Ricochet’s first opponent for the AEW National Championship is official.
Ricochet will defend his new title on Friday night against veteran ROH talent Dalton Castle, as announced on Tuesday evening. The matchup will take place as part of ROH Final Battle from the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.
Ricochet became the inaugural AEW National Champion last month, winning a 12-man Casino Gauntlet match at Full Gear. It has been known for weeks that whoever won the title would defend it for the first time at Final Battle, although it was revealed for the first time this week that Ricochet’s opponent will be Castle.
While Castle is no stranger to gold, including a run as the ROH World Champion from 2017 to 2018, he has yet to capture an AEW-branded title in his career. That could change if he pulls off the upset this weekend in Columbus.
The upcoming matchup will be the first time an AEW title has been defended on an ROH card, per the promotion.
Here’s a look at Friday’s ROH card, the promotion’s final live event of the year:
- ROH Championship – Survival of the Fittest: Bandido © vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Hechicero vs. Komander vs. Blake Christian vs. Beast Mortos
- ROH Women’s Championship: Athena © vs. Persephone
- ROH Women’s Television Championship: Mercedes Moné © vs. Red Velvet
- AEW National Championship: Ricochet © vs. Dalton Castle
- ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Shane Taylor Promotions © vs. SkyFlight
- ROH Women’s Pure Championship – Tournament Final: TBA vs. TBA
- ROH Tag Team Championship – Vacant: Sammy Guevara & Beast Mortos vs. Tommy Billington & Adam Priest
- 30-Minute Iron Man Match: Lee Moriarty vs. Nigel McGuinness
