Warhammer fans and AEW wrestling fans alike will soon be making the Predator handshake meme thanks to an upcoming exhibition match that will see Claudio Castagnoli and Kip Sabian compete using Age of Sigmar's new Spearhead mode.
The combat is part of the upcoming Age of Sigmar: Mortal Realms Reforged 4th Edition miniature wargame preview, taking place during the Dallas Open at Arlington eSports Arena on May 16-17. Castagnoli and Sabian will take control of an army of Skaven and Stormcast Eternals and battle each other using the recently announced Spearhead game mode.
Sitting somewhere between lightning-fast skirmishes and complex, full-army battles, Spearhead heralds a gateway into large-scale Warhammer, played on a battlefield that’s only a quarter of the core game’s recommendations (and not coincidentally perfect for the kitchen table). Warhammer will be releasing Spearhead boxes for many of its existing factions, and existing Vanguard boxes will be rebranded in the future. Other changes include simplified Warscrolls, a Reinforcements keyword that returns certain defeated units to the board, and various other changes aimed at streamlining four-round games.
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Castagnoli and Sabian are both signed to All Elite Wrestling, one of the most successful promotional companies outside of the dominant World Wrestling Entertainment. Sabian is a British wrestler who first entered the scene in 2019, while Castagnoli joined AEW in 2022 after decades within the WWE program. Castagnoli currently performs with Blackpool Combat Club, and both have appeared in AEW’s sister promotion Ring of Honor. Both have used their non-American (and specifically European, in Castagnoli’s case) nationality as part of their in-ring personas.
Both wrestlers will be showing off the first live match of Spearhead since Games Workshop announced the upcoming mode earlier this year. I’m not entirely sure if either wrestler has a personal history with Warhammer, but we can add that to the growing fusion of “nerd culture” and professional wrestling – they’ve appeared in actual matches of Dungeons & Dragons, as well as defending their title while dressed up as Karlach from Baldur’s Gate 3. You could say that wrestling fandom has always existed comfortably within this sphere, itself a special interest with a devoted audience, deep and convoluted lore, and a distinctive aesthetic.
The Spearhead exhibition match is part of a larger preview and competition event taking place across the weekend, much of which will be streamed live on the Warhammer Twitch channel. Castagnoli and Sabian will face off at 8pm Central Standard Time (2am UK time) on May 16. More information about other events and previews can be found on the Warhammer Community Blog.