Holiday Bash (2023) Explained

Holiday Bash
Promotion:All Elite Wrestling
Liveevent:Y
Date:December 20 and 23, 2023
Date Aired:December 20, 22, and 23, 2023
City:Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Dec. 20)
San Antonio, Texas (Dec. 23)
Venue:Paycom Center (Oklahoma City)
Frost Bank Center (San Antonio)
Attendance:Night 1: 4,631[1]
Night 2: 4,631[2]
Night 3: 4,874[3]
Lastevent:2022
Event:AEW Dynamite special episodes
Lastevent2:Winter Is Coming
Nextevent2:New Year's Smash
Event2:AEW Rampage special episodes
Lastevent3:Winter Is Coming
Nextevent3:New Year's Smash
Event3:AEW Collision special episodes
Lastevent4:Winter Is Coming

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 AEW 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
Ring announcers
RefereesAubrey Edwards
Bryce Remsberg
Mike Posey
Paul Turner
Rick Knox
Brandon Martinez
Stephon Smith
InterviewersRenee 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 AEW 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 3

Notes and References

  1. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=378396 Holiday Bash 2023 - Tag 1
  2. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=378397 Holiday Bash
  3. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=378832 Holiday Bash
  4. Web site: AEW ANNOUNCES HOLIDAY BASH, NEW YEAR'S SMASH SPECIAL EVENTS. December 9, 2020. Rose. Bryan. Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. December 27, 2021.
  5. Web site: AEW HOLIDAY BASH SET FOR BOTH DYNAMITE, CHRISTMAS NIGHT RAMPAGE. Nason. Josh. December 8, 2021. December 9, 2021. Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online.
  6. Web site: AEW Dynamite Holiday Bash results, live blog (Dec. 20, 2023): Gold League wraps up. December 20, 2023. Elizabeth. Claire. Cageside Seats. December 27, 2023.
  7. Web site: Trios Championship match announced for next week's AEW Collision Holiday Bash. December 16, 2023. Rose. Bryan. Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. December 18, 2023.
  8. Web site: How Pro Wrestling Works. Grabianowski. Ed. HowStuffWorks. January 13, 2006. Discovery Communications. March 5, 2012. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20131129050844/https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm. November 29, 2013.
  9. Web site: 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. December 27, 2023. Powell. Jason. Pro Wrestling Dot Net. December 27, 2023.