Andrade El Idolo retained the AEW National Championship against Tommaso Ciampa at WrestleDream on Saturday.
Andrade pinned Ciampa with The DM at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida, after turning the challenger’s attempt to repeat a successful tactic from Wednesday against him.
The match mixed extended striking exchanges with several near falls. Andrade completed the Three Amigos on the floor before hitting a split-legged moonsault inside the ring.
Ciampa later gained control and took time to pose for a ringside selfie with his daughter Willow and wife Jessie.
The pair also played into Andrade’s recurring routine of removing his entrance pants during matches. Ciampa stripped off one layer of his own gear to reveal trunks reading “I Just Know,” a reference to Andrade’s “How you know?” catchphrase.
After Andrade eventually removed his pants, he hit several running double knees and later Dia de los Muertos for a close near fall.
Ciampa responded with a running knee and subsequently sent Andrade into a camera operator at ringside before scoring another two-count.
The finish involved the National Championship belt.
Ciampa initially tried to bring the title into the ring, but referee Aubrey Edwards stopped him. He then introduced a chair, drawing Edwards away as she removed it.
That mirrored Wednesday’s Dynamite, when Ciampa used the National title behind the referee’s back to hit Andrade with the Willow’s Bell during a tag match, setting up Samoa Joe to submit Andrade.
This time, Andrade was ready. He reversed Ciampa’s attempt and drove him onto the championship belt with a DDT. Ciampa kicked out, but Andrade followed immediately with The DM for the victory.
