The second annual AEW Continental Classic got underway this week on Dynamite. Three more matches are coming your way on Saturday’s special, early edition of Collision. Need a primer on the two leagues? Check out Tony Schiavone on the Selection Show, and then watch me cover the stats, unique facts, and first-time matchups on Inside the Continental Classic.
Instead of picking every match, I decided to take a look at what the tournament could produce with these AEW Continental Classic superlatives
Breakout Star: The Beast Mortos
In less than a year, The Beast Mortos has carved his path in AEW, and his matches have become must-watch performances. He’s faced a mix of different wrestlers, although the majority of his battles have come against other luchadors. The C2 will give Mortos a chance to face many new opponents, including a highly-anticipated showdown with Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada. Win or lose, expect this tournament to provide Mortos with plenty of momentum heading into 2025.
Throwback Performance: Shelton Benjamin
It’s a little over a month since Benjamin wrestled inside an AEW ring for the first time. Since then, we’ve seen a ruthlessness not seen in Benjamin for years. Is he motivated for himself or to make The Hurt Syndicate the most dominant faction in AEW? Whatever motivates Benjamin is working, as evidenced by his opening match victory over old rival Mark Briscoe on Dynamite. Benjamin is the type of opponent who will have lasting effects on his opponents. Don’t be surprised if those who face Benjamin have trouble getting back to peak performance in subsequent matches.
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Fan Favorite: Mark Briscoe
When isn’t Briscoe a fan favorite? However, in such a grueling tournament, you need every advantage you can get. When he needs to dig deep, Briscoe will be able to feed off the crowd more than almost anyone else in the C2. Last year’s AEW Continental Classic wasn’t fruitful for Briscoe, as he wound up with just three points by defeating longtime friend and rival Jay Lethal in both men’s final matches of the block. Even though Briscoe opened this year with a loss, his endless support will make him a tough opponent in the Blue League.
Most Hated: Kyle Fletcher
After a devastating and massive victory over Will Ospreay at Full Gear, Fletcher is brimming with confidence heading into his first C2. Having Don Callis by his side will always guarantee a less-than-favorable reaction for Fletcher. Yet, it seems like his change in look and demeanor has pushed his hate ability to new heights. The Protostar knows how good he is and continues to revel in the hate he receives from the fans. Feeding off those reactions could propel Fletcher to championship gold when it’s all said and done. His tournament begins on Saturday against Beast Mortos.
Biggest Wildcard: Juice Robinson
Juice’s reputation preceded him before he even stepped foot in an AEW ring. The former three-time IWGP United States Champion found himself during his near-decade stint in New Japan Pro Wrestling. It also ushered in the beginning of his relationship with Jay White. Recently, Robinson and White have dealt with Hangman Page, but with White now wrapped up in issues with the Death Riders, it looks like Robinson has to focus on taking care of his own business in the C2. Juice has an intensity and unpredictability that makes him tough to prepare for. Don’t be surprised to see him make some noise over the next month. He’ll face a stiff test on Collision against Gold League favorite Will Ospreay.
Best Match of the AEW Continental Classic: Darby Allin vs. Will Ospreay
Roderick Strong’s neck just hurts thinking about this match.
Amazingly, these two have never been opponents, partners, or in the ring at the same time. That will change when two huge fan favorites meet for the first time in the Gold League. It seems obvious to state this could be the best match of the C2, but sometimes the obvious is just too hard to ignore. The timing of this bout will also be interesting. Both men come into the tournament worse for wear due to their preexisting issues with the Death Riders and Callis Family, respectively. Neither Allin nor Ospreay knows how to operate at anything less than full effort, so when they finally come to blows, expect both to empty their arsenals. But what kind of shape will each man be in before and after this showdown?
Hardest Hitting Match of the Tournament: Brody King vs. Claudio Castagnoli
It’s happened before and it’s happening again next week on Dynamite. At last year’s AEW Continental Classic, King defeated Castagnoli in Blue League action, and since then the two men have battled in a few multi-man matches. This will be their first time in the ring together since the AEW Trios Title Ladder Match at All In in September. However, the two had quite the intense stare-down at the end of this week’s Dynamite following King’s victory over Allin. Did King protect Allin from Castagnoli? Only he knows, but interfering in Death Rider business should only add to Claudio’s motivation to avenge last year’s loss. These two will beat the hell out of each other next Wednesday, and I can’t wait.
Biggest Upset Potential: Daniel Garcia over Kazuchika Okada
If you’ve been a regular viewer of the NJPW G1 Climax, you know the opening week often gives us an upset or two. When looking at the announced matches for the start of the C2, I zeroed in on this champion vs. champion tilt. While I expect a great showing from the two, there’s just something about Garcia that seems different from his three-point performance in last year’s Continental Classic. His victory over Jack Perry brought Garcia his first AEW gold in the TNT Title and with that comes a lot of momentum and confidence. On the other hand, it’s not hard to picture Okada being overconfident as the reigning Continental Champion with more experience and success than anyone else in the C2. Could the favorite lose his first match? We’ll find out on Collision.
Surprise Prediction: Kyle Fletcher over Brody King in the C2 Finals
King’s experience from last year and Fletcher’s rebirth as a more sinister, unforgiving version of himself could lead to a perfect storm of these two men in the Continental Classic Finals. King and Fletcher have met on opposite sides of tag matches in Ring of Honor (2019) and Pro Wrestling Guerilla (2022). If they both reach the finals, it’ll be the first one-on-one meeting. For Fletcher, he’s beginning to realize his potential, which is either enhanced or limited by Don Callis, depending on who you ask. A C2 victory would settle that argument for good. For King, it’s a chance to have the singles moment many have been waiting for a long time, including Brody himself. It won’t be easy to navigate their respective leagues, but if Fletcher and King do make the finals, the winner will have earned every bit of the Continental Championship.
Until next time when I’m back to talk about wrestling even more…
You can watch and listen to Matt every weekday at 5pm Eastern at thewrestlingmattshow.com. Matt is also one of the hosts of Busted Open Radio on Sirius/XM. He is regularly featured as a streamer for Bleacher Report’s pro wrestling content.