Title vs. title match booked for AEW Grand Slam

Update —

AEW hasn’t clarified whether Claudio Castagnoli vs. Eddie Kingston will be on Dynamite Grand Slam or Rampage Grand Slam. A social media reference to the match being on Dynamite Grand Slam was changed to just Grand Slam.

Dynamite Grand Slam is airing live on Wednesday, September 20. Rampage Grand Slam is being taped that night and will air on Friday, September 22.

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In his hometown of New York, Eddie Kingston will have a high-stakes clash with Claudio Castagnoli.

AEW has revealed that Castagnoli and Kingston will face off in a title vs. title match at Grand Slam on Wednesday, September 20. Castagnoli’s ROH World Championship and Kingston’s NJPW Strong Openweight Championship will both be up for grabs.

The match was made during a sit-down interview that Tony Schiavone conducted with Castagnoli and Kingston on Saturday’s episode of Collision. The sit-down was focused on Castagnoli and Kingston’s history with each other and how their friendship turned into a rivalry.

Kingston wanted a shot at the ROH World Championship and stated that he would defend his Strong Openweight title too. Castagnoli then brought up a time Kingston wouldn’t shake his hand 15 years ago. Castagnoli’s condition of agreeing to the match was that Kingston would have to shake his hand after Castagnoli defeats him at Grand Slam.

This March, Castagnoli retained the ROH World Championship against Kingston at Supercard of Honor.

Kingston’s team was victorious over Castagnoli’s in a Stadium Stampede match at All In this August. Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta then defeated Kingston & Katsuyori Shibata at All Out.

Grand Slam is a special edition of Dynamite/Rampage that’s held annually at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City.