{{Short description|All Elite Wrestling two-part television special}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox professional wrestling event |name = Maximum Carnage |image = AEW Maximum Carnage promotional poster.jpeg |caption = Promotional poster featuring various AEW wrestlers |promotion = All Elite Wrestling |liveevent = Y |date = January 15 and 16, 2025 |date_aired = January 15 and 18, 2025 |city = Cincinnati, Ohio |venue = Andrew J. Brady Music Center |attendance = 1,570 (''Dynamite'')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=415373 |title=AEW Dynamite #276 - Maximum Carnage - Tag 1 |date= |last= |first= |work=Cagematch.net |access-date=January 23, 2025 }}</ref><br>1,410 (''Collision'')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=412127 |title=AEW Collision #77 - Maximum Carnage - Tag 2 |date= |last= |first= |work=Cagematch.net |access-date=January 23, 2025 }}</ref> |tagline = |event = ''AEW Dynamite'' special episodes |lastevent2 = Fight for the Fallen |nextevent2 = Spring BreakThru |event2 = ''AEW Collision'' special episodes |lastevent3 = Christmas Collision |nextevent3 = Homecoming }} '''Maximum Carnage''' was a two-part professional wrestling television special produced by All Elite Wrestling (AEW). It took place on January 15 and 16, 2025, at the Andrew J. Brady Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, encompassing the broadcasts of ''Wednesday Night Dynamite'' and ''Saturday Night Collision''. ''Dynamite'' aired live on January 15 on TBS in the United States, while ''Collision'' was taped on January 16 and aired on tape delay on January 18 on TNT, also in the United States. Both shows were also simulcast on the streaming service Max.
The opening match of ''Collision'' was notable as the in-ring retirement of Christopher Daniels, who was defeated by knockout by "Hangman" Adam Page in a Texas Death Match. Daniels would continue his role both on-screen and backstage as Head of Talent Relations at AEW.
==Production== ===Background=== On December 5, 2024, the American professional wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) filed to trademark "Maximum Carnage".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/aew-files-trademark-maximum-combat-maximum-carnage-and-more|title=AEW Files To Trademark 'Maximum Combat,' 'Maximum Carnage,' And More|date=December 6, 2024|last=Lambert|first=Jeremy|work=Fightful|access-date=December 6, 2024}}</ref> On December 23, the company announced that Maximum Carnage would be a two-part television special, first airing as a special episode of AEW's flagship program, ''Wednesday Night Dynamite'', and then as a special episode of ''Saturday Night Collision''. The event was scheduled to be held on January 15 and 16, 2025, at the Andrew J. Brady Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. ''Dynamite'' aired live on January 15 on TBS in the United States, while ''Collision'' was taped on January 16 and aired on tape delay on January 18 on TNT, also in the United States. Both shows were also simulcast on the streaming service Max.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/aew-announces-maximum-carnage-dynamite-and-collision-tapings|title=AEW Announces Maximum Carnage Dynamite And Collision Tapings|date=December 23, 2024|last=Russell|first=Skylar|work=Fightful|access-date=December 23, 2024}}</ref>
''Collison''<nowiki/>'s opening match marked the in-ring retirement of Christopher Daniels. In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Daniels described his reasoning going into event. He stated that he "knew my contract as a performer was coming to an end." He described his body was feeling "eh", and he wasn't wrestling much anymore. He rejected Tony Khan's requests to label his match with "Hangman" Adam Page as a retirement match, stating "I also didn't want people to know it was my final match. I want people to be shocked."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-03 |title=Christopher Daniels On His Retirement Match, FAKE Eye Injury, AEW, TNA, Higher Power, Tiffany Stratton |url=https://chrisvanvliet.com/2025/07/03/christopher-daniels-on-his-retirement-match-fake-eye-injury-aew-tna-higher-power-tiffany-stratton/ |access-date=2025-07-29 |website=Chris Van Vliet |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Storylines=== Maximum Carnage featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|title=How Pro Wrestling Works|last=Grabianowski|first=Ed|date=January 13, 2006|access-date=February 8, 2019|work=HowStuffWorks, Inc.|publisher=Discovery Communications|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129050844/http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|archive-date=November 29, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Storylines were produced on AEW's weekly television programs, ''Dynamite'' and ''Collision''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-event/aew-dynamite-cincinnati |title=AEW Dynamite: Cincinnati |date= |last= |first= |work=All Elite Wrestling|access-date=December 27, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-event/aew-collision-cincinnati |title=AEW Collision: Cincinnati |date= |last= |first= |work=All Elite Wrestling|access-date=December 27, 2024}}</ref>
==Results== {{Professional wrestling results table |caption = ''Dynamite'' (aired live January 15) |times = <ref name="MaximumCarnage2025 1">{{cite web|last=Barnett|first=Jake|title=AEW Dynamite results (1/15): Barnett's live review of Jon Moxley vs. Powerhouse Hobbs for the AEW World Championship, women's Casino Gauntlet, Kenny Omega vs. Brian Cage, Hook vs. Christian Cage|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2025/01/15/aew-dynamite-results-1-15-barnetts-live-review-of-jon-moxley-vs-powerhouse-hobbs-for-the-aew-world-championship-womens-casino-gauntlet-kenny-omega-vs-brian-cage-hook-vs-christian-cag/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=January 15, 2025|access-date=January 15, 2025}}</ref> |match1 = Kenny Omega defeated Brian Cage (with Don Callis and Lance Archer) by pinfall |stip1 = Singles match<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/kenny-omega-compete-first-aew-match-over-year-aew-maximum-carnage|title=Kenny Omega To Compete In First AEW Match In Over A Year At AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage|date=January 8, 2025|last=Lambert|first=Jeremy|work=Fightful|access-date=January 9, 2025}}</ref> |time1 = 12:00 |match2 = The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP) defeated Mark Briscoe and Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) by pinfall |stip2 = Trios match<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/hurt-syndicate-compete-trios-match-aew-dynamite-maximum-carnage|title=Hurt Syndicate To Compete In Trios Match At AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage |date=January 11, 2025|last=Lambert|first=Jeremy|work=Fightful|access-date=January 12, 2025}}</ref> |time2 = 9:33 |match3 = Hook defeated Christian Cage (with Mother Wayne) by disqualification |stip3 = Singles match<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/christian-cage-compete-aew-dynamite-maximum-carnage|title=Christian Cage To Compete At AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage|date=January 1, 2025|last=Lambert|first=Jeremy|work=Fightful|access-date=January 2, 2025}}</ref> |time3 = 11:35 |match4 = Toni Storm won by pinning Julia Hart{{efn|Order of entrants: Kris Statlander, Jamie Hayter, Megan Bayne, Julia Hart, Willow Nightingale, Toni Storm, and Harley Cameron}} |stip4 = Casino Gauntlet match for a AEW Women's World Championship match at Grand Slam Australia<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/women-s-casino-gauntlet-match-announced-aew-dynamite-maximum-carnage|title=Women's Casino Gauntlet Match Announced For AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage|first=Jeremy|last=Lambert|work=Fightful|date=January 7, 2025|access-date=January 7, 2025}}</ref> |time4 = 12:46 |match5 = Jon Moxley (c) (with Claudio Castagnoli, Pac, and Marina Shafir) defeated Powerhouse Hobbs by technical submission |stip5 = Singles match for the AEW World Championship<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/aew-world-title-bout-set-aew-dynamite-maximum-carnage|title=AEW World Title Bout Set For AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage|date=January 8, 2025|last=Lambert|first=Jeremy|work=Fightful|access-date=January 8, 2025}}</ref> |time5 = 13:30 }}
{{Notelist}}
{{Professional wrestling results table |caption = ''Collision'' (taped January 16, airing January 18) |times = <ref name="MaximumCarnage2025 2">{{cite web|last=Barnett|first=Jake|title=AEW Collision results (1/18): Powell's live review of Hangman Page vs. Christopher Daniels in a Texas Death Match, Kazuchika Okada vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the AEW Continental Title, Julia Hart vs. Harley Cameron|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2025/01/18/aew-collision-results-1-18-powells-live-review-of-hangman-page-vs-christopher-daniels-in-a-texas-death-match-kazuchika-okada-vs-tomohiro-ishii-for-the-aew-continental-title-julia-ha/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=January 18, 2025|access-date=January 18, 2025}}</ref> |match1 = "Hangman" Adam Page defeated Christopher Daniels by knockout |stip1 = Texas Death match<ref name=CollisionSpoiler>{{cite web|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/aew-collision-maximum-carnage-spoilers-from-cincinnati/|title=AEW Collision Maximum Carnage spoilers from Cincinnati|date=January 16, 2025|last=Jim|first=Valley|work=F4WOnline|access-date=January 17, 2025}}</ref> |time1 = 16:40 |match2 = The Undisputed Kingdom (Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong) defeated Shane Taylor Promotions (Carlie Bravo, Capt. Shawn Dean, and Lee Moriarty) (with Shane Taylor) by pinfall |stip2 = Trios match<ref name=CollisionSpoiler/> |time2 = 6:55 |match3 = Murder Machines (Brian Cage and Lance Archer) defeated Top Flight (Dante Martin and Darius Martin) (with Leila Grey) by pinfall |stip3 = Tag team match<ref name=CollisionSpoiler/> |time3 = 3:50 |match4 = Kazuchika Okada (c) defeated Tomohiro Ishii by pinfall |stip4 = Singles match for the AEW Continental Championship<ref name=CollisionSpoiler/> |time4 = 8:15 |match5 = Dustin Rhodes defeated Adam Priest by pinfall |stip5 = Singles match<ref name=CollisionSpoiler/> |time5 = 2:15 |match6 = Julia Hart defeated Harley Cameron by submission |stip6 = Singles match<ref name=CollisionSpoiler/> |time6 = 7:25 |match7 = Powerhouse Hobbs, The Outrunners (Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd), and Rated FTR (Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler, and Cope) defeated Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta) and The Learning Tree (Chris Jericho, Big Bill, and Bryan Keith) (with Marina Shafir) by pinfall |stip7 = 12-man tag team match<ref name=CollisionSpoiler/> |time7 = 17:45 }}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.allelitewrestling.com/ All Elite Wrestling Official website]
{{All Elite Wrestling events|Maximum Carnage}}
Maximum Carnage Category:2020s American television specials Category:2025 in professional wrestling Category:2025 American television episodes Category:January 2025 sports events in the United States Category:Professional wrestling shows in Cincinnati Category:2025 television specials