AEW Dynamite
April 10th, 2024
By: John Siino
Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, West Virginia
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
Swerve Stops The Opener
As Samoa Joe was making his way down for the opening match against Dustin Rhodes, he got attacked from behind by Swerve Strickland. Joe quickly turned it on Swerve and set up a table against the barricade, but Swerve reversed him and speared Joe right through the table.
We cut to Renee Paquette in the back with an update on Orange Cassidy after Trent Beretta turned on him last week. Renee gives word that Cassidy will have a match this Friday on Rampage and will have words on what Beretta did to him.
AEW TNT Championship: Adam Copeland (c) vs. Penta El Zero Miedo (w/ Alex Abrahantes)
As soon as the match starts, Penta El Zero Miedo hits a sling blade and a diving foot stomp for back-to-back two counts. Penta sends Adam Copeland to the outside with a clothesline, where he regroups for a bit. Penta stays on top of Copeland with chops against the ropes as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Copeland stops Penta with a couple of headscissors and grounds him down, before Penta escapes with a headstand and a thrust kick for two. Copeland leap frogs Penta a bunch, before they trade headscissors and clotheslines, that knock each other down. While on their knees, they trade chops as we see a ‘Countdown to the Young Bucks’ in the top left corner. Penta takes out Copeland on the outside with a dive, as Bryce Remsburg starts counting them both out, with Copeland just making it in before the ten count. Penta keeps working on Copeland’s neck as we go to another picture-in-picture.
Penta hits a backstabber for a two-count, as Copeland looks fatigued, but Copeland is able to come back with an Electric Chair drop, before putting on the former Edgecator (Copecator?). Penta escapes and hits a stalling dropkick in the corner, for two. Penta tries to work on Copeland’s arm, but he quickly reverses it in the Crossface, but Penta is able to get his foot on the bottom rope to break it up. Penta tries to slingshot off the corner onto the apron, but Copeland is there to stop him with a boot. They go back and forth on the apron before Copeland catches Penta into a power slam. On the outside, Alex Abrahantes gets in the way and gets a spear from Copeland for his troubles. Back inside, they go to the top rope where Penta hits an avalanche Code Red for a two-count. Penta snaps back Copeland’s arm but only gets a two. Penta goes for the Fear Factor, but Copeland escapes and catches Penta off the ropes right into a spear for the pin and the win.
Winner: Adam Copeland by pinfall at 20:41, to retain
As Copeland is celebrating, the lights go out to turn on as Julia Hart is in front of Copeland distracting him as Brody King attacks Copeland from behind. Brody keeps stomping out Copeland in the corner before putting in a chokehold. As Julia Hart is about to attack Copeland, Willow Nightingale runs out and attacks Hart, but Brody pulls her away. Copeland takes out Brody as Copeland & Willow stand tall.
Bet
Renee Paquette is in the back with Lion Hook & Katsuyori Shibata ahead of their match tonight and asks Hook about their strategy tonight. Chris Jericho interrupts and says their strategy is very simple as the camera keeps cutting in and out to Jericho. Jericho tells Hook & Shibata to listen to him and if they breathe the rarified air of Jericho there is nothing but success for their future, as they all say ‘bet’. Shibata’s phone says ‘What is his deal’, before saying ‘I like your necklace’ to Renee.
Rated R Chicken Hawks
After the break, Renee is in the back with Mark Briscoe & Eddie Kingston and asks how they are feeling after their match and before they have to team up for Dynasty. Briscoe says he feels amazing but in pain, as Kingston says he feels beat up as well, but this is pro wrestling and not ballet. Adam Copeland walks in, out of breath, and asks if they are good for Dynasty. Stokely Hathaway says that Copeland should put his title against Willow Nightingale, but Willow says that’s not her idea and she and Copeland suggest she and Willow team up against Brody King & Julia Hart next week. Stokely tries to apologize for past words to Kinsgton, about him smelling like Burger King & Newport, but he walks away.
All In London Footage
We cut to The Young Bucks in the back, but before they cut to the footage they talk about the upcoming finals between them and FTR, and talk about the last time they wrestled was at All In and having wounds being opened up and now being the perfect time to talk about it. They talk about being a part of the biggest event ever and a lot of fans and critics say whoever wins that match will be coined as the greatest tag team of this generation, but right before that match, there was an incident backstage involving two individuals. The first is Jack Perry, and they call him a loveable kid and say he reminds them of themselves. They start talking about the ‘other individual’ who tried to make this entire show about himself and this individual is good friends with FTR and says they might be the masterminds behind this whole thing.
Matt Jackson says Nick Jackson can’t start rumors, and said this incident through them off their game. They talk about having no time to hydrate or pray, and even though FTR beat the Young Bucks, there should be a giant asterisk next to the victory. They talk about the footage resembling a ‘high school scrap’, and talk about the ramifications that came out of the incident and it threatened to take down their biggest show of all time, but they are lucky it didn’t. They roll to the footage as we see CM Punk and Jack Perry get in each other’s faces. We see Punk push Perry, before they get separated by Samoa Joe and others, including Chris Hero & Malakai Black being seen there. As Hook and others are holding back Perry.
We cut back to the Bucks as they talk about how they have created a wrestling show just to be distracted by something so stupid and at the end, FTR had the balls to shake their hands. At Dynasty, they aren’t shaking hands and they tell them to be ready.
FTR Responds
FTR promptly heads to the ring as Cash Wheeler asks why they even showed this and says he is sick and tired of hearing and talking about this, and everybody back there is ready to move on and put this in the past. Wheeler says at Dynasty they have to beat the Young Bucks because he is sick of the petty little bitches. Dax Harwood says those are their bosses and every interview the Bucks have had, they let everybody know without them hundreds of people wouldn’t have a job and AEW wouldn’t exist. Harwood says without the Young Bucks he might still be shaving Wheeler’s back, but because of them they have now eclipsed them as the best tag team on this planet and at one time, the Young Bucks cared about AEW. They talk about continuing to build this place for the future of professional wrestling and every single man and woman who goes every day to work, week in and week out, spending their money on one ticket to get lost in their drama. Harwood says they are doing this for the fans and if the Young Bucks don’t want to be part of that, they can grab their ball and go home.
Harwood continues saying this is about the AEW World Tag Team Championship, and one team can walk out calling themselves the best tag team in the world and the first-ever three-time AEW tag team champions, and even though the Bucks build this, they put the roof on the house just to blow it back off.
Afraid Of The Grind
After the break, Renee Paquette is on the stage and brings out Will Ospreay who said Tony Khan gave him 5 minutes since TV is expensive. Ospreay talks about a rumor that he’s afraid of the grind, and he has no idea where this conversation has come from as he is traveling back and forth from the UK to America, every single week and delivering some of the best professional wrestling matches this world has seen. Normally he wouldn’t talk about this and brings up the person was ‘grinding against the boss’ daughter’ and talks about this being a warning. Ospreay talks about being faster and stronger than Bryan Danielson, but the only way to stop him is to ground him. Ospreay says younger and better men have tried and fallen, but yet he is Bryan Danielson and he’s a living legend in this game. Ospreay can’t call himself the best wrestler in the world until he beats Danielson and it’s about time he shows everyone why he is the ace of AEW and Danielson will find out at Dynasty that he’s on another level.
The Spark That Starts A Fire
We see a video from Julia Hart who talks about Willow Nightingale having a spark in her, but a single spark can start a fire. Hart says she will pull back Willow’s mask and it will show more than smiles and rainbows. She talks about Willow envying her and she will kill her spark, turn her smile into a frown, and make sure she never touches her crown. She is the princess of the Black Throne, keeper of secrets and it is her destiny to stay the TBS Champion.
Lion Hook (Chris Jericho & Hook) & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty & Anthony Ogogo)
Chris Jericho & Anthony Ogogo start the match, as Ogogo is having his first match on Dynamite since June 2021, but he quickly tags out to Lee Moriarty. Jericho keeps Moriarty in the corner where he hits a hurricanrana and tags out to Katsuyori Shibata as Taz says Jericho was trying to tag out to Hook. Shibata starts kicking away at Moriarty, but he rolls away and tags out to Shane Taylor. Hook tags in and starts punching away at Taylor, before getting distracted by Ogogo giving Taylor the opportunity to take control as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Hook takes out Taylor with a German Suplex and makes the tag out to Shibata as Jericho seems distracted. Shibata attacks Moriarty in the corner with boots, uppercuts, and chops before hitting a dropkick in the corner. After a bit of back and forth, Shibata takes Jericho inadvertently off the apron with a boot. As Shibata goes to tag out to Hook, Jericho pulls Hook off the apron and tells him that he has to learn from him as they start arguing back and forth. In the ring, Shibata puts Moriarty in a sleeper, but Taylor knocks out Shibata with a right hook. Moriarty counters Shibata with The Fang to get the pin and the win.
Winners: Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty & Anthony Ogogo) by pinfall at 8:16
Hook starts yelling at Jericho to get out of the ring and says he’s done enough tonight. Hook goes to help up Shibata as Jericho starts walking to the back in disappointment.
Complete The Tale
Renee is in the back with Dustin Rhodes and says Samoa Joe is still medically cleared to compete tonight and asks if this changes Rhodes strategy at all. Rhodes says it doesn’t and he has nothing to lose and everything to gain, and right now he believes the time for talking is over.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Cristiano Argento
Cristiano Argento starts by trying to smack away at Kazuchika Okada, but Okada quickly knocks him down and nonchalantly looks into the crowd as if he’s bored. Argento tries to chop away, but Okada stops him off the ropes with a dropkick and the Rain Maker for the easy pin and win.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada by pinfall at 1:21
Okada Accepts
Okada gets on the mic and says he accepts PAC’s challenge and he will see him at Dynasty. PAC comes out and angrily cusses his way to the ring, but the Young Bucks run out from behind and attack him. Okada sends PAC into the Bucks who take him out with a double super kick. As The Elite are continuing the crowd chants CM Punk, but FTR runs out instead and takes out the Elite, but before they can hit the Shatter Machine on Matt Jackson, Okada takes them out with a chair. The Bucks take out FTR with the EVP Trigger as Okada takes out PAC with a chair shot to the head.
Bang Bang Recap
We go backstage to the Bang Bang Gang who recap what they have been up to including crushing Darby Allin’s dream, defending the ROH Six Man Championships, and Jay White putting the biggest and baddest beatdown on Billy Gunn, and he wants to do it again on Rampage but not with Billy and tells the Gunns to find him someone to fight.
Champagne Toast
Renee is on the stage and brings out Thunder Rosa & Toni Storm for a champagne toast. Renee tells Toni to toast away, but she just tosses the champagne in Rosa’s face and starts attacking her, including a shot with the trey. Storm starts wiping Rosa’s facepaint off but Deonna Purrazzo runs out to chase her away. As Deonna tries to help Rosa, she pushes her off and Deonna says ‘fuck you’ and walks off.
Mariah May vs. Anna Jay
They start the match locking up and circling the ring before they start trading chops. Anna Jay goes into her forearms, but Mariah May trips her up before missing and getting hit with a neckbreaker by Jay. May puts Jay on the top rope and hits a double chop before hitting a handstand headscissors. May starts choking Jay against the ropes, but Jay comes right back with a draping neckbreaker. May knocks Jay to the outside as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Jay dodges a hip attack from May and hits a spinning heel kick to May in the corner, places her on the top rope, and hits an Iconoclasm for a two. May dodges Jay in the corner, goes to the top rope, and hits a missile dropkick followed by the hip attack for two. Jay stays in control and goes for pin attempts, but as she gets frustrated, May reverses her into a roll-up for the pin and the win.
Winner: Mariah May by pinfall at 8:30
Mina Shirakawa Arrives
As May is being announced the winner, Jay attacks her from behind and puts on the Queen Slayer. Mina Shirakawa’s music hits, as she runs out to save May. Mina gets two glasses of champagne and pours one down May’s mouth before giving her a kiss as they both share a toast.
Rampage Line-Up
- Jay White vs. Matt Sydal
- TBS Championship: Julia Hart (c) vs. Leyla Hirsch
- Cool Hand Ang vs. Zak Knight
- Orange Cassidy vs. Alex Reynolds
Mercedes Mone’ Mysteriously Attacked
Alex Marvez has a sit-down interview with Mercedes Mone’ who talks about facing whoever the TBS Champion is at Double or Nothing. Mone’ talks about being a history maker and game changer, as money changes everything. Marvez talks about Julia Hart vs. Willow Nightingale at Dynasty, as Mercedes says she can’t wait to watch that match Julia is so mysterious and unpredictable but Willow is a force to be reckoned with. Mone’ talks about almost a year ago losing the match against Willow and getting injured, and losing the chance to be the first-ever champion. Mercedes says she has a plan and is on a mission and when asked who she’d rather face, the lights go out as Mercedes gets mysteriously attacked.
AEW World Championship Eliminator Match: Samoa Joe vs. Dustin Rhodes
They take it to the corner right away before Samoa Joe sends Dustin Rhodes to the outside and into the barricade. Rhodes sends Joe back into the ring and attacks him in the corner, but Joe stops him with a headbutt as they go back to the outside. We see that Rhodes is busted open on his forehead as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Joe goes to cover the very bloody Rhodes, but he kicks out at two. Rhodes is able to stop Joe off the ropes with a power slam, as both men slowly get to their feet and trade punches. Rhodes hits the Dusty elbow followed by a Code Red for two. Rhodes continues with the ten punches in the corner and tries the bulldog, but Joe gets out and hits a hard lariat that sends Rhodes spilling to the outside. Rhodes grabs the AEW World title but the referee warns him he will get disqualified for using it. Rhodes puts it down and knocks Joe down with a boot followed by the Cross Rhodes for a close two-count. Joe stops Rhodes in the corner with an STO and grabs the chain that he took from Swerve. The referee takes it away as Joe hits Rhodes with his title belt for the pin and the win.
Winner: Samoa Joe by pinfall at 9:32
Joe puts the Coquina Clutch on Rhodes, as Swerve Strickland runs in and breaks it up with a House Call. Swerve wraps the chain around his fist and knocks out Joe with it. Swerve goes to attack Joe again but security and members of the roster run out to keep them apart. Prince Nana hands Swerve the AEW World Championship, as Joe is enraged at Swerve holding it up.
