Holiday Bash (2023)

Holiday Bash
Promotional poster for the Dynamite broadcast
PromotionAll Elite Wrestling
DateDecember 20 and 23, 2023
(aired December 20, 22, and 23, 2023)
CityOklahoma City, Oklahoma (Dec. 20)
San Antonio, Texas (Dec. 23)
VenuePaycom Center (Oklahoma City)
Frost Bank Center (San Antonio)
AttendanceNight 1: 4,631[1]
Night 2: 4,631[2]
Night 3: 4,874[3]
Event chronology
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2022 		Next →
2024
AEW Dynamite special episodes chronology
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Winter Is Coming 		Next →
New Year's Smash
AEW Rampage special episodes chronology
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Winter Is Coming 		Next →
New Year's Smash
AEW Collision special episodes chronology
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Winter Is Coming 		Next →
Collision's 1 Year Anniversary

The 2023 Holiday Bash was the fourth annual Holiday Bash professional wrestling Christmas television special produced by All Elite Wrestling (AEW). It took place on December 20 and 23, 2023. While the prior two events were two-part events, airing as special episodes of Wednesday Night Dynamite and Friday Night Rampage, the 2023 event expanded Holiday Bash to a three-part special, also encompassing Saturday Night Collision. Dynamite aired live on December 20 on TBS and was held at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, while Rampage was taped that same night and aired on tape delay on December 22 on TNT. Collision aired live on December 23 on TNT and was held at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.

A total of 15 matches were contested across the three broadcasts; five aired live on Dynamite with four taped for Rampage, and then six aired live on Collision. In the main event of the Dynamite broadcast, Jay White defeated Jon Moxley in a Gold League match of the Continental Classic tournament. In the main event of the Rampage broadcast, El Hijo del Vikingo defeated Black Taurus to retain the AAA Mega Championship of the Mexican promotion Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. In the main event of the Collision broadcast, Eddie Kingston defeated Andrade El Idolo in a Blue League match of the Continental Classic tournament. The Collision broadcast was also notable for Thunder Rosa's first match since August 2022 due to a back injury.

Production

Other on-screen personnel
Role Name
Commentators Excalibur (Dynamite, Rampage)
Tony Schiavone (all three shows)
Taz (Dynamite)
Toni Storm (Dynamite - Riho vs. Saraya)
Jim Ross (Dynamite - main event)
Chris Jericho (Rampage)
Kevin Kelly (Collision)
Nigel McGuinness (Collision)
Matt Menard (Collision - Garcia vs. King)
Ring announcers Justin Roberts (Dynamite, Rampage)
Dasha Gonzalez (Collision)
Referees Aubrey Edwards
Bryce Remsberg
Mike Posey
Paul Turner
Rick Knox
Brandon Martinez
Stephon Smith
Interviewers Renee Paquette
Lexy Nair

Background

Holiday Bash is an annual professional wrestling Christmas television special produced by All Elite Wrestling (AEW) since 2020. While the original event only aired as a special episode of AEW's flagship program, Wednesday Night Dynamite,[4] the 2021 event expanded it to a two-part event, with the second part airing as a special episode of Friday Night Rampage (although in 2021, Rampage aired on Saturday instead of its usual Friday slot).[5] The 2023 event was then expanded to a three-part event, with the third night airing as a special episode of Saturday Night Collision, AEW's third weekly program that launched in June 2023. Dynamite aired live on December 20 on TBS and was held at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, while Rampage was taped that same night and aired on tape delay on December 22 on TNT.[6] Collision aired live on December 23 on TNT and was held at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.[7]

Storylines

Holiday Bash featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines, written by AEW's writers.[8] Storylines were produced on AEW's weekly television programs, Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision.

Aftermath

The League Finals of the Continental Classic tournament were scheduled for the following week's Dynamite: New Year's Smash. As a result of Jay White's win over Jon Moxley on Dynamite: Holiday Bash, that tied him in points with Moxley and Swerve Strickland, with the three facing off in a three-way match in the Gold League Final. Additionally, due to Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli's time limit draw on Collision: Holiday Bash, that kept Danielson ahead in points to face Eddie Kingston in the Blue League Final. At Dynamite: New Year's Smash, Moxley and Kingston won their respective League Final matches to face each other in the Championship Final at Worlds End.[9]

Results

Night 1

Dynamite (aired live December 20)
No.ResultsStipulationsTimes[10]
1Swerve Strickland defeated Rush by pinfallAEW Continental Classic Gold League match14:50
2Mark Briscoe defeated Jay Lethal by pinfallAEW Continental Classic Gold League match13:55
3Riho defeated Saraya by pinfallSingles match to determine the #1 contender for the AEW Women's World Championship at Worlds End6:30
4Roderick Strong (with Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) defeated Komander (with Alex Abrahantes) by pinfallSingles match10:00
5Jay White defeated Jon Moxley by pinfallAEW Continental Classic Gold League match15:05

Night 2

Rampage (taped December 20; aired December 22)
No.ResultsStipulationsTimes[11]
1Orange Cassidy (c) (with Trent Beretta) defeated Rocky Romero by pinfallSingles match for the AEW International Championship11:00
2The Kingdom (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) (with Roderick Strong) defeated The Hardys (Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy)Tag team match9:00
3Skye Blue defeated Queen Aminata by submissionSingles match3:30
4El Hijo del Vikingo (c) defeated Black Taurus by pinfallSingles match for the AAA Mega Championship14:00
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match

Night 3

Collision (aired live December 23)
No.ResultsStipulationsTimes[12]
1Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli ended in a time limit drawAEW Continental Classic Blue League match20:00
2Billy Gunn and The Acclaimed (Max Caster and Anthony Bowens) (c) defeated Top Flight (Dante Martin and Darius Martin) and Action Andretti by pinfallTrios match for the AEW World Trios Championship9:20
3Keith Lee defeated Brian Cage (with Prince Nana) by pinfallSingles match9:55
4Daniel Garcia defeated Brody King by pinfallAEW Continental Classic Blue League match10:20
5Thunder Rosa and Abadon defeated Julia Hart and Skye Blue by pinfallTag team match9:00
6Eddie Kingston defeated Andrade El Idolo by pinfallAEW Continental Classic Blue League match15:30
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match

References

  1. ^ Holiday Bash 2023 - Tag 1 CageMatch
  2. ^ Holiday Bash CageMatch
  3. ^ Holiday Bash CageMatch
  4. ^ Rose, Bryan (December 9, 2020). "AEW ANNOUNCES HOLIDAY BASH, NEW YEAR'S SMASH SPECIAL EVENTS". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  5. ^ Nason, Josh (December 8, 2021). "AEW HOLIDAY BASH SET FOR BOTH DYNAMITE, CHRISTMAS NIGHT RAMPAGE". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  6. ^ Elizabeth, Claire (December 20, 2023). "AEW Dynamite Holiday Bash results, live blog (Dec. 20, 2023): Gold League wraps up". Cageside Seats. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  7. ^ Rose, Bryan (December 16, 2023). "Trios Championship match announced for next week's AEW Collision Holiday Bash". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  8. ^ Grabianowski, Ed (January 13, 2006). "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  9. ^ Powell, Jason (December 27, 2023). "AEW Dynamite results (12/27): Powell's live review of Swerve Strickland vs. Jon Moxley vs. Jay White, and Bryan Danielson and Eddie Kingston in Continental Classic semifinal matches". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  10. ^ Powell, Jason (December 20, 2023). "AEW Dynamite results (12/20): Powell's live review of Jon Moxley vs. Jay White, Swerve Strickland vs. Rush, and Mark Briscoe vs. Jay Lethal in Continental Classic matches". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  11. ^ Murphy, Don (December 22, 2023). "AEW Rampage results (12/22): Murphy's review of Orange Cassidy vs. Rocky Romero for the AEW International Title, El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus for the AAA Mega Title, Matt and Jeff Hardy vs. The Kingdom". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  12. ^ Powell, Jason (December 23, 2023). "AEW Collision results (12/23): Powell's live review of Bryan Danielson vs. Brody King, Eddie Kingston vs. Daniel Garcia, and Andrade El Idolo vs. Claudio Castagnoli in Continental Classic matches". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved December 27, 2023.