Young Bucks Wanted Popular AEW Team To Squash Them For Titles

There were plenty of feel good moments to go around in pro wrestling throughout 2024, and one of the best occurred on October 30, when Private Party defeated the Young Bucks to capture the AEW World Tag Team Championships. During an interview this week, however, the Bucks revealed that said moment wasn't supposed to happen, and several other plans for Matthew and Nicolas Jackson to drop the tag titles to other teams had been in place before Private Party got the nod.

Now, one of those initial plans has come to light. Fightful Select reports that the Bucks were at one point penciled in to lose the tag titles in an Elite Roulette match, which would see a random team chosen to face the EVPs. The Bucks weren't just looking to lose either, as they were hoping for "a certain tag team" to squash the duo in taking the gold.

The team in question appears to be none other than The Outrunners, who began gaining momentum in AEW in the late summer and early fall. Those in AEW confirmed the duo were at least considered for the role, and there was a growing belief at the time that they would be the ones to dethrone the Bucks. Those plans would ultimately change, as outlined by the Bucks, after their WrestleDream match against Private Party, which led to AEW instead going with Zay and Quen.

Since the loss, the Bucks have taken a bit of a siesta from AEW and pro wrestling altogether, though they did make a surprise appearance at New Japan's Strong Style Evolved event in Long Beach. The duo will be back in New Japan for Wrestle Dynasty this weekend, where they'll face Great O'Khan and a mystery partner for the vacant IWGP Tag Team Championships.