The 2025 AEW Continental Classic Tournament is nearing its conclusion as the AEW World’s End pay-per-view is set for this Saturday in Chicago, Illinois. The special “34th Street Dynamite” event on Christmas Eve at the Hammerstein Ballroom featured three crucial matches, with the first finalist, “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita, emerging victorious over “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy. Both wrestlers were vying for the top spot in the Blue League heading into the final Christmas edition of AEW Collision. Cassidy nearly secured a countout win by tossing Takeshita into the crowd, but Takeshita returned just before the count of ten and ultimately secured his win with a rollup into his Raging Fire finisher. With this victory, Takeshita earned 10 points and secured a place in the World’s End event. Cassidy still has a chance to qualify by winning against Mascara Dorada on the next night or by defeating Jon Moxley on Christmas Day.
In other Blue League action, Mascara Dorada triumphed over Roderick Strong, who had already been mathematically eliminated from the tournament during the Holiday Bash episode of “Dynamite.” Despite Strong’s attempts to weaken Dorada using multiple backbreaker variations, Dorada countered with a suplex, followed by a thrust kick and a high-flying Shooting Star Press to secure the win. Dorada now faces Takeshita in a match to determine who joins the Final Four, while Strong aims to disrupt Claudio Castagnoli’s chances.
In the Gold League, Jack “Jungle” Perry faced off against PAC at the Hammerstein Ballroom in a crucial bout. Despite dealing with an ankle injury, Perry managed to win by biting PAC’s finger and pinning him for his second victory in the tournament. As a result, all Gold League competitors enter the final round with six points. The upcoming matches are Perry vs. Kyle Fletcher, PAC vs. Kevin Knight, and Kazuchika Okada vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey. Unless there is a draw, the Final Four will expand to the Final Five this Saturday.
Fan Take: This update on the Continental Classic Tournament showcases exciting matchups and intense competition that highlight AEW’s growing international talent pool. For fans, the evolving dynamics and potential surprises in the tournament add thrilling anticipation for what could be a game-changing pay-per-view event at World’s End.
