AEW has officially announced the first slate of matches for the Continental Classic tournament, scheduled to run throughout December and culminate at the Worlds End Premium Live Event. The company revealed three block matches for the Gold and Blue Leagues that will take place on the November 26 episode of Dynamite. This tournament, inaugurated in 2023, is a round-robin competition that draws comparisons to NJPW’s G1 Climax. The tournament winner will receive the Continental Championship.
Blue League and Gold League Matches Announced
The tournament will feature two distinct blocks: the Gold League and the Blue League. In one of the most intriguing Gold League matches, two members of The Don Callis Family, Kyle Fletcher and Kazuchika Okada, will go head-to-head. The two competitors have recently begun forming a friendship, adding an unexpected dynamic to their tournament opener. Okada, who is technically the current Unified AEW Champion, previously won the tournament in 2024, defeating Will Ospreay in the finals. Another Gold League contest announced for Dynamite is Darby Allin squaring off against JetSpeed’s Kevin Knight. Both Allin and Knight are known for their high-energy, fast-paced styles, which could lead to an action-packed contest as they aim for an early lead in the block.
The Blue League will feature a prominent matchup as Jon Moxley takes on CMLL’s Mascara Dorada. Moxley is entering the tournament for the third year in a row and will look to immediately rebound after suffering a loss to Kyle O’Reilly in a No Holds Barred match at the Full Gear Premium Live Event. The current structure of the Blue League skews heavily toward members of The Conglomeration and The Death Riders, setting the stage for potential internal friction. Moxley is a favorite to perform well in the block, which also includes stars like Claudio Castagnoli, Orange Cassidy, Konosuke Takeshita, and Roderick Strong.
The Opps Celebrate Samoa Joe’s AEW World Championship Win
In a non-tournament segment, The Opps faction is scheduled to celebrate the crowning of Samoa Joe as the new AEW World Champion. Joe captured the title at the Full Gear event, with Hook playing an essential role in the victory. Hook betrayed Hangman Adam Page, clobbering him with the AEW World Championship, which directly contributed to Joe’s successful title win. The current lineup for this week’s Dynamite is as follows:
- AEW Continental Classic Gold League: Kyle Fletcher vs. Kazuchika Okada
- AEW Continental Classic Gold League: Darby Allin vs. Kevin Knight
- AEW Continental Classic Blue League: Jon Moxley vs. Mascara Dorada
- The Opps celebrate a new AEW World Champion Samoa Joe
The tournament format includes strict rules, such as a 20-minute time limit for all matches and a complete ban on outside interference. Both the block finals and the overall tournament finals are slated to take place at AEW Worlds End on Saturday, December 27, at the Now Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
