AEW has officially mapped out the road to its next AEW World Championship challenger, with a stacked contenders series now underway.
As announced during this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Kenny Omega, Andrade El Idolo, Swerve Strickland, and “Hangman” Adam Page will compete in a multi-match series to determine who earns a shot at the AEW World Championship at Revolution this March. The series will ultimately lead to a #1 contender’s match at Grand Slam Australia on February 14.
However, the field was originally set to look a bit different.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter at F4WOnline.com, Samoa Joe was initially planned to be part of the contenders series. Joe had recently been positioned as one of the top names pursuing a championship opportunity, making his inclusion a logical move. That changed after it was announced on Wednesday that Joe suffered a non-contact injury during training and has not been medically cleared to compete.
An unfortunate setback at a pivotal moment.
In Wednesday night’s Dynamite main event, Andrade El Idolo defeated Swerve Strickland, earning a match against Omega on February 4. The winner of that bout will advance in the series and move one step closer to the title opportunity.
Adam Page’s role has yet to be fully revealed, though Don Callis stated on commentary that he already has someone in mind for Page. That match is expected to take place on either February 4 or February 11, with the winner advancing to Grand Slam Australia.
AEW Revolution is scheduled for Sunday, March 15, and will emanate from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, airing live on pay-per-view.
