 Tournament logo | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Professional wrestling |
| Location | United States |
| Dates | November 22, 2023–December 30, 2023 |
Tournament format(s) | Two-block round-robin tournament |
| Host(s) | All Elite Wrestling |
| Venue(s) | Various (see venues) |
| Participants | 12 |
The Continental Classic is an ongoing professional wrestling round-robin tournament hosted by the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The inaugural tournament began on the November 22, 2023, episode of Dynamite and will conclude at the Worlds End pay-per-view event on December 30. The winner will be crowned the inaugural AEW Continental Champion, as well as win the ROH World Championship of sister promotion Ring of Honor (ROH) and the Strong Openweight Championship of partner promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), subsequently becoming what will be promoted as a Triple Crown Champion.
History
On November 11, 2023, the American professional wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announced a tournament called the Continental Classic. AEW president Tony Khan and AEW wrestler Bryan Danielson announced that the tournament would begin on the November 22, 2023, episode of Dynamite, lasting six weeks and concluding at the Worlds End pay-per-view (PPV) event on December 30.[1]
The Continental Classic was revealed to be a round-robin tournament consisting of two groups of six wrestlers. The first four confirmed participants were Bryan Danielson, Andrade El Idolo, Mark Briscoe, and Eddie Kingston.[2] It was also announced that the winner of the tournament would become the inaugural holder of the AEW Continental Championship. Eddie Kingston also announced his participation and that he would be defending his ROH World Championship of sister promotion Ring of Honor (ROH) and Strong Openweight Championship of partner promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in all tournament matches, with the winner of the tournament holding all three championships and declared the first Triple Crown Champion, representing AEW, ROH, and NJPW. It was also revealed that the champion at the time of the next Continental Classic would automatically be entered into the tournament.[3][4]
Tournament matches were scheduled to be held across episodes of Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision, with the semi-finals (promoted as the "League Finals") held on the December 27 episode of Dynamite and the tournament final (promoted as the "Championship Final") held at the Worlds End PPV.[5] All 12 participants and their groupings in the inaugural Continental Classic were revealed during the "Selection Special" that aired midday on November 22 across AEW's social media. The two blocks, or leagues, were named Gold League and Blue League, with the Gold League matches beginning that night on Dynamite.[6]
Overview
Venues
| Gold League match | Blue League match | Tournament final match |
Format and rules
- Round Robin format:
- Two group blocks, Blue and Gold League, with six wrestlers each
- 20 minute time limit
- Three points awarded for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss
- No one allowed at ringside; violation of this rule may result in a one-point deduction
- The two group winners advance to the Championship Final at Worlds End, with the winner of the final becoming the inaugural AEW Triple Crown Champion[4]
Leagues
| Blue League | Gold League | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Brody King | 3 | Jon Moxley | 6 |
| Claudio Castagnoli | 3 | Swerve Strickland | 6 |
| Andrade El Ídolo | 0 | Jay White | 3 |
| Bryan Danielson | 0 | Rush | 3 |
| Daniel Garcia | 0 | Jay Lethal | 0 |
| Eddie Kingston | 0 | Mark Briscoe | 0 |
| Blue League | Andrade | Danielson | Kingston | King | Castagnoli | Garcia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrade | — | |||||
| Danielson | — | |||||
| Kingston | — | King (16:41) |
||||
| King | King (16:41) |
— | ||||
| Castagnoli | — | Castagnoli (10:27) | ||||
| Garcia | Castagnoli (10:27) |
— | ||||
| Gold League | Briscoe | Moxley | Strickland | Rush | Lethal | White |
| Briscoe | — | Moxley (11:29) |
Rush (11:25) |
|||
| Moxley | Moxley (11:29) |
— | Moxley (11:19) |
|||
| Strickland | — | Strickland (13:51) |
Strickland (15:27) | |||
| Rush | Rush (11:25) |
— | White (13:53) | |||
| Lethal | Moxley (11:19) |
Strickland (13:51) |
— | |||
| White | Strickland (15:27) |
White (13:53) |
— |
| Final Worlds End (December 30) | ||||
| Blue | TBD | |||
| Gold | TBD | |||
See also
References
- ↑ Defelice, Robert (November 11, 2023). "Tony Khan Announces AEW Continental Classic Tournament Starts On 11/22, Concludes At AEW Worlds End". Fightful. Archived from the original on November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
- ↑ Rose, Bryan (November 11, 2023). "AEW announces Continental Classic tournament, Bryan Danielson first entrant". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ↑ Renner, Ethan (November 18, 2023). "AEW announces new title & Continental Classic competitors". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- 1 2 Thomas, Jeremy (November 19, 2023). "Tony Khan Gives More Details on AEW Continental Classic, Will Conclude At Worlds End". 411Mania. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ↑ Murphy, Don (November 11, 2023). "AEW Collision results (11/11): Murphy's review of Sting, Darby Allin, and Adam Copeland vs. Lance Archer, Vincent, and Dutch, Willow Nightingale vs. Julia Hart, Daniel Garcia vs. Andrade El Idolo". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
- ↑ Carey, Ian (November 22, 2023). "AEW reveals full list of entrants for Continental Classic tournament". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved November 22, 2023.