The bracket to crown All Elite Wrestling's inaugural trios champions has been unveiled. Over the past few weeks, several teams have laid claim to partaking in the tournament, and the released bracket has given the first official look at which eight teams will compete for the chance to be crowned the promotion's first trios champions. The tournament will come to an end at the All Out pay-per-view in September, where the champions will be crowned.
Over the next several weeks, the tournament will take place, featuring competitors that are under contract with AEW, and some that are not. One of the eight teams that will compete in the tournament is a trio from New Japan Pro-Wrestling, who has previously appeared on AEW programming, including the joint AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view. Aside from crowning its new champions, the tournament also has the potential to deliver a stunning surprise.
The bracket for the AEW World Trios Championship Tournament includes the House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews), the Dark Order, the Trustbusters (Ari Daivari, Slim J, and Parker Boudreaux), the Best Friends (Trent Beretta, Chuck Taylor, and Orange Cassidy), Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero M, and Rey Fenix), NJPW's Will Ospreay and Aussie Open (Mark Davis and Kyle Fletcher), Andrade El Idolo, Dragon Lee, and Rush, and the Young Bucks and their mystery partner. The tournament will commence next Wednesday with Idolo, Lee, and Rush competing against the Young Bucks and their mystery opponent in the first round.
After appearing to bury the hatchet last week, the Young Bucks approached Hangman Adam Page to be their third partner on Dynamite. Page declined the invitation, choosing to stick with the Dark Order. Without the Young Bucks being able to call on Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, or Bobby Fish, many have begun to speculate that the secret identity of their partner will mark the return of Kenny Omega. Omega has been absent from AEW in-ring competition since last November's Full Gear pay-per-view.
Omega's potential return would provide a new threat to the trios tournament. Omega and Ospreay have not been quiet about their animosity for one another, meaning the two could collide in the semifinals if both teams are victorious. Fans of Being The Elite have pointed out what they have believed to be hints toward Omega's impending return over the past few weeks. BTE has also mentioned the Dark Order's involvement in the tournament, as Page has remarked that the faction's four members (Alex Reynolds, John Silver, Pres10 Vance, and Evil Uno) will make the best trio in the tournament.
Both Omega and AEW World Champion CM Punk have been out with injuries and were suggested to return to AEW around All Out. Following Punk's triumphant return to Dynamite to confront interim world champion, Jon Moxley, it could mean that Omega isn't that far behind him. With a potential collision between friends and enemies, how AEW's World Trios Championship Tournament will shape up will only come to light in the weeks leading up to All Out on September 4.
Source: All Elite Wrestling