#171: Jon Moxley vs. Mark Briscoe, AEW Dynamite: Thanksgiving Eve (11/22/2023).
Hello readers!
Next week, as I type this, AEW will be kicking off the 2nd annual Continental Classic Tournament. Starting in November of 2023 following the Full Gear PPV, the C2, as it would become known, was AEW's equivalent of the G1 Climax Tournament from New Japan Pro Wrestling: a Round Robin, two Block tournament featuring the top stars of the promotion going at it for a chance at glory.
In context with the inaugural C2, the prize was the Continental Crown - the ROH World Championship & NJPW Strong Openweight Championship, both held by Eddie Kingston, and the brand new AEW Continental Championship. Tony Khan's vision was to create the first American Triple Crown, ala All Japan Pro Wrestling. Now, as someone who's a huge fan of King's Road, the idea of these three championships serving as a "triple crown" seemed silly to me. That said, the idea of a round robin tourney in AEW was enough to salve the soul.
12 men, divided into two blocks of six - The Blue League & The Gold League - waged war for several weeks, leading into the December World's End PPV. A win brought the victor three points in their block, while a loss brought them nothing. If both men went to the 20 minute time limit, they would each be awarded one point. The stakes were high in every match, which was helped greatly by the added rule of no outside interference.
The C2 gave off a sports feel during its duration, and every match mattered in some capacity. When wrestling matters, wrestling is awesome. So, this week, I'm taking a look at the first Continental Classic, and showcasing the matches that stick out in my memory as being among the best in the entire tournament.
First up is a first time singles encounter between two of AEW's wildest wrestlers: Jon Moxley & Mark Briscoe. This is a C2 Match in the Gold League.
They lock up, and Briscoe takes the side headlock. Mox eats a shoulder tackle, and Briscoe slaps the shit out of him. We get a slap exchang early, followed by some forearms from both men. Big chop from Briscoe, and one from Mox. Briscoe with a thrust strike to Mox, and more chops. Mox gets Briscoe in another corner, and gnaws away on his head. Briscoe sends Mox to the floor, and then follows with a diving dropkick. Briscoe flies off the apron with a neckbreaker next.
Mox avoids a frog splash, and the two continue their forearm exchange. Mox ends up booting Briscoe in the face, and sending him off the apron to the floor. Mox tosses Briscoe into the steel steps a few times, and he’s busted open now. They make their way to the top turnbuckle, where Mox digs his nails into Briscoe’s back, then follows with a suplex to the mat for a 2 count. Mox hammerlocks the left arm, then pulls back on the right arm. Nice joint manipulation!
Mox continues his joint destruction by stomping on the fingers next. Briscoe looks to fight back, but Mox grabs him and hits a Saito Suplex for a 2 count. Brutal looking piledriver follows, and Briscoe kicks out again. Briscoe with another strike to the throat, followed by a running elbow strike. Mox tries for the King Kong Lariat, and Briscoe catches him in the Exploder Suplex for 2. Mox applies the armbar to Briscoe next, and he’s able to roll his leg over to the bottom rope to break the hold.
On the top rope next, Mox tries for the Paradigm Shift, and Briscoe is able to fight it off with a strike and a bite of Mox’s head. Briscoe dives off, and lands right into the Paradigm Shift – but Briscoe uses the momentum to hit a low clothesline to a sitting Mox. Briscoe with the Death Valley Driver next, and now he goes back to the top. Briscoe hits the Froggy Bomb elbow drop, and Mox is somehow able to kick out.
Mox kicks Briscoe out of the corner, but Briscoe is able to hit a huge lariat. He goes for the Jay Driller, and Mox counters it into the King Kong Lariat. Mox connects with the Death Rider, but Briscoe somehow kicks out at 2! Half nelson suplex to Briscoe, who’s right back up, and now both men are throwing bombs in the middle of the ring. Briscoe with an elbow to the head, and Mox with a knee to the midsection.
Mox hits a Stomp, Seth Rollins style, and follows with Death Rider, and that’s enough for the win. Not a bad little match. It’s definitely the kind of match you’ve seen before, but there’s enough character in there from both competitors that it gives it extra life. It’s especially nice to see Briscoe in this position, doing so well. The story here was decimation, and both men brought that to the table. Consistency isn’t always a bad thing in wrestling. When it’s good, it’s just good.