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Continental Classic: A Guide to AEW's Round Robin Tournament

AEW's Continental Classic begins tonight. Learn everything about the round-robin tournament, Blue and Gold Leagues, schedule, and how to watch.

The professional wrestling landscape finds itself on the precipice of one of its most anticipated annual competitions, as All Elite Wrestling (AEW) prepares to launch the third iteration of the Continental Classic tournament. Commencing this evening on the Thanksgiving Eve edition of AEW Dynamite, this prestigious tournament represents a significant moment in the organization's calendar, combining athletic excellence with strategic competition. For those unfamiliar with the intricacies of this round-robin format, or for seasoned enthusiasts seeking comprehensive information regarding this year's participants and scheduling, this guide endeavors to provide all necessary details.

Before getting into the details, I would like to take a moment to send my personal well-wishes to my brother and fellow Bleeding Cool contributor, Chad McMahon, who has fled the medical facility where he was recovering from an unfortunate journalism-related injury and is currently missing, reportedly living on the streets of Punxsutawney while suffering paranoid delusions about AEW owner Tony Khan. Come home, Chad. Your family misses you. Now, let's return to our primer for the Continental Classic.

What is the Continental Classic

The Continental Classic stands as AEW's preeminent annual tournament, a competition that draws substantial inspiration from New Japan Pro-Wrestling's (NJPW) venerable G1 Climax tournament. This round-robin format distinguishes itself from traditional single-elimination brackets by ensuring that every participant competes against each member of their designated league, creating a comprehensive test of skill, endurance, and consistency.

The stakes for this year's Continental Classic carry particular significance. The tournament's victor shall be crowned the AEW Continental Champion at the organization's Worlds End event, scheduled for December 27th in Chicago, Illinois. This development places considerable pressure upon the current titleholder, Kazuchika Okada, who must successfully navigate the tournament to retain his championship. Okada currently holds both the AEW Continental Championship and the AEW International Championship, collectively referred to as the AEW Unified Championship.

The scoring system operates on a points-based structure that rewards victories while penalizing defeats. A wrestler receives three points for securing a victory in a match, zero points for a loss, and one point in the event of a draw. Should competitors finish the round-robin stage with identical point totals, head-to-head records serve as the tiebreaker mechanism. The two highest-scoring wrestlers from each league advance to the semifinal round, where they face the runner-up from the opposite league.

Matches contested under Continental Rules feature a twenty-minute time limit and strictly prohibit ringside presence or outside interference. Violations of these stipulations result in banishment from AEW, ensuring the integrity of each competition.

The inaugural Continental Classic in 2023 culminated with Eddie Kingston emerging victorious. The 2024 tournament saw Okada claim the crown, establishing himself alongside Japanese professional wrestling legend Masahiro Chono as one of the greatest tournament wrestlers in history, each having secured five major tournament victories.

What are the Blue and Gold Leagues?

The Continental Classic divides its twelve participants into two distinct leagues, each containing six competitors who will face one another throughout the round-robin stage.

The Blue League features Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Konosuke Takeshita, Roderick Strong, Máscara Dorada, and Orange Cassidy. This league contains three members of the Death Riders faction (Moxley, Castagnoli), as well as multiple wrestlers with intertwined narratives that promise compelling confrontations.

The Gold League comprises Kazuchika Okada, Speedball Mike Bailey, Kyle Fletcher, Kevin Knight, PAC (another Death Rider), and Darby Allin. This league features both members of the JetSpeed faction (Bailey and Knight), guaranteeing an intriguing encounter between teammates, as well as Okada, whose championship reign hangs in the balance.

Seven wrestlers make their Continental Classic debuts this year: Bailey, Cassidy, Dorada, Knight, PAC, Strong, and Takeshita, who currently holds NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Allin, Moxley, Fletcher, and Okada return for their second tournament appearance, while Castagnoli distinguishes himself as the only competitor to participate in all three editions of the Continental Classic.

The tournament field encompasses multiple compelling storylines, including the simmering tensions between Don Callis Family members Okada and Takeshita, whose alliance has deteriorated throughout the year following Takeshita's declaration of championship ambitions.

How to Watch the Continental Classic

The Continental Classic unfolds across five weeks of competition, spanning multiple cities and both of AEW's flagship television programs.

Week One commences with AEW Thanksgiving Dynamite on Wednesday, November 26th (tonight), followed by AEW Thanksgiving Collision on Thursday, November 27th, both emanating from Nashville, Tennessee. Week Two continues with AEW Dynamite in Indianapolis, Indiana on Wednesday, December 3rd, and AEW Collision at GalaxyCon in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, December 6th.

Week Three features Winter is Coming AEW Dynamite in Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday, December 10th, and AEW Winter is Coming Collision in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom on Saturday, December 13th. The tournament then traverses international waters for Week Four, with AEW Dynamite Holiday Bash and AEW Collision Holiday Bash both occurring in Manchester, England, United Kingdom.

Week Five brings the round-robin stage to its conclusion with AEW Dynamite on 34th Street on Saturday, December 20th, and AEW Christmas Collision on Wednesday, December 21st, both broadcasting from New York City, New York. The championship final takes place at AEW Worlds End on Saturday, December 27th in Chicago, Illinois, available via HBO Max pay-per-view.

Fans can watch AEW Dynamite live at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (7:00 p.m. Central Time) on TBS and HBO Max, while Collision broadcasts on TNT. The tournament's conclusion at Worlds End requires HBO Max pay-per-view access, or purchase from another PPV provider.

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