AEW Dynamite
October 25th, 2023
By: John Siino
Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
Dark Match: QTV (QT Marshall, Johnny TV & Aaron Solo) (w/ Harley Cameron) defeated Brandon Cutler, Colt Cabana & Lince Dorado
Bullet For Juice
The show starts with Renee Paquette backstage with MJF, who says he has to make a super quick phone call, as we hear Adam Cole pick-up. MJF starts asking Cole how he’s feeling after surgery, but Roderick Strong rolls in with The Kingdom as MJF is upset that Strong is interfering. Strong says it’s obvious he’s the man behind the devil mask but in the sake of pretending that he’s not, he will take pity on MJF and help him. MJF over-the-top thanks Strong before pushing his wheelchair off camera and cuts a promo on Juice Robinson. MJF says tonight he has a bullet for Juice and he’s not going to miss, as the video then gets cut by the Devil-masked figure.
Dynamite Diamond Ring Match: Juice Robinson (w/ Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn) vs. MJF
MJF rushes Juice Robinson, the second the bell rings with a takedown and starts stomping him out in the corner as the crowd goes insane. They take it to the outside, where MJF stays in control, knocking Juice into the barricades and over the timekeeper’s table. MJF follows with booting Juice over the barricade and into the crowd, continuing to get the crowd behind him. We see that Juice is now busted open from the forehead, as MJF goes to curb stomp Juice on the steel steps, but The Gunns distract him, giving Juice the upper hand, hitting a DDT in the ring for a two-count. As Colten Gunn gets on the apron to distract the referee, Juice starts choking out MJF with his own scarf. Jay White shows up on the stage, holding MJF’s championship before we go to picture-to-picture.
When we come back, Jay White is at the commentary table as MJF is delivering multiple punches to Juice in the corner before landing a bite. MJF sets up and delivers the Kangaroo Kick to a big pop. A bit of back and forth until Juice spits in MJF’s face and hits the Left Hand from God and a powerbomb, for a two-count. MJF took out the Gunns on the outside with a scud missile, before trapping Juice in the ring skirt. Juice brings MJF back inside for the Juice is Loose DDT, but MJF kicks out at two. The Gunns kept trying to interfere as Bryce Remsburg kept kicking them away. Juice puts on his fake TJ Maxx ring, but MJF puts on his real one and takes out Juice and the Gunns with it, followed by the Heatseeker piledriver to get the pin and the win.
Winner: MJF by pinfall at 15:04, to win the 2023 Dynamite Diamond Ring
Who Will Max Pick?
The Gunns & Juice keep attacking MJF also until Roderick Strong rolls down and tells The Kingdom to help out. They try, but Bullet Club Gold outnumber them. They go to take out MJF with the AEW World Title, but The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn run out for the save and chase off BCG. Jay White gets on the mic and tells MJF to forget about Samoa Joe, Wardlow, Kenny Omega, and everything else and to not only focus on him as he will never get his hands on the AEW World Title against because at Full Gear he will bury MJF’s face to the ground. Colten says MJF has something he and Austin want in the ROH World Tag Team Championship and challenges him for the titles at AEW Full Gear. MJF gets on the mic and tells The Gunns, they got their title shot and he won’t wait until Full Gear to get his hands on Jay White as next week on Dynamite he challenges Bullet Club Gold to take on MJF and three partners of his choosing.
Strong gets on the mic and starts yelling for Max, as MJF tells him to stop screaming his name. Strong says MJF will obviously pick them as his partners, as MJF tells them to roll off a cliff and calls Strong a ‘bland blitch’. Max Caster then asks if that means MJF is going to pick them as MJF says he’s known Caster for a long time, but he doesn’t like him. MJF says he would never tag with Caster, even if he was on fire and he doesn’t care what the fans think. Caster then asks if there’s a chance and asks MJF for one favor before they leave Philadelphia and ask MJF to scissor them. MJF teases doing it, before leaving but as he’s going up the ramp he gets interrupted by Kenny Omega. Omega says it seems MJF has a lot going on, so he cuts straight to the point saying that MJF has something that he wants but he has something that MJF wants. Omega says he has no right to ask but if he’s the champion that the fans want him to be, he will hear him out and Omega challenges for the title which MJF agrees to for this Saturday on Collision. They shake hands and as MJF is about to pull away, Omega says ‘Three days, bitch’.
The Devil’s Claws
We see a produced video from Wardlow who says his time off at home, was a dark place where he saw someone like MJF become the name and face of the company, with everybody supporting him. Over the past year he has felt the devil’s claws dig deeper and deeper into his back and there is nothing left for MJF to take from him, so now he will take everything from him.
Hook & Rob Van Dam vs. The Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds) (w/ Evil Uno)
Hook & Alex Reynolds start the match, as this Philadelphia crowd gives Rob Van Dam a great ovation. RVD quickly tags in and gets the crowd behind him, as he corners Reynolds who tags out to John Silver. As RVD, turns his back, the Dark Order takes advantage of RVD. Hook joins in as they clothesline the Dark Order to the outside before they head to picture-in-picture.
As soon as we come back, Hook makes the hot tag to RVD who starts kicking away at Silver. RVD hits a Rolling Thunder, but Reynolds is there to break up the count. Hook tags in and starts hitting cross faces on Silver, but Reynolds breaks it up. As Aubrey Edwards is distracted with Reynolds, Evil Uno tries to interfere but RVD takes him out. RVD follows by taking down Reynolds and hitting the Five Star Frog Splash. Hook puts the Redrum on Silver, as he taps out to end the match.
Winners: Hook & Rob Van Dam by submission at 7:56
Hold That Butler!
They announce Toni Storm’s Hollywood Homecoming: The Quest for Gold where she will get a title shot at AEW Full Gear. They go to the back to RJ City who’s about to announce Toni Storm’s new picture ‘Hold That Butler!’, but she interrupts him and keys to it as it plays during picture-in-picture.
Ric Flair Is The Gift
Tony Schiavone is in the ring and introduces Sting & Darby Allin to the ring, with Allin’s arm in a sling. Sting says he’s glad to be there because he wants to thank two people in particular that he forgot last week, before thanking the city of Philadelphia. Sting then thanks his tag team partner Darby Allin, saying he couldn’t have come this far without him by his side, and names him the best tag team partner he’s ever had. Sting then thanks Tony Khan for making the phone call to give him a chance to come back and wrestle a little longer. Sting then says Schiavone is asking for the microphone before giving it back to him, saying that Khan wants to thank Sting and brings up the history that Sting did for TBS and how it elevated him to the icon that he is now. Schiavone keys to the special gift, as out comes Ric Flair.
Flair brings up moments in life being magical, being few and far between and that’s the magic of what makes you the best. Flair brings up 45 years ago making history with Sting on TBS at the first Clash of the Champions against WrestleMania. Flair brings up going 35 minutes in a match being hard and Sting is not only one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of their business but possibly the nicest guy he’s ever known. Flair thanks Tony Khan for inviting him here and tells Sting he wants to ride the wagon to retirement with him before landing a chop on Sting. Christian Cage interrupts and questions Tony Khan being a billionaire and choosing Flair as the gift calling it ‘a suit, gold chains and a black liver’.
Cage mentions Flair looking like Weekend at Bernie’s and how if there was a God, Flair would have been dead twenty years ago. Cage brings up Sting & Darby interfering in his business last week and asks Darby how his arm is feeling and brings up beating him at WrestleDream. Christian holds up his TNT Championship and mentions how Philadelphia will never know how it feels to be a champion and proposes something. Christian sees Sting’s retirement plan differently and doesn’t want to wait for Revolution and wants Sting gone right now and proposes a six-man match, jokes that they can even pick Flair, and tells them to get a partner for Full Gear. Sting fakes a sneeze and says he’s allergic to jackasses and says he accepts their challenge and they will find a partner.
Jericho Has Big Friends
We go to earlier today where Renee was sitting down with Chris Jericho and asks how he was feeling after his attack from Powerhouse Hobbs. Jericho said it was a destruction and he can’t remember ever having a beatdown like that and he’s still feeling it, with his ribs hurting. The thing that is hurting the most for him though, is his ego. Renee asks if maybe Jericho is hitting a certain point in his career and if he should have some self-reflection. Jericho says he didn’t see last week coming, and he couldn’t get out of the hole he was digging. Jericho asks himself if he still has what it takes and asks if it’s time to step back or time to get stronger and more intense. Jericho takes off his glasses and asks if it’s time to get some sort of revenge and says Don Callis has a lot of friends, but so does he, and some of his friends are even bigger than Hobbs and make it time to give them a call.
ROH World Six-Man Championship: The Elite (Adam Page, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) (c) vs. The Hardys (Matt Hardy & Jeff Hardy) & Isiah Kassidy
Isiah Kassidy & Nick Jackson start the match, as commentary laughs at Kassidy’s ‘strong durag game’. Matt Jackson tags in as they start double-teaming Kassidy in their corner with kicks and a cannonball. With some help from Jeff Hardy on the outside, Matt Hardy takes advantage as he and Kassidy start double-teaming on Matt Jackson before Kassidy dives onto Adam Page & Nick Jackson on the outside. Matt Hardy & Kassidy start mocking the Young Bucks pose, as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Page is in control and hits a Death Valley Driver on Kassidy for a two-count, before picking him up and trying the Dead Eye, but Kassidy bounces off of Jeff Hardy and hits the Silly String. Nick Jackson starts shooting off super kicks before his brother joins in just for Kassidy to take them both out with a dropkick. Jeff Hardy hits a Twist of Fate to Matt Jackson before Kassidy launches off of him to the outside. The Hardys go after Matt Jackson, hitting a Swanton Dive, but it gets broken up. Matt Hardy goes for Twist of Fate, but Matt Jackson escapes out. A bit of everything from everyone including a Buckshot Lariat, followed by the BTE Trigger on Kassidy, as Matt Jackson gets the pin.
Winners: The Elite (Adam Page, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) by pinfall at 10:04, to retain
Who’s House? Hangman’s House
We see a video of Swerve Strickland & Prince Nana breaking into Adam Page’s home, as Page rushes to the back. Nana gets excited at chocolate-colored berries as Swerve criticizes the art that Page’s child did, before ripping it up. Swerve sits on the couch and goes to read a bedtime story before they start hearing something. We see Swerve standing over a crib as he starts talking about how Page took something from him, and he owes him a debt. And since Page is not here maybe ‘Hangman Junior’ can owe him something, but Swerve says he will, but not today. Swerve tosses a Mogul Embassy shirt into the crib before Nana tells him that they have to go.
Take The Blinders Off
Renee is with Adam Copeland and asks if anything has changed about him not wanting to fight Christian Cage. Copeland says no, as his friendship means more. Darby Allin & Sting interrupt and say it’s kill or be killed here and propose him being their partner. Sting interrupts and says he knows how it was having the blinders on and tells Copeland to take them off and he needs to quickly open his eyes before it’s too late and asks if he is hearing him. Sting says they go way back and tell Copeland to not mess it all up right now and to get with it.
AEW Women’s World Championship: Hikaru Shida (c) vs. Ruby Soho
Ruby Soho goes to chop Hikaru Shida at the start before they fight in the corner. A bit of a sloppy back and forth, as Shida barely lands a crossbody off the ropes. They go back and forth with pin attempts, rolling around the entire ring as Shida gets a two. Shida starts hitting ten punches in the corner before landing a missile dropkick, sending Soho to the outside. Soho pulls Shida off the apron until a No Future Kick, as they head to picture-in-picture.
Back from break, they are trading strikes before Shida puts on a Torture Rack followed by a sliding elbow for a two. Soho stops Shida on the corner, and sends her down, getting a two-count. Soho exposes a turnbuckle pad and tosses a spray can to Shida, as Aubrey starts questioning her. Soho grabs the title belt, blocks the spray paint with it, and hits Destination Unknown, but Shida kicks out at two. Bit of back and forth, with a No Future and Katana both landing, but Soho is able to kick out. More back and forth until Shida hits the Falcon Arrow, but Soho kicks out and gets sent into the exposed turnbuckle. Shida follows this with another Katana for the pin and the win.
Winner: Hikaru Shida by pinfall at 9:15, to retain
Toni Storm comes out with her new butler Luther and starts flaunting on the stage as Shida watches on.
MJF’s New Friend
Renee tries to get a word with MJF and brings up his upcoming match this Saturday on Collision against Kenny Omega and asks how he feels ahead of it. Before MJF can say anything, Samoa Joe interrupts and says MJF suffers from a severe lack of friendship and offers to be his friend. MJF shakes his hand and says it sounds good to him, but Joe gives him one condition to give him a rematch for the AEW World Championship, and doesn’t need his answer right now but sure he will get it soon enough, with the way things are going.
Orange Cassidy & Kazuchika Okada vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli)
Orange Cassidy & Bryan Danielson start the match, as the crowd chants for ‘Freshly Squeezed’. Cassidy puts his hands in his pockets, as Danielson kicks him down right away with Excalibur mentioning this being the first time these two have ever touched in the ring. They mention that on Saturday, December 30th, there will be a new pay-per-view named AEW Worlds End at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island, New York. Kazuchika Okada & Claudio Castagnoli tag in, as Okada gets a warm welcome. Danielson stays in control of Cassidy, as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, we get the face-off between Danielson & Okada as the crowd erupts. Danielson starts kicking away at Okada, but he ducks and ends up getting put in the LeBell Lock, as they trade more pin attempts. They run the ropes back and forth and take each other down with crossbodies. Cassidy & Claudio tag in before Claudio catches Cassidy into the Giant Swing, but Cassidy quickly counters it into the Stundog Millionaire and the Satellite DDT, for a two that Danielson breaks up. Cassidy goes for the Orange Punch, but Claudio catches him in the Giant Swing, before putting on the Scorpion Deathlock. Okada breaks it up with a boot to Claudio’s head, but he comes right back with an uppercut. Okada goes after Claudio, hitting a body slam, heads to the top rope, and hits the elbow drop. Okada does his pose, as Cassidy hugs him, as they both get taken out with a missile dropkick. Okada & Danielson go at it, with Cassidy helping out with an Orange Punch. Okada takes out Danielson with a Rainmaker, but Claudio takes out Okada followed by a European Uppercut to Cassidy to get the pin and the win.
Winners: Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Bryan Danielson) by pinfall at 16:31
They go check on Danielson right after, as Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta run down. Rocky Romero, Hook & Trent Beretta all join in and we have a bit of a face-off between CHAOS and the Blackpool Combat Club.
Rampage Line-Up
- Mike Santana vs. Ortiz
- We’ll hear from MJF & Kenny Omega ahead of their match at Collision
- Skye Blue vs. Willow Nightingale vs. Anna Jay vs. Abadon (Winner gets a shot at the AEW Women’s World Championship on Collision)
Collision Line-Up
- AEW Women’s World Championship: Hikaru Shida (c) vs. winner of Blue/Willow/Jay/Abadon
- AEW World Championship: MJF (c) vs. Kenny Omega
Dynamite Line-Up
- AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli
