MJF retained his AEW World Championship at AEW Grand Slam in the exact way he promised a week ago — by choking out Samoa Joe. “The Samoan Submission Machine” looked to have the match won when he hit Friedman with a piledriver outside the ring on the unprotected floor, then nailed a Muscle Buster in the ring after a low blow. Max managed to kick out, then finally started to rally out of a rear naked choke when Adam Cole arrived at ringside to cheer him on.
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Using the same trick he pulled to beat CM Punk in Chicago, Friedman used his own wrist tape to reinforce a sleeper hold on Joe, causing him to pass out. Friedman was immediately tended to by medical trainers for his injured neck but still shook hands with Joe to close out the show.
Max is quickly on his way to becoming the longest-reigning AEW World Champion in the company’s young history. If he can manage to successfully defend the title at WrestleDream and Full Gear, he’ll become the first man to have held the gold for a full calendar year.
AEW Dynamite Grand Slam 2023 Results
- ROH World Championship & NJPW Strong Openweight Championship: Eddie Kingston def. Claudio Castagnoli
- Chris Jericho def. Sammy Guevara
- AEW International Championship: Rey Fenix def. Jon Moxley
- AEW Women’s World Championship: Saraya def. Toni Storm
- AEW World Championship: MJF def. Samoa Joe
AEW Rampage Grand Slam 2023 Card
- AEW World Trios Championships: The Acclaimed vs. The Dark Order
- ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championships: Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage & The Gates of Agony) vs. The Elite (Hangman Page & The Young Bucks)
- Darby Allin & Sting vs. Christian Cage & Luchasaurus
- Orange Cassidy, Hook & Kris Statlander vs. Anna Jay, Matt Menard & Angelo Parker
- The Kingdom vs. The Hardys vs. The Righteous vs. The Best Friends (ROH Tag Title match at WrestleDream)
- Julia Hart vs. Sky Blue
- Santana in Action
AEW Collision Card (Sept. 23, 2023)
- AEW World Tag Team Championships: FTR vs. The WorkHorsemen (JD Drake & Anthony Henry)
- AEW TNT Championship: Luchasaurus vs. Christian Cage vs. Darby Allin
- Bryan Danielson vs. Ricky Starks (Texas Death Match)
- Jay White vs. Andrade El Idolo
- Rob Van Dam in action
AEW WrestleDream 2023 Card
- Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
- AEW World Tag Team Championships: FTR vs. Aussie Open
- “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland
- Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kota Ibushi (Rumored)
- ROH World Tag Team Championships: MJF & Adam Cole vs. TBD