlay attacked Perry before the introductions, throwing him shoulder-first into the steel steps before smashing the International Championship across his back.
The referee barely managed to restore order.
Once the bell rang, Finlay relentlessly targeted Perry’s ribs, mocking the champion after every near fall.
Jack refused to stay down.
Every comeback was met with louder cheers.
Finlay repeatedly attempted Into Oblivion, but Perry escaped each time, eventually connecting with a spectacular Poisonrana followed by a running knee.
One…
Two…
Finlay survived.
The Bullet Club War Dogs attempted to interfere.
The Gunns sprinted to ringside.
Juice Robinson followed.
Jay White arrived moments later.
A wild brawl erupted around ringside while Perry and Finlay continued fighting inside.
Perry finally landed another running knee.
Snare Trap.
Finlay screamed in pain.
It looked over.
Suddenly—
Gabe Kidd slid into the ring.
The referee was distracted by the fight outside.
Kidd blasted Perry across the face with a hidden headbutt before disappearing back into the chaos.
Finlay immediately capitalized.
Into Oblivion.
One…
Two…
Three.
The crowd gasped.
After months as champion…
Jack Perry’s reign was over.
David Finlay held the International Championship above his head while the War Dogs surrounded him in celebration.
Jay White stared from the entrance with an expression that suggested this rivalry was only beginning.
Winner and NEW AEW International Champion: David Finlay
⸻
AEW World Tag Team Championship – The New Day (c) vs. The Young Bucks
The atmosphere felt enormous.
Two of the greatest tag teams of their generation stood across from one another with the AEW World Tag Team Championships hanging in the balance.
The opening ten minutes were pure tag team wrestling.
Quick tags.
Blind tags.
Double teams.
Near-perfect chemistry.
Nick Jackson dazzled with impossible aerial offense while Kofi Kingston answered with incredible athleticism of his own.
Matthew Jackson repeatedly targeted Xavier Woods’ knee, slowing the champions’ offense.
Eventually the match reached another gear.
Stereo dives.
Superkicks everywhere.
Midnight Hour.
Kickout.
EVP Trigger.
Kickout.
The audience stood for nearly the final ten minutes.
The Bucks attempted the BTE Trigger.
Xavier ducked.
Kofi exploded with Trouble in Paradise.
Matthew broke the pin at the last possible second.
Everyone was exhausted.
Nick climbed the ropes.
Shooting Star Press.
Nobody home.
Midnight Hour again.
Matthew shoved Xavier into Kofi.
Miscommunication.
The Bucks capitalized.
Superkick.
Another.
EVP Trigger.
One…
Two…
KOFI KICKED OUT!
The crowd absolutely lost its mind.
The Bucks looked stunned.
Matthew shouted, “Finish them!”
Another EVP Trigger attempt.
Xavier countered.
Roll-up.
Two.
Nick sprang into action.
Superkick.
Trouble in Paradise to Nick.
Matthew rolled up Kofi.
Two.
Chaos.
Finally, Xavier trapped Matthew outside the ring.
Kofi caught Nick with one final Trouble in Paradise.
Midnight Hour.
One…
Two…
Three.
The champions survived.
The Bucks slowly stood and applauded New Day after the match.
The two legendary teams shook hands to a standing ovation.
Winners and STILL AEW World Tag Team Champions: The New Day
No. 1 Contender – AEW Women’s World Championship
Mercedes Moné vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Athena vs. Kris Statlander
The four women barely waited for the opening bell before chaos erupted.
Mercedes immediately rolled to the floor, letting Athena, Shida, and Statlander trade heavy strikes. Athena looked possessed, throwing forearms before dropping Statlander with a shotgun dropkick. Shida answered with a running knee that nearly took Athena’s head off.
Mercedes smiled from ringside.
“Work smarter, not harder.”
As soon as Shida and Athena spilled to the floor, Mercedes stole a near fall on Statlander.
One…
Two…
Kickout.
The strategy worked early, but eventually all three women realized what Mercedes was doing.
The crowd roared as Mercedes suddenly became the target of all three opponents.
Statlander launched her across the ring with a release German suplex.
Shida followed with a Falcon Arrow.
Athena connected with a handspring elbow.
Mercedes somehow survived.
The match reached another level.
Statlander caught Shida in midair and powerslammed her onto Athena.
Mercedes hit Three Amigos on Statlander.
Shida answered with the Katana.
Athena landed the O-Face on Shida.
Everyone broke up everyone else’s pinfalls.
The audience gave a standing ovation.
Late in the match, Athena climbed to the top rope looking for the O-Face on Statlander.
Instead, Mercedes shoved Athena off the top rope, sending her crashing through a table set up at ringside.
Shida immediately leveled Mercedes with the Katana.
One…
Two…
Statlander broke the pin by literally deadlifting both women into a German Suplex.
The arena exploded.
Statlander finally connected with Saturday Night Fever on Shida.
Athena was trapped outside.
Mercedes was down.
One…
Two…
Three.
Kris Statlander dropped to her knees in disbelief.
After months of falling just short, she had earned another shot at the AEW Women’s World Championship.
Winner and NEW No. 1 Contender: Kris Statlander
⸻
Street Fight – Jay White vs. Juice Robinson
There were no entrances.
Juice attacked Jay White in the backstage hallway before White even reached the curtain.
The fight exploded through Gorilla Position as officials wisely decided not to intervene.
Jay smashed Juice into production equipment before introducing the first weapon of the match—a Singapore cane.
Juice laughed.
“That’s all you’ve got?”
The answer came seconds later.
White blasted Juice repeatedly across the back before Juice answered with a trash can lid to the face.
The crowd erupted as both men finally fought into the arena.
Tables.
Kendo sticks.
Steel chairs.
Nothing was off limits.
Juice attempted Pulp Friction through a table.
Jay escaped and delivered a Blade Runner onto a pile of chairs.
One…
Two…
Juice survived.
Both men were bleeding.
Neither cared.
Late in the match, Juice produced a roll of barbed wire.
The audience gasped.
He wrapped it around his forearm and charged.
Jay ducked.
Juice accidentally smashed the ring post.
White immediately capitalized with repeated chair shots before wrapping a chain around his fist.
One thunderous punch staggered Juice.
Blade Runner.
Instead of pinning him, White set up a table in the corner.
He dragged Juice onto the top rope.
The crowd stood.
Avalanche Blade Runner through the table.
The referee counted.
One…
Two…
Three.
Jay White remained seated beside the broken table, exhausted.
After everything these two had endured together, the former friends simply stared at one another.
No celebration.
Just relief that the war was finally over.
Winner: Jay White
⸻
AEW Women’s World Championship – Toni Storm (c) vs. Jamie Hayter
The introductions alone felt like a main event.
The crowd loudly supported both women.
When the bell rang, neither rushed.
Instead they circled each other before locking up in a beautiful display of technical wrestling.
Jamie used her strength advantage early, repeatedly overpowering Storm with shoulder tackles.
Storm answered by targeting Jamie’s knee, slowing the challenger’s offense.
Every reversal received applause.
Every near fall received a louder reaction.
Hayter eventually exploded with a huge lariat that turned Storm inside out.
One…
Two…
Storm survived.
The champion answered with Storm Zero.
Jamie kicked out.
The arena erupted.
Storm looked shocked.
Both women exchanged forearms in the center of the ring.
Neither would fall.
The pace became frantic.
German Suplex.
Hip attack.
Hayterade.
Storm Zero.
Kickouts.
The crowd was completely invested.
Twenty-five minutes into the match, Jamie finally connected with another devastating Hayterade.
One…
Two…
Storm somehow reached the bottom rope.
Jamie couldn’t believe it.
She pulled Toni back to her feet.
Another Hayterade attempt.
Storm countered.
Storm Zero.
One…
Two…
Jamie kicked out again.
Now Toni couldn’t believe it.
The exhausted champion looked around the arena before climbing to the top rope.
Jamie met her there.
The two exchanged punches high above the ring.
Jamie finally connected with a breathtaking Avalanche Hayterade.
The audience exploded.
Both women collapsed.
Jamie crawled.
One…
Two…
Three.
The building shook.
Jamie Hayter buried her face in her hands as the referee handed her the championship.
Toni slowly stood.
The former champion looked heartbroken.
Then…
She smiled.
Storm extended her hand.
Jamie accepted.
The crowd gave both women a standing ovation as Toni wrapped the championship around Jamie’s waist herself before leaving the ring, allowing the new champion to celebrate alone.
Winner and NEW AEW Women’s World Champion: Jamie Hayter
⸻
Main Event
AEW World Championship – Swerve Strickland (c) vs. Jon Moxley
The atmosphere was electric.
No flashy entrances.
No distractions.
Just two men who had spent weeks promising to destroy one another.
The opening bell rang.
Neither moved.
The crowd buzzed with anticipation before Moxley finally smiled.
“Come on.”
Swerve answered with a slap across the face.
The fight was on.
Moxley immediately dragged Swerve outside, launching him into the barricade before biting his forehead.
Blood appeared within minutes.
Swerve responded with a diving stomp off the barricade that wiped both men out.
Back inside the ring, Moxley slowed the pace, targeting Swerve’s neck with brutal submissions.
Every time Swerve escaped, Moxley found another way to punish him.
Swerve finally found an opening with a House Call that nearly ended the match.
One…
Two…
Moxley survived.
The audience rose to its feet.
Moxley answered with the Death Rider.
One…
Two…
Swerve kicked out.
Now Moxley was stunned.
The match became a war of survival.
Death Rider.
House Call.
Paradigm Shift.
Swerve Stomp.
Near fall after near fall.
Neither man would stay down.
Thirty minutes in, both men collapsed in the center of the ring.
The referee began counting.
At nine, they stood together.
Forearms.
Headbutts.
Elbows.
The crowd roared with every strike.
Moxley locked in the Bulldog Choke.
Swerve looked seconds from passing out.
Instead…
He climbed the turnbuckles with Moxley still attached.
Both men crashed backward to the mat, breaking the hold.
Swerve staggered up first.
One final House Call.
Moxley somehow remained standing.
The champion looked stunned.
Swerve hit a second House Call.
Still standing.
The arena couldn’t believe it.
Swerve screamed before hitting a third consecutive House Call, finally dropping Moxley to his knees.
Instead of covering, Swerve hit one final Swerve Stomp.
One…
Two…
…
…
Moxley kicked out.
The audience erupted into one of the loudest reactions in AEW history.
Swerve couldn’t believe it.
He looked at Prince Nana.
Nana simply nodded.
“Finish him.”
Swerve lifted Moxley.
Big Pressure.
One.
Two.
Three.
The bell rang.
Fireworks exploded.
Swerve collapsed with the championship clutched to his chest.
As confetti fell, Jon Moxley slowly stood, exhausted. He looked at Swerve for several long moments before giving him a subtle nod of respect.
Moxley left through the crowd.
Prince Nana helped Swerve to his feet before handing him the AEW World Championship.
Swerve climbed the turnbuckle and looked across the arena…
Only for Brody King to walk onto the stage.
Brody, fresh off his semifinal victory earlier in the night, locked eyes with the champion and slowly made the World Championship gesture around his waist.
Swerve smiled.
He raised the championship high above his head.
The final image of AEW: FINAL STAND was champion and challenger staring each other down, promising that the next chapter of AEW had already begun.
Winner and STILL AEW World Champion: Swerve Strickland
