AEW Grand Slam Preview: Danielson vs. McGuinness, Title Matches, Collision Card

AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam goes down tonight at 8 PM ET on TBS.

By Liam Crowley

All Elite Wrestling returns to Arthur Ashe Stadium for its late September tradition. Four the fourth consecutive year, AEW presents AEW Grand Slam, a two-night television special from the historic tennis venue in Queens, New York. AEW Grand Slam has proved to be one of AEW's biggest television events of the calendar year, hosting historic company moments like Bryan Danielson's debut match against Kenny Omega, The Acclaimed capturing the AEW World Tag Team Titles, and CM Punk's first televised bout since January 2014. AEW Grand Slam 2024 has all the makings to reach the gold standard that its predecessors have set.

Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness

AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson is set to renew his rivalry with Nigel McGuinness, pending doctor clearance. Danielson was brutally attacked by Jon Moxley and the Blackpool Combat Club at AEW All Out earlier this month, and he has been off of television since to sell his injuries. Considering how heavily AEW has been advertising this match, all signs point to Danielson being "cleared" come this evening. 

Danielson vs. McGuinness was one of Ring of Honor's defining rivalries in the 2000s. Danielson went on to WWE, capturing world titles and headlining multiple WWE WrestleMania events, while McGuinness had a short stint in TNA before quietly retiring. McGuinness returned to the ring at AEW ALL IN: London this past August, ending an 11-year retirement. He had been making (clam) digs at Danielson on AEW commentary over the past year, those taunts culminating in McGuinness calling out the American Dragon for a match at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam.

Jon Moxley's Crusade Continues

Danielson's fingerprints are also on another prominent contest on the AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam card, that being Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley. Allin has agreed to put his future AEW World Title match, a title shot he earned this past summer, on the line against Moxley. Since returning to programming, Moxley has embraced villainy, running with a newfound purpose of lighting a fire under those AEW originals who have failed to evolve over the company's five-year history. Mox showed love to Allin but still deemed him "not ready" to challenge Danielson.

AEW Women's Title and AEW Tag Championships Matches

The other big title matches come in the women's and tag divisions. AEW Women's Champion Mariah May defends her title against Yuka Sakazaki in her second defense since capturing the prize at AEW ALL IN: London in August. 

Related:

AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks stand opposite AEW International Champion Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher in a duos defense. Ospreay and Fletcher are longtime friends, both having been foundational members of New Japan Pro Wrestling's United Empire, but have been separated since joining AEW full-time. This will be their first time tagging together in a two-on-two contest, as their history on the same team has come mostly in trios matches.

AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam goes down tonight at 8 PM ET on TBS. You can check out the full card below...

AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam Card

  • AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness
  • AEW World Championship No.1 Contender's Match: Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley
  • AEW World Tag Team Championships: The Young Bucks (c) vs. AEW International Champion Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher
  • AEW Women's Championship: Mariah May (c) vs. Yuka Sakazaki
  • FTW Championship – FTW Rules Match: Hook (c) vs. Roderick Strong

AEW Collision: Grand Slam Card

  • AEW TNT Championship: Jack Perry (c) vs. TBA
  • AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. Sammy Guevara
  • Lumberjack Strap Match: Hangman Page vs. Jeff Jarrett
  • Saraya's Rules Match: Saraya vs. Jamie Hayter
  • Tornado Trios Match: Orange Cassidy, Kyle O'Reilly, and Mark Briscoe vs. Chris Jericho, Big Bill, and Bryan Keith
  • The Beast Mortos vs. Dralístico vs. Hologram

Trending Now: