Orange Cassidy Returns To CHIKARA Roots In Big AEW Rampage Win

The Best Friends busted the Trustbusters on Friday's "AEW Rampage," and for at least one night, Orange Cassidy channeled his inner ant.

The trio of Cassidy, Trent Beretta, and Chuck Taylor were victorious over Ari Daivari, Slim J, and Parker Boudreaux in the first round of the AEW World Trios Championship tournament, broadcast last night. Originally taped on Wednesday, The Best Friends pinned Slim J using an old stalwart of the independent wrestling scene: The Ant Hill, known as the finishing maneuver of CHIKARA's famed ant-themed wrestling stable, The Colony. The move involves two wrestlers (in this case, Beretta and Taylor) holding an opponent above the mat horizontally while a third climbs up their partners' shoulders before crashing down with a frog splash. In CHIKARA, the splash was often performed by Cassidy, known at the time as Fire Ant, and Cassidy performed it again on "Rampage," returning to his roots and earning the win for his team.

The match also involved longtime Best Friend ally Danhausen and recently turned Trustbusters member Sonny Kiss, who accompanied her new team to ringside but did not compete.

The Best Friends will now wait until next week's episode of "AEW Rampage," where they will face the winner of the upcoming match between House of Black's Malakai Black, Brody King and Buddy Matthews and Dark Order's Alex Reynolds, John Silver and Preston Vance. On the other end of the bracket, The Elite's Kenny Omega, Nick and Matt Jackson advanced to the other semifinal match by besting Dragon Lee, Rush & Andrade El Idolo. The Elite will face the winners of the August 24th match between United Empire's Will Ospreay, Kyle Fletcher, and Mark Davis and Death Triangle's PAC, Penta Oscuro, and Rey Fenix. The tournament finals will take place on September 4th at All Out.