AEW Sets First Semifinal Match for Tag Team Championship Tournament

The retirement of an icon has left one of All Elite Wrestling's biggest titles vacant. Sting and Darby Allin successfully defended the AEW Tag Team Championships at Revolution earlier this month, and it was known going in that the match would be Sting's last. He and Darby vacated the titles after the successful defense, leaving an opening for a new pair of wrestlers to take over. AEW is currently holding a tournament to find the next tag champs, with the winner eventually being crowned at AEW Dynasty in a few weeks.

Wednesday's new episode of AEW Dynamite featured not one, but two quarterfinal matches for the Tag Team Championship tournament, resulting in a massive semifinal matchup next week. The Young Bucks are set to take on the Best Friends for a shot at the tag titles.

The first of Wednesday's quarterfinal matches was between the Bucks and Private Party. If you recall, Private Party delivered an enormous upset years ago, beating the Young Bucks for a chance to win the titles. A lot has happened since then, but the history between the two pairs was made clear by the heavy physicality of the match. Marq Quen's recent injury was targeted heavily by the AEW EVPs, and they eventually broke down their opponents enough to earn the victory.

There has been more than a little bad blood between the Undisputed Kingdom and the Best Friends, so it was only fitting that they meet in the ring as part of the tag title tournament. Former International Champion Orange Cassidy is working with longtime pal Trent Beretta in the tournament, and they were put up against the Kingdom's Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. 

The two teams held nothing back and the momentum of the match constantly shifted. However, it was the Best Friends who came out on top when all was said and done. And they were met by their next opponents on their way out of the ring. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson came out of the tunnel for a brief stare down with the Best Friends, as AEW commentary confirmed their semifinal match.

The Bucks and Best Friends will meet in the ring during next Wednesday's episode of AEW Dynamite. The winner will move on to the final, where they'll fight for the AEW Tag Team Championships at AEW Dynasty on April 21st.