Will Ospreay survived AEW’s first Clockwork Carnage match to retain the World Championship in the main event of WrestleDream.
Ospreay scored the decisive fall on Adam Copeland with only seconds remaining in the 15-minute scoring period, finishing with three points at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida.
Copeland, Darby Allin and Samoa Joe finished tied behind him with two points apiece. Kazuchika Okada and Ricochet scored once each.
Konosuke Takeshita and Mike Bailey were eliminated before the scoring portion began.
AEW announced Clockwork Carnage earlier this month as a two-stage match. Two wrestlers start, with another entering every three minutes. Pins and submissions eliminate wrestlers until the final entrant arrives, at which point a 15-minute period begins and every fall counts as one point.
Elimination stage
Ospreay and Takeshita start: The draw put Ospreay and Konosuke Takeshita in the number one and two spots. They immediately traded strikes before taking turns diving to the floor.
Mike Bailey entered third, briefly joining United Empire stablemate Ospreay in double-teaming Takeshita. Ricochet arrived fourth and initially suggested an alliance with Takeshita before almost immediately trying to roll him up.
Allin and Okada enter: Darby Allin was fifth and brought his skateboard into the match, using it against Ricochet before setting up a table at ringside. He later attempted a dive on Takeshita, who intercepted him in mid-air with a knee strike.
Kazuchika Okada entered sixth and immediately confronted Ospreay, continuing their rivalry after Ospreay defeated Okada at Grand Slam France.
The first elimination came when Takeshita countered Bailey and hit a Blue Thunder Bomb followed by Raging Fire for the pin.
Mike Bailey was eliminated.
Adam Copeland entered seventh to a lengthy singalong from the Orlando crowd. Takeshita soon caught him with a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Okada intervened and hit Takeshita with the Rainmaker for the second elimination.
Konosuke Takeshita was eliminated.
Samoa Joe, who had been the first wrestler to qualify, drew the final position. His arrival ended the elimination stage and started the 15-minute clock with six wrestlers remaining.
15-minute scoring stage
Joe strikes first: Joe immediately hit Allin with a Muscle Buster to record the first point. While Joe turned his attention elsewhere, Ricochet covered the fallen Allin to draw level.
Okada then hit Copeland with the Rainmaker for his first point.
Ospreay joined the scoreboard by hitting Ricochet with a Styles Clash. Allin answered almost immediately with a Coffin Drop on Ospreay, leaving five wrestlers on one point.
Allin then caught Copeland with a flash pin to become the first wrestler to reach two points. Ospreay quickly matched him, hitting Allin with a Hidden Blade for his second fall.
Joe draws level: With the match entering its closing stages, Copeland speared Ricochet from the apron through the table Allin had set up earlier.
Back inside, Joe repeatedly avoided Ospreay’s attempts at an OsCutter before applying the Coquina Clutch. Ospreay fought toward the ropes, but Joe pulled him back and eventually forced the champion to submit.
That took Joe to two points alongside Ospreay and Allin.
Copeland makes a late charge: With approximately three minutes remaining, Joe attempted a Muscle Buster on Ospreay. Copeland intervened with a spear and pinned Joe for his first point.
Ricochet then came off the ropes and was caught with another spear, allowing Copeland to score again and create a four-way tie at two points with Ospreay, Joe and Allin.
Inside the final minute, Copeland avoided a Hidden Blade and hit Ospreay with an Impaler DDT. Okada then returned and caught Copeland with a dropkick before attempting a Rainmaker.
Copeland ducked and speared Okada, but before he could capitalize, Ospreay struck Copeland with the Hidden Blade.
Ospreay covered him with only three seconds remaining to score his third point. The clock expired before anyone could answer.
Final score: Will Ospreay 3; Adam Copeland 2; Darby Allin 2; Samoa Joe 2; Kazuchika Okada 1; Ricochet 1.
Ospreay therefore retained the AEW World Championship in the promotion’s inaugural Clockwork Carnage match.
After the bell, Copeland initially shoved Ospreay. He then regained his composure and offered his hand, which the champion accepted.
Copeland pointed toward the World Championship before leaving Ospreay alone in the ring to close WrestleDream with the title.
