Kenny Omega Beats Takeshita to Win AEW International Title at 2025 Revolution
Kenny Omega defeated Konosuke Takeshita at AEW Revolution on Sunday to win the International Championship.
Omega and Takeshita put on a classic with a ton of memorable moments that had fans chanting, "Fight forever!" In the end, Omega added another title to his legendary resume.
After missing just over a year of action due to injury, Omega returned to the ring in January, beating Gabe Kidd at Wrestle Dynasty. After that, it wasn't long before he turned his attention to Takeshita and the Don Callis Family.
Prior to landing on the shelf in 2023, Omega feuded with Takeshita, leading to a pair of pay-per-view matches at All In and All Out.
Takeshita, Jay White and Juice Robinson beat Omega, Kota Ibushi and "Hangman" Adam Page in a six-man tag team match at All In 2023, and Takeshita followed that up by defeating Omega a week later in a singles bout at All Out.
Shortly after his return, Omega began mixing it up with Takeshita and his former close friend in Callis once again, leading to a tag team match at Grand Slam Australia last month, which saw Omega and Will Ospreay take down Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher.
Following the victory, Omega made it clear that he had even greater ambitions, and he laid down a challenge to Takeshita for an international title bout at Revolution.
First, Takeshita had to defend the title against Orange Cassidy on the Feb. 26 episode of Dynamite. Once he was successful, Takeshita vs. Omega became official for Revolution.
In addition to trying to beat Takeshita in a singles match for the first time, Omega entered Revolution in search of his first AEW singles title since dropping the AEW World Championship in November 2021.
Omega was up to the task, as he finally got the better of Takeshita in a one-on-one affair and became international champion for the first time in the process.
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Jon Moxley Beats Cope and Christian Cage to Retain AEW Championship at 2025 Revolution
Jon Moxley beat Cope and Christian Cage to retain the AEW World Championship at Revolution on Sunday night.
The main event started as a one-on-one between Moxley and Cope, but Cage interfered in the match and signed his AEW World Championship match contract tp make it a triple threat match. However, Moxley was able to secure the win by placing cage in his Bulldog Choke submission.
After the match, Moxley was attacked by Swerve Strickland, who is the No. 1 contender for the AEW World Championship.
After missing seven months of action due to a fractured tibia, Cope finally made his return to AEW programming at the Worlds End pay-per-view in December.
On the heels of Mox defeating "Hangman" Adam Page, Jay White and Orange Cassidy in the Worlds End main event to retain the AEW world title, Cope returned alongside FTR and confronted Moxley and his Death Riders stable.
In his first match after returning, Cope joined forces with FTR in a six-man tag team match, beating Death Riders members Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta at Fight for the Fallen.
In the weeks that followed, Cope continued to be a thorn in the side of Moxley and the Death Riders, and he did everything in his power to try to secure an AEW world title match.
The Rated-R Superstar beat Pac of the Death Riders in a singles match on the Jan. 22 episode of Dynamite, leading to a tag team street fight at Grand Slam Australia on Feb. 15, pitting Cope and White against Moxley and Claudio.
Thanks to interference from Yuta and Marina Shafir, Mox managed to choke out Cope to secure the win for his team.
Just days prior to the tag match, Cope was finally able to convince Moxley to grant him a championship opportunity thanks to a scheme he cooked up with White.
Cope and White stole the briefcase, which Moxley had been using to hold the AEW World Championship, and he threatened to open it until Mox agreed to a match at Revolution.
Although he previously held the TNT Championship, Cope entered Revolution looking to become AEW world champ for the first time, but Moxley denied him and extended his fourth reign as AEW world champion.
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Mercedes Mone Beats Momo Watanabe to Retain AEW TBS Title at 2025 Revolution
Mercedes Moné beat Momo Watanabe at AEW Revolution on Sunday to retain the TBS Championship.
Watanabe put forth a strong effort in a hard-fought match, but Moné overcame the onslaught to continue her stellar title reign.
Moné entered Revolution on a hot streak, having had several successful title defenses at major events, including beating Kris Statlander at both Full Gear and Worlds End, and defeating Harley Cameron at Grand Slam Australia.
Amid that run of success, Mercedes also beat Mina Shirakawa for the undisputed British Women's Championship at Wrestle Dynasty in January, adding it to the TBS title and NJPW Strong Women's Championship she already possessed.
After beating Cameron, it was unclear who would be the next to challenge The CEO, but a somewhat unexpected contender emerged in the form of Watanabe.
Moné was shown an interview Watanabe took part in at Grand Slam, during which Watanabe laid down a challenge for Revolution.
Watanabe, who is one of the faces of Stardom in Japan, defeated Willow Nightingale, Athena and Persephone in a four-way match on the Wrestle Dynasty pre-show, and she cited that victory as a reason why she deserved a TBS title opportunity.
While Sunday marked the first meeting between Moné and Watanabe under the AEW banner, they wrestled each other once before.
Back in August, Mercedes worked the NJPW Capital Collision show in Washington, D.C., and she beat Watanabe to retain the NJPW Strong Women's Championship.
The stakes were arguably even higher on Sunday, as Watanabe had the chance to win the second-biggest women's title in AEW at one of the company's major events.
There may be other such opportunities in Watanabe's future, but she was unable to dethrone Moné at Revolution, and Mercedes' title reign is now approaching 300 days.
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Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin Retain Tag Titles vs. Outrunners at AEW Revolution
Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin of The Hurt Syndicate defeated The Outrunners at Revolution on Sunday to retain the AEW World Tag Team Championships.
The Outrunners showed their skills in their first opportunity on the big stage, but it wasn't enough to overcome the juggernaut team of Lashley and Benjamin.
Lashley and Benjamin beat Private Party for the titles back in January, and Sunday marked their first title defense at a pay-per-view and second defense overall after retaining against The Gunns on an episode of Dynamite last month.
It didn't take long for Lashley and Benjamin to ascend to the top of the tag team division, as MVP made his AEW debut in September before bringing in both Lashley and Benjamin in October to form The Hurt Syndicate.
Initially, Lashley and Benjamin focused on singles endeavors, as Lashley feuded with Swerve Strickland and Benjamin competed in the Continental Classic.
However, they decided to enter the tag team ranks in January, and it wasn't long before they faced and defeated Private Party for the tag titles.
Following a successful title defense against Austin and Colten Gunn, The Hurt Syndicate was in search of a new challenger, and one emerged in the form of The Outrunners.
After Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum beat Brian Cage and Lance Archer on a recent episode of Dynamite, they were approached backstage by The Hurt Syndicate.
MVP decided to offer them a title opportunity against Lashley and Benjamin at Revolution as reward for their big victory, and the match was made official shortly thereafter.
Although they appeared on some of AEW's B- and C-level shows for years, The Outrunners didn't get their big break until 2024 when they began being used regularly on Dynamite and Collision.
They quickly established themselves as one of the most popular babyface tag teams in the company, making them logical opponents for the dominant Hurt Syndicate.
Although the fans were behind The Outrunners in Los Angeles on Sunday, they were unable to take down The Hurt Syndicate, once again leaving them short of tasting championship gold in AEW for the first time.
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Updated 2025 AEW Revolution Card and Predictions for Match Order
Sunday marks one of AEW's premiere pay-per-view events, as Revolution will take place in Los Angeles.
AEW is set to deliver one of its most-stacked cards in recent memory with several major titles on the line, including the AEW World Championship, AEW Women's World Championship and a host of others.
The rivalry between Toni Storm and Mariah May will perhaps be put to rest once and for all, while Kenny Omega will vie for the International Championship and Cope will look to become AEW world champion for the first time.
Here is a complete look at everything you need to know about AEW Revolution, including a full rundown of the card and the projected match order.
Where: Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles
When: Sunday, March 9 at 7 p.m. ET (Zero Hour Pre-Show starts at 6:30 p.m. ET)
Watch: Triller TV, Amazon Prime Video and PPV.com
AEW Revolution 2025 Card and Projected Match Order
-Pre-Show Match: "Big Boom" A.J., Orange Cassidy & Mark Briscoe vs. Johnny TV, Mansoor & Mason Madden
-AEW World Championship No. 1 Contender's Match: Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet
-AEW Continental Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Brody King
-AEW World Tag Team Championships: The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) (c) vs. The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum)
-AEW TBS Championship: Mercedes Moné vs. Momo Watanabe
-MJF vs. "Hangman" Adam Page
-Steel Cage Match: Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher
-AEW International Championship: Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs. Kenny Omega
-AEW Women's World Championship Falls Count Anywhere: Toni Storm (c) vs. Mariah May
-AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Cope
Top AEW Revolution Matches to Watch
Toni Storm vs. Mariah May
There is perhaps no more compelling match on the Revolution card than the AEW Women's World Championship bout between "Timeless" Toni Storm and Mariah May.
Storm and May have been at odds since the summer, dating back to when May turned on her mentor after winning the Owen Hart Foundation Women's Tournament.
May went on to beat Storm for the women's title at All In, which sent Storm into a tailspin of sorts, as she reverted to the character she originally portrayed in AEW.
It was all a ruse, though, as Storm went back to the "Timeless" gimmick after becoming No. 1 contender, and she then beat May at Grand Slam Australia.
An unhinged May responded by brutally attacking Storm on multiple occasions, leading up to their Falls Count Anywhere match for the AEW Women's World Championship at Revolution.
Every Storm vs. May match has been entertaining due to the heated nature of their rivalry, and Sunday's bout could be the best one yet thanks to the Falls Count Anywhere stipulation.
Kenny Omega vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Just two months after his AEW return match, Kenny Omega will go for a championship at Revolution.
Injuries kept Omega out of action for over a year until he defeated Gabe Kidd at Wrestle Dynasty, and he followed that up with a win over Brian Cage on the Maximum Carnage edition of Dynamite on Jan. 15.
Omega later teamed with Will Ospreay to beat Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher at Grand Slam Australia to set up an International Championship match against Takeshita at Revolution.
Prior to getting injured, Omega had a pair of matches against Takeshita back in the summer of 2023. Takeshita, Jay White and Juice Robinson beat Omega, Kota Ibushi and "Hangman" Adam Page at All In, and then Takeshita defeated Omega in a singles match at All Out.
Omega never quite got proper revenge on Takeshita and Don Callis before landing on the shelf, but he will have his chance at Revolution.
Given the great chemistry Omega and Takeshita clearly had during their singles match in 2023, there is plenty of reason to believe they have what it takes to steal the show on a loaded card.
Jon Moxley vs. Cope
Jon Moxley has run roughshod over AEW since beating Bryan Danielson for the world title and retiring him at WrestleDream in October, but he may have finally met his match in the form of Cope.
Formerly known by his real name of Adam Copeland, Cope returned from injury at Worlds End in December, instantly targeting Moxley and the Death Riders.
Cope was a two-time TNT champion before getting injured, and he was an 11-time world champion in WWE as Edge, but a world title has eluded him thus far in AEW.
Mox always has the likes of Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Pac and Marina Shafir as backup, which is a big reason why he has remained world champ for as long as he has.
However, Cope has been supported by FTR since his return, and there is no telling who else may join him given the amount of enemies Moxley has made.
There is plenty of unpredictability surrounding Mox vs. Cope, which is part of what makes it a must-see match.
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Why The Perception of WWE and AEW is Shifting in 2025
When there is parity in professional wrestling, the pendulum will always swing back and forth between the top companies.
WWE undeniably leads the industry as the most well-known and lucrative purveyor of sports entertainment. The global juggernaut is hotter than it has been in years, setting new records and selling out arenas worldwide.
The Bloodline saga, which culminated in Cody Rhodes' ascension as this era's top pure babyface, was a creative zenith. Heading into Raw's highly publicized debut on Netflix, the company's pop-culture imprint soared to levels it hadn't seen in over a decade, and the appeal of its unique live experience is growing more popular.
Meanwhile, its distinguished competitor, All Elite Wrestling, struggled to sustain its audience in the face of controversial rumors and questionable decisions in 2024. Its product felt colder than ever, and its diminished viewership and ticket sales reflected this.
Still, the pendulum always eventually swings in the other direction. Although WWE has a who's who of celebrities in the front row at its shows and exposure to a wider audience, AEW has been on a bit of a hot streak to start 2025.
Viewers' preferences and overall enjoyment of both companies are subjective. However, the alternative brand has gradually returned to what it does best: putting on vibrant shows with some of the best displays of in-ring action.
Contrasting Expectations and Differing Returns
While some of WWE's prominent output has been uneventful, and the build to WrestleMania 41 has been sluggish, AEW came out of the gate swinging.
Despite the miscommunication and negative buzz surrounding Grand Slam Australia, it turned out to be a terrific outing with a substantial lead-in from NBA All-Star Saturday Night. In fact, Collision has quietly been more enjoyable lately, and this special pre-taped episode was just another example of how much it has improved on the Max streaming service.
The most recent episodes of Dynamite were also strong, aside from a few creative missteps and lingering low points. It's far from perfect, but it often feels closer to what initially got the relative newcomer to the dance.
Kenny Omega's return has been a notable shot in the arm, "Timeless" Toni Storm vs. Mariah May is still the most well-executed feud its women's division has produced. Closing the company’s first show in Australia was a triumph for both performers and proof of the storyline's success.
Swerve Strickland has had the Midas touch since his rivalry with "Hangman" Adam Page, and his latest angle with Ricochet subverted presumptions about the high-flyer. Surprisingly, this is some of the best character work of his career.
Honestly, one could argue our expectations for AEW were lower than usual coming into this year due to prevailing criticisms of its most glaring flaws. Thus, it was easier to exceed them with better shows following the success of the Continental Classic. On the contrary, WWE had an extremely successful year and we expected more of the same in 2025.
Instead, it has been all sizzle and no steak at times as the billion-dollar conglomerate promotes its live experience and heavily produced weekly programming ad nauseam. For example, Saturday Night's Main Event hasn’t lived up to the endless hype around the return of the iconic late-night special.
Conversely, the first premium live event of the year was a tale of two halves. The men’s Royal Rumble match was excellent and Jey Uso's upset victory was a pleasant surprise for viewers who have followed his journey since 2020.
In contrast, Charlotte Flair's return set up a predictable and uninspiring win for one of WWE's most divisive superstars. Nikki Bella's appearance as entrant No. 30 also perfectly sums up how expectations have been met with lessening returns.
It was great to see her in the ring again, but it didn't have the intended impact because so many fans were expecting Becky Lynch. Yes, WWE never hinted that The Man would appear, but the anticipation of her comeback is evident.
John Cena's retirement tour hasn't led to much yet, either, and Roman Reigns is off television…again. Rhodes is linked to The Bloodline again. With The Rock slated for this week's SmackDown, we're seemingly waiting for something to shake things up and reward our patience.
Can This Shift in Momentum Last?
It’s unclear if AEW will remain consistent, but the company usually delivers top-notch pay-per-views. If Tony Khan can maintain this reputation and continue to produce entertaining weekly programming, 2025 will be a much-needed return to form.
WrestleMania 41 will undoubtedly create memorable moments and propel WWE into the second quarter on a high note. Still, the road to The Grandest Stage of Them All hasn’t hit the highs of last year's build yet, and we're still waiting for the turning point.
To that end, both companies are at the precipice of a tremendous turnaround with more developments bound to come. It wouldn't be wise to count either of them out, but preconceived notions have caused a slight shift in perception to start the year.
AEW isn't on its deathbed and WWE isn't infallible. The upstart "Where the Best Wrestle" has told great stories despite the common objection to its focus on exceptional matches, and Triple H's regime has taken some of its most vocal criticism to date lately.
It may seem preposterous to compare the two at this point because the industry leader is still doing overwhelmingly well financially. However, All Elite Wrestling has always relied on its ability to fulfill the counterculture that rose in response to WWE's dominance and lull period.
The company tends to stumble when it can't satisfy its niche audience or offer an intriguing palate cleanser to fans of both brands. So far, AEW has shown glimpses of what initially made it special, and that's enough to flip the script after a prevalent year for its primary competitor.