AEW Bash at the Beach was a series of professional wrestling events produced by All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The two-part, nine-day event began on January 15, 2020, from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida with a special episode of Dynamite, which aired as a television special on TNT. The series continued with Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea, with matches from the cruise airing on the January 22 episode of Dynamite. The events continued until January 24. The event takes its name from an old World Championship Wrestling (WCW) pay-per-view of the same name, but is not a continuation of that chronology, as that library of events is owned by WWE. The event was replaced by Beach Break in 2021, due to a settlement reached with WWE regarding ownership of the Bash at the Beach trademark.

AEW Bash at the Beach
Promotional poster featuring various AEW wrestlers
PromotionAll Elite Wrestling
DateJanuary 15, 2020
CityCoral Gables, Florida
VenueWatsco Center
Attendance3,900[1]
AEW Bash at the Beach chronology
← Previous
First
Next →
Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea
AEW Dynamite special episodes chronology
← Previous
Homecoming
Next →
Fyter Fest

Production

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Other on-screen personnel
Role Name
Commentators Jim Ross
Excalibur
Tony Schiavone
Ring announcer Justin Roberts
Referees Aubrey Edwards
Bryce Remsburg
Paul Turner
Rick Knox
Interviewer Jenn Decker

Background

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From 1994 to 2000, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) held a series of pay-per-view shows called Bash at the Beach, which was created by Dusty Rhodes. WWE (then known as the World Wrestling Federation) purchased WCW in 2001 and acquired their intellectual property, including the trademark for Bash at the Beach. In 2004/2005, WWE allowed this trademark to expire. Dusty's son Cody Rhodes, who became a wrestler and an executive vice president of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), trademarked several terms for AEW, including "Bash at the Beach" on March 18, 2019,[2][3] due to it being one of his father's creations.[4] Cody commented on these filings stating that they were personal and most would not be used by AEW.[5] However, on November 18, 2019, the promotion announced that the January 15, 2020, episode of Dynamite would be a special episode titled Bash at the Beach as part of a ten-day event from Coral Gables, Florida and the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship from Norwegian Cruise Line.[6]

Storylines

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Bash at the Beach featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.[7] Storylines were produced on AEW's weekly television program, Dynamite, the supplementary online streaming show, Dark, and The Young Bucks' YouTube series Being The Elite.

Reception

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Television ratings

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Bash at the Beach averaged 940,000 television viewers on TNT and a 0.38 rating in AEW's key demographic.[8]

Aftermath

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Although AEW went ahead and held Bash at the Beach, the trademark that Cody Rhodes had filed was officially denied in August 2020.[9][10][11][12] By November of that year, a settlement was reached between Cody and WWE in which Cody gained the "Cody Rhodes" trademark, which WWE had held onto after his run in that company, in exchange for WWE gaining the WCW event name trademarks that Cody had claimed, including Bash at the Beach.[13] As a result, in 2021, AEW established Beach Break to replace Bash at the Beach as their annual midwinter beach-themed event.[14]

Results

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No.ResultsStipulationsTimes[19]
1The Elite (Adam Page and Kenny Omega tag team) defeated The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson), The Inner Circle (Santana and Ortiz), and Best Friends (Chuck Taylor and Trent?) (with Orange Cassidy)Four-way tag team match
Winning team faced SoCal Uncensored for the AEW World Tag Team Championship[15]
17:06
2Hikaru Shida and Kris Statlander defeated The Nightmare Collective (Brandi Rhodes and Mel) (with Luther)Tag team match[16]12:15
3Jon Moxley defeated Sammy Guevara by submissionTournament Semifinals to determine the #1 contender for the AEW World Championship at Revolution[17]10:02
4MJF, The Butcher and the Blade (with The Bunny and Wardlow) defeated Diamond Dallas Page, Dustin Rhodes, and Q. T. MarshallSix-man tag team match[18]10:10
5Pac defeated Darby AllinTournament Semifinals to determine the #1 contender for the AEW World Championship at Revolution[18]11:42

AEW World Championship #1 Contender Tournament

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Semifinals
AEW Bash at the Beach (January 15)
Final
Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea (January 22)
Taped January 21
      
4 Pac Pin
Darby Allin 11:42
2 Pac 17:20
1 Jon Moxley Pin
5 Sammy Guevara 10:02
1 Jon Moxley Sub

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Observer Staff (January 16, 2020). "January 20, 2020 Observer Newsletter: Death of Rocky Johnson, AEW extends TV deal". f4wonline.com. Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  2. ^ "Cody Rhodes Files For Trademarks On "Bash At The Beach," "Battlebowl," And "Bunkhouse Stampede" | Fightful Wrestling". www.fightful.com. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  3. ^ Quarrinton, Norm (March 20, 2019). "AEW VPs Teasing "Bash At The Beach" Revival After Trademark Filing". prowrestlingsheet.com. Pro Wrestling Sheet. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  4. ^ Five, Self High. "Bash at the Beach: la gran extravagancia de AEW". Superluchas | Noticias y resultados en vivo WWE, RAW, Lucha Libre, UFC, Box (in Spanish). Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  5. ^ Pollock, John (2019-11-18). "POLLOCK'S NEWS UPDATE: AEW holding 'Bash at the Beach' in January". POST Wrestling | WWE NXT NJPW AEW UFC Podcasts, News & Reviews. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  6. ^ Toro, Carlos (November 18, 2019). "AEW Dynamite Repackaging 1/15 Episode As "Bash At The Beach," 1/22 Episode Details Confirmed". fightful.com. Fightful. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  7. ^ Grabianowski, Ed (January 13, 2006). "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks, Inc. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  8. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (January 16, 2020). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.15.2020". showbuzzdaily.com. Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on January 18, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  9. ^ "Cody's Request For 'Bash At The Beach' Trademark Reconsideration Denied | Fightful Wrestling". www.fightful.com. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  10. ^ @AEWrestling (November 18, 2019). "The #AEWDynamite scheduled for Wednesday, January 15th in Miami, Florida has gotten just a little bit bigger now as the event will be Officially Titled: BASH AT THE BEACH Tickets go on sale THIS FRIDAY, November 22nd at Noon ET for AEW's #BashAtTheBeach. (Note: Although listed as Miami, the venue is officially in Coral Gables, Florida)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "AEW Dynamite Is Reviving WCW's Bash At The Beach". UPROXX. 2019-11-18. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  12. ^ "AEW Revives WCW's Bash at the Beach For Nine-Day Event". Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  13. ^ Santa Maria, Alex (November 7, 2020). "WWE Secures Several WCW Trademarks Previously Sought Out By Cody Rhodes". WrestleZone. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  14. ^ DeFelice, Robert (November 8, 2020). "Tony Khan Likes AEW's 'Big Four' Pay-Per-View Schedule, Announces 'Beach Break' Special For January". Fightful. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  15. ^ @AEWrestling (January 10, 2020). "Just signed for #AEW #BashAtTheBeach 4 Way Tag Team Match for an #AEW World Tag Team Championship Match w/ SCU THE YOUNG BUCKS vs Hangman & Omega vs Santana & Ortiz vs BEST FRIENDS Get tix at AEWTIX or Watch Live at 8/7c Wed, Jan 15th on @tntdrama" (Tweet). Retrieved January 10, 2020 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ @AEWrestling (January 15, 2020). "Breaking news - Awesome Kong is not medically cleared due to illness. @TheBrandiRhodes will now team with @MelAEW to face @callmekrisstat & @shidahikaru TONIGHT at 8/7c on #AEWDynamite" (Tweet). Retrieved January 15, 2020 – via Twitter.
  17. ^ Toro, Carlos (January 9, 2020). "Sammy Guevara vs. Jon Moxley Announced For AEW Bash At The Beach". fightful.com. Fightful. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  18. ^ a b Rose, Bryan (January 8, 2020). "Three matches set for next week's AEW Dynamite, DDP to debut". f4wonline.com. Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  19. ^ Barnett, Jake (January 15, 2020). "1/15 AEW Dynamite TV results: Barnett's live review of Pac vs. Darby Allin and Jon Moxley vs. Sammy Guevara in matches to determine the No. 1 contender to the AEW Title, Young Bucks vs. Kenny Omega and Hangman Page vs. Santana and Ortiz vs. Best Friends in a four-way for an AEW Tag Title shot". prowrestling.net. Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
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