AEW Dynamite
June 21st, 2023
By: John Siino
Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
The Hardys (Matt Hardy & Jeff Hardy) vs. The Gunns (Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn)
Matt Hardy and Austin Gunn start the match, as Matt leads the crowd in a ‘Delete’ chant. They quickly move onto ‘Ass Boys’, as Matt takes control before tagging in Jeff Hardy. The Hardys start double-teaming The Gunns including a double suplex on Austin and hitting a splash on Colten Gunn in the corner. As the referee is distracted, Colten hits a cheap shot on Jeff as Austin takes control, stomping out Jeff in the corner. Jeff is able to dodge Colten in the corner, fights off Austin and makes the hot tag to Matt who takes out The Gunns with clotheslines and a Side Effect. Matt hits the Twist of Fate on Austin, but Colten puts Austin’s foot on the rope to break up the count. Matt and Austin go at it, but Colten helps prevent another Twist of Fate. Jeff knocks Austin into the pin attempt from Colten to break it up. Jeff goes after both Gunns, before finally hitting a Twist of Fate on Colten. Jeff goes to the top rope, but Juice Robinson distracts the referee as Jay White knocks Jeff off the top rope. The Gunns hit 3:10 to Yuma as Austin pins Jeff for the win.
Winners: The Gunns (Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn) by pinfall at 7:02
I’m Not Even Supposed To Be Here
Bullet Club Gold and The Gunns continue attacking The Hardys after the match, including Juice hitting Jeff with a roll of quarters. Juice goes to hit Matt next, but Ricky Starks runs out, and he gets ambushed 4 to 1. FTR run out next, but they get outnumbered as well. CM Punk runs out to a big ovation to even up the odds. Punk goes to hit the GTS on Juice, but he is able to escape. Punk grabs the mic and says if they want to fight so bad they can fight ‘next week’ on Collision. Punk says he’s not even supposed to be here, as Excalibur clarifies the match will happen this Saturday on Collision.
Concession Stand Brawl: Jeff Jarrett vs. Mark Briscoe
We see a video package for the match, before cutting to the concession stand. Jeff Jarrett starts tossing hot dogs & popcorn at Mark Briscoe before Paul Turner can officially ring the bell, but not before asking everybody if they are ready, including the ladies working at the concession stand. Right away, Briscoe tosses Jeff into a table that’s up against a pillar, before they start using condiments, paper plates, and hot dogs on each other. We see one of the concession workers spray ketchup in Briscoe’s face, just to reveal herself to be Karen Jarrett. Another worker tosses water into Briscoe’s face to clear up the ketchup. Briscoe puts Jarrett on a table and starts climbing a ladder, but someone follows him up and tosses him off onto a table, just to reveal himself to be Sonjay Dutt as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, we see Papa Briscoe who was in disguise take out Jay Lethal as he approached the timekeeper’s table. Papa and Jeff go at it in the ring, until Satnam Singh runs out and stops Mark Briscoe from hitting a Jay Driller on Jarrett. The Best Friends, the Lucha Brothers & Christopher Daniels all run out to take out Singh, as Penta El Zero Miedo assists Mark tossing Jarrett into him, as Mark gets the roll-up for the pin.
Winner: Mark Briscoe by pinfall at 8:29
Amateur & Coward
We go to Blackpool Combat Club which is along with Don Callis & Konosuke Takeshita and says that the BCC define pro wrestling in 2023. For Forbidden Door, they have assembled an elite team, with Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli Takeshita & Shota Umino, and challenge The Elite to a 5-on-5 match at Forbidden Door. Danielson then talks about Kazuchika Okada, claiming he’s not even here, and says he’s nothing but an amateur. When he gets to the ring and calls out Okada, if he doesn’t show up he will prove to everyone what he just said about him being an amateur and a coward.
Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevera & Minoru Suzuki vs. Action Andretti, AR Fox & Darius Martin
Action Andretti & Sammy Guevara start the match, but Guevara quickly tags out to Minoru Suzuki. Darius Martin tags in and starts exchanging forearms with Suzuki. Chris Jericho tags in as he and Suzuki take down Martin with a double shoulder block as Suzuki & Jericho pose Les Sex Gods pose. AR Fox starts attacking Jericho in the corner, with a lariat and dropkicks, before going to the top rope but misses Jericho. As Jericho pulled Aubrey Edwards in, Guevara takes out Fox with a kick as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Fox is in control but Jericho tags in and stops Fox from tagging out. Fox is able to escape and makes the hot tag to Andretti. Andretti is able to escape Jericho and takes out Guevara with a dive on the outside, before going right away Jericho again with a shotgun dropkick. Andretti misses a split-legged moonsault, as Suzuki puts him in a rear naked choke. Martin breaks it up, which just makes Suzuki smile, and takes down Martin with a hard forearm. Guevara comes off the top rope with a double cutter on Andretti & Martin, but Fox takes him out with a missile dropkick. Andretti and Jericho go at it next, as Andretti hits a running shooting star press that Jericho barely kicks out at two. They all start hitting wild offense on each other until Suzuki catches Fox and hits the Gotch Style Piledriver. More offense from everybody until Martin hits a Flatliner on Jericho for two. Martin jumps off the top rope, but Jericho catches him and puts on the Liontamer, as Martin taps out.
Winners: Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara & Minoru Suzuki by submission at 10:28
You’ll Find Out At Collision
Renee Paquette joins the winners in the ring after and asks Jericho how it felt to be in the ring with Sting last week. Jericho says it was a monumental moment in pro wrestling history and everybody was so excited, except for him. Jericho says he knows who Sting is, and how selfish and egotistical he is. How Sting claims to be a hero, but he just shows up wherever the highest bidder is and says he’s not a harlequin but a whore. Jericho says Les Suzuki Gods are challenging Sting & Darby Allin to find a partner and face them in a six-man match at Forbidden Door. Jericho says he doesn’t think Sting is going to accept as he’s a coward, which prompts Sting & Darby to come out. Sting puts his arm around Jericho and asks why he is so uptight and cussing under his breath. Sting says a moment isn’t enough, and he needs some time with Jericho, and Sunday he plans to have some time with him and he accepts his ‘lame challenge’. Darby says Jericho has made a lot of enemies in a lot of places and they have the guy for Sunday. Darby says he will find out on Collision.
Blind Eliminator Picks
Tony Schiavone & RJ City are backstage and start drawing random names for the Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament but say the brackets will be revealed next week on Dynamite.
Friends All Over
We go to The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega & Adam Page backstage and talk about the challenge from Blackpool Combat Club and say since Omega is busy on Sunday, they will get to friends, as they have ‘friends all over’. Omega says a lot of people hate the BCC and it’s not just them, and they found a friend in an unexpected place as Eddie Kingston walked into the picture. Kingston says he doesn’t like or respect them at all, but he hates Claudio more but says they still need a fifth person and he will make the announcement.
Good Luck, Partner
Adam Cole goes to the ring and asks the crowd who’s ready for storytime. Cole says he hates to admit this but he has to give the devil its due and says MJF gave him one of the toughest matches of his entire career, last week. Cole says MJF did the coward thing by not going an extra five minutes and brings up how MJF has never beaten Cole. Cole then tells MJF to come out so they can talk about their rematch.
MJF enters the ring and says the crowd isn’t really bright but when he talks they can keep their ‘poor mouths’ shut. MJF says congratulations to Cole that for the first time in a very long time, somebody came to play and the Panama Playboy came back better than ever and knows Cole won’t thank him, for bringing him back. MJF says he’s worried about Cole and if the time didn’t run out, he would have had Cole beat. MJF says as a ‘close personal friend’ and because he cares about Cole’s health and well-being he’s going to have to say no for his rematch. Cole says he knows he was going to say that and says how about he whoops his ass right here in Chicago. Tony Schiavone stands up (as they both say ‘Shut up, Schiavone’) and says the names he drew for the Blind Tournament as a tag team were Cole & MJF. We see Hiroshi Tanahashi on screen and calls MJF a coward for not accepting his challenge. Cole calls MJF a coward for not accepting and says Tanahashi is better than him. MJF gets mad at the ‘coward’ chant and accepts the match with Tanahashi. Cole says ‘Good luck, partner’ and leaves MJF.
The Owen Hart Tournament Brackets
- CM Punk vs. Satoshi Kojima (Forbidden Door)
- Roderick Strong vs. Samoa Joe (Collision – Hamilton)
- Dustin Rhodes vs. Powerhouse Hobbs (Collision – Hamilton)
- Juice Robinson vs. Ricky Starks (Collision – Hamilton)
- Dr. Britt Baker DMD vs. Ruby Soho (Dynamite – Hamilton)
- Anna Jay AS vs. Skye Blue (Rampage – Chicago)
- Nyla Rose vs. Willow Nightingale (Collision – Toronto)
- Athena vs. Billie Starkz (Forbidden Door – Zero Hour)
Orange Cassidy & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Daniel Garcia & Zack Sabre Jr.
Zack Sabre Jr. & Katsuyori Shibata start the match, as Taz brings up talking about Sabre way back when he used to have a podcast. We quickly go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Shibat and Daniel Garcia are trading blows, but Orange Cassidy tags in just for Garcia to dance in his face. Cassidy comes back with his own dance and rolls up Garcia for a two-count. Garcia puts on a waist lock, but Cassidy puts his hands in his pockets to slither out and escape. Cassidy tries his kicks on Sabre, but Sabre grabs him as they go back and forth for a while with takedown attempts. Garcia tags in, as he and Sabre start double-teaming and twisting Cassidy up. Sabre knocks Cassidy to the outside as they go back to picture-in-picture.
After the break, Shibata is going after Garcia with kicks, but he mocks his pose. Cassidy and Shibata start trading their lazy kicks on Garcia, who’s sporting a busted lip. Cassidy takes out Sabre on the outside as Shibata hits a dropkick on Garcia and a suplex for a two. Garcia puts on the Dragon Tamer, but Shibata turns it into a heel hook before Sabre breaks it up. Cassidy comes in and hits a DDT on Sabre, before Garcia & Shibata trade boots. Shibata hits a pump kick and puts on the sleeper hold, but Sabre breaks it up. Cassidy tries an Orange Punch, but Garcia ducks as Cassidy takes out Shibata instead. Sabre holds back Cassidy, as Garcia rolls up Shibata for the pin.
Winners: Daniel Garcia & Zack Sabre Jr. by pinfall at 16:36
We see a graphic that all four of these men will battle for the AEW International Championship at Forbidden Door. They all tussle the title belt before Cassidy snatches it from Shibata and heads to the back.
Fair Fight
We go backstage to Alex Marvez who bumps into Will Ospreay and asks about him disparaging Canadians going into Forbidden Door. Ospreay talks about needing security for the people who are going to bumrush him at the airport. Don Callis walks in and says that Kenny Omega has been exciting his fanbase with violence and says he will need better security and will make his own security available for Ospreay. Ospreay asks what he wants out of this, and Callis just says he wants a fair fight.
We see a video package from Toni Storm and Willow Nightingale as the match is made official at Forbidden Door for the AEW Women’s World Championship.
AEW TBS Championship: Kris Statlander (c) vs. Taya Valkyrie
Right away, Kris Statlander goes for takedowns and pin attempts but ends up sending Taya Valkyrie to the outside where Statlander hits her with a moonsault off the apron to the outside. As they head back inside, Taya knocks Statlander back outside as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Taya hits a double under hook suplex as Statlander kicks out at two. Statlander comes back with a discus lariat for two of her own. Taya takes control with a sliding suplex, before going to the top rope. Statlander stops her and hits a superplex, followed by the Wednesday Night Fever for the pin and the win.
Winner: Kris Statlander by pinfall at 8:55, to retain
Rampage Line-Up
- Chuck Taylor, Trent Beretta, Rocky Romero & YOH vs. Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb, Kyle Fletcher & Swerve Strickland
- MJF’s first appearance on Rampage
- The Acclaimed in action
- We’ll hear from Adam Cole
- Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Quarterfinal: Anna Jay AS vs. Skye Blue
- Jack Perry vs. Douki
Collision Line-Up
- CM Punk, FTR & Ricky Starks vs. Jay White, Juice Robinson & The Gunns
- Swerve Strickland vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
- Christian Cage addresses the TNT title
- We’ll learn who Darby Allin & Sting’s partner is
- Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Quarterfinal: Nyla Rose vs. Willow Nightingale
- Brody King vs. Andrade El Idolo
Forbidden Door Line-Up
- IWGP US Heavyweight Championship: Kenny Omega (c) vs. Will Ospreay
- AEW World Championship: MJF (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Sanada (c) vs. Jack Perry
- AEW Women’s World Championship: Toni Storm (c) vs. Willow Nightingale
- AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Daniel Garcia vs. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
- Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Quarterfinal: CM Punk vs. Satoshi Kojima
- Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada
The Fifth Man & Where’s Okada?
We go to Eddie Kingston in the ring who said he has to put a shirt on because he just had surgery and ate a lot of ice cream. He brings up that he can’t stand Claudio Castagnoli at all, as Jon Moxley makes his way out to the ring and gets in Kingston’s face. Moxley says if they stand against you to destroy them and says he drew the line, but Kingston says Moxley drew the line and Moxley decided to side with Claudio. Moxley says ‘Every time..’ as Kingston tells him to finish his thought. Kingston then announces the fifth man Tomohiro Ishii who makes his way out. Wheeler Yuta, Claudio & Bryan Danielson jump in and attack Kingston, as Ishii runs in and gets attacked as well. Danielson gets on the mic and says if Okada isn’t going to come out, he will stomp Ishii’s face out which prompts Okada to come out. Okada and Danielson have a face-off, but Yuta attacks Okada from behind. Okada ducks as Danielson takes out Yuta with the Busaiku Knee. Okada tries the Rain Maker, but Danielson is able to escape. Okada hits Yuta with the Rain Maker instead.
