AEW Dynamite
May 15, 2024
By: John Siino
Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
Dark Matches
*The Dark Order over Midnight Heat & Sid Sylum
*Kris Statlander over Viva Van
RESULTS
*Jon Moxley & Bryan Danielson over Kyle Fletcher & Jeff Cobb via pinfall at 12:57 (Recommended)
*The Young Bucks over Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal via pinfall at 8:30
*Hook over Sebastian Wolfe via submission at 0:28
*Swerve Strickland over Brian Cage via pinfall at 14:49 (Recommended)
*Toni Storm over Harley Cameron via pinfall at 7:09 (Recommended)
*Continental Title: Kazuchika Okada over Dax Harwood via pinfall at 16:05
Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley & Bryan Danielson) vs. Kyle Fletcher & Jeff Cobb
Don Callis sits on commentary for this match as Jon Moxley is making his way to the ring, he gets attacked by Kyle Fletcher & Jeff Cobb before the match can start. Bryan Danielson’s music hits as he runs out and takes out Fletcher against the barricade. As his music is still playing, Moxley & Danielson continue to attack Cobb & Fletcher on the outside. Eventually, Danielson & Cobb enter the ring as the match officially starts. Moxley & Danielson stay in control over Cobb, before Fletcher is able to land some rabbit punches to Moxley in their corner to break up the flow. As Fletcher tries to chop away at Moxley, he just eats them all up before cornering Fletcher with attacks back. Moxley stays on top of Fletcher and applies an arm breaker that Cobb is quick to break up. Danielson tags in and hits a knee drop off the ropes to Fletcher as we go to picture-in-picture.
Cobb is in control over Moxley, but he comes right back with a snap suplex as the crowd cheers him on to make the tag to Danielson who enters with a missile dropkick to Cobb before knocking Fletcher off the apron. Danielson sends Cobb to the outside where Danielson hits a tope suicida to Fletcher, who pushes Cobb out of the way. Cobb starts mocking Danielson but misses a standing moonsault, before countering Danielson who was trying to hit the Busaiku Knee. Moxley & Fletcher start going at it, with Moxley taking out Fletcher with a lariat before taking out Cobb with a Diamond Cutter. Cobb & Fletcher start double-teaming Moxley, as Fletcher hits a Tombstone, getting a two. All four start going at it until Moxley hits Fletcher with the Death Rider to get the pin and the win.
Winners: Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley & Bryan Danielson) by pinfall at 12:57
As soon as the match ends, Konosuke Takeshita runs in and takes out Moxley in the corner with a German Suplex as Cobb & Fletcher join in on the attack. Claudio Castagnoli runs out with what commentary describes as a ‘giant crowbar’ and chases away Cobb, Fletcher & Takeshita.
We get a video on Swerve Strickland with comments and highlights from him doing media rounds, as he talks about this is what a champion does, before transitioning into clips of his feud with Christian Cage, as we have a countdown on the top right that shows his match with Brian Cage will take place at the top of the hour.
Malakai Takes The Ring In The Ring
As Adam Copeland was on his way to the ring to get Malakai Black’s answer for his Double or Nothing challenge, he got attacked by Brody King & Buddy Matthews. They take him to the ring, as Malakai makes his way down while holding Copeland’s TNT Championship. Malakai gets on the mic as the crowd starts chanting for him to ‘shut the fuck up’, before telling Buddy to take Copeland’s wedding ring, which he does and gives to Malakai. They set Copeland in the corner with two chairs next to him, but before Brody can deliver the cannonball in the corner, Kyle O’Reilly runs out and takes out Malakai & Buddy, before entering the ring and gets taken out by Brody, who then tosses him back outside where Malakai takes him out with The End. Back to Copeland in the corner, they deliver the cannonball, running kick triple combo with the chairs involved.
“I Will Destroy You… Bitch”
They talk about Eddie Kingston possibly suffering a serious injury at NJPW Strong Resurgence, before showing highlights of his attack from Jack Perry & The Young Bucks including The Elite’s comments from after the show where they said Kingston is about to lose everything.
We then go to The Elite backstage at Dynamite where Matthew Jackson said Kingston might have been bitten by the injury bug and ask their opponents if they want to forfeit since it’s now 4-on-3. They talk about taking out Tony Khan, and Kenny Omega and now adding Kingston to that list, before Kazuchika Okada says to Dax Harwood that ‘Tonight, I will destroy you, bitch’.
We see an ad for the new Young Bucks’ Reebok Pumps, before going to Renee Paquette who’s with FTR. Cash Wheeler says they won’t be forfeiting and they think they found a fourth person for Anarchy in the Arena as Dax Harwood says Okada looks like he’s The Elite’s bitch.
AEW World Tag Team Championship Eliminator Match: The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) (c) vs. Matt Sydal & Christopher Daniels
Jack Perry joins the commentary table, as Matt Sydal & Christopher Daniels come out to a song by Gutter Candy, which is Frankie Kazarian’s band. Commentary mentions the significance of this being that the last time Daniels challenged for the titles, it was with Kazarian and ever since then, he hasn’t been able to team up with Kazarian. Nicholas Jackson & Sydal start the match, before Daniels tags in and takes out the Young Bucks to a big Fallen Angel chant from the crowd. Matthew Jackson tags in (sort of) and takes out Sydal with a double sledgehammer off the ropes as we go to picture-in-picture.
We come back to see Sydal fight off the Bucks and make the hot tag to Daniels who takes out Nicholas with a Death Valley Driver, but Matthew is there to break up the Angel’s Wings attempt. Matthew & Sydal start fighting on the outside where Sydal gets sent over the barricade. Daniels puts Nicholas on the top rope, but Matthew is there to make sure Daniels crashes down, by holding the rope. They follow with the Tony Khan driver, as Matthew gets the pin for the win.
Winners: The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) by pinfall at 8:30
Christopher Daniels, You’re Fired
Matthew gets on the mic and says to Daniels that last week he spoke down to them and put his hands on him, and as an executive, he should know better. They continue talking about cleaning up the locker room from toxicity but Daniels is trying to screw things up, so unfortunately they are the bearer of bad news tonight and say they have to let Daniels go and he’s fired. They aren’t evil, so they will take care of his family with a severance package for the next 30 days and they even get a security escort for him to kick him out of the building immediately. They thank him for 5 years of work and call him a ‘rock star’ before plugging the rest of the show and trying to get an AEW chant. Jack Perry raises a toast with a Woo Energy Drink, before pouring it all over Tony Schiavone. Excalibur asks for a mop or a towel, or something.
Womb To The Woodshed
Renee is backstage with Toni Storm, Luther & Mariah May where she reveals to them that May, Luther & Saraya are banned from Storm’s match tonight with Harley Cameron. Storm says she will take Cameron’s womb to the woodshed tonight before talking about Serena Deeb ending up at Double or Nothing flat on her back with Storm’s ass on her face asking where her dignity went.
Bend The Knee To House Of Black
We see Malakai Black in the back looking at Adam Copeland’s wedding ring saying this held him back. Malakai talks about everything Copeland cherishes before bringing up the Barbed Wire Cage Match for Double or Nothing, and says of course he accepts it, but when he beats him Copeland will have to bend the knee to the House of Black.
Hook vs. Sebastian Wolfe
This is Hook’s first match since Dynasty, as Taz explains he wasn’t medically cleared until now. Right away, Hook grabs Sebastian Wolfe and sends him down with a T-Bone suplex, before dropping cross faces on Wolfe and putting on the Red Rum as Wolfe immediately taps out.
Winner: Hook by submission at 28 seconds
“Please Retire”
Hook grabs the mic and says he isn’t here for this, but for Chris Jericho and his FTW Championship, and calls out Jericho, who comes out with Big Bill. Taz talks about never liking Jericho, and not liking Bill either. Jericho says hello to the crowd before saying it’s so nice to see Hook and hopes he learned his lesson after getting hit in the face with a bat. Jericho says he’s happy to be back on Dynamite even if it means sharing the spotlight with Hook. Hook says he doesn’t want to share it, as it should all be on Jericho as he will beat his ass tonight. Jericho says unfortunately this isn’t a fighting moment, but a teaching moment being that the world doesn’t revolve around Hook. Jericho tells Hook to be less selfish, like him, and to think of others.
The crowd starts chanting for Jericho to retire, which Jericho says when he will, he will be inducted in every Hall of Fame in the world, but he’s not ready for that yet. Jericho says it’s the For The World Title, not the For The Hook Title, and says it’s his name on it, not Hook’s. Jericho says Hook has to work his way back up again, so this Saturday on Collision, Hook and a few others will have a qualification match, and if Hook wins it maybe he’ll get a chance to face Jericho again. Hook says it sounds great, as does this, in which he smacks the mic over Jericho’s head. Bill goes after Hook, as Jericho joins in on the two-on-one beatdown before Katsuyori Shibata’s music hits as he runs into the ring and takes out Bill with a boot. Jericho shows that he is bleeding from the mic shot to the head from Hook.
The Champion’s House
We go to Swerve Strickland in the back who says to the state of Washington, he brought home the AEW World Championship. Swerve continues about ending the Mogul Embassy and his focus is on Christian Cage at Double or Nothing. He talks about being put in the coffin, but he will put Cage in the grave. Swerve calls Brian Cage to the final nail in the coffin before welcoming everybody to Swerve’s House.
AEW World Championship Eliminator Match: Swerve Strickland (c) vs. Brian Cage
As soon as the bell rings, Swerve Strickland goes after Brian Cage in the corner with knees before taking Cage to the outside where he tries a dive, just for Cage to catch him in a suplex position. Swerve escapes and hits a kick from the apron as the crowd goes wild for Swerve. Brian Cage mounts a comeback before Swerve strops him and hits a rolling flatliner for a one-count. Cage slows down Swerve’s momentum by keeping him in the corners with offense, before press-slamming Swerve right into a corner as we go to picture-in-picture.
We come back to see Cage hitting a suplex to Swerve from the apron to the ring before going for a powerbomb that Swerve is able to get out of and sends Cage face-first into the corner before hitting him with a running boot. A bit of back-and-forth with Swerve coming out on top and starting to play up to the crowd. Swerve is able to catch Cage off the ropes and hit him with a brainbuster for two. Cage stops Swerve with a knee and tries to hit the Weapon X, but Swerve escapes and puts on an arm scissor. Cage powers out with a buckle bomb and hits the F5 for two. Swerve escapes out of a Drill Claw and sends Cage to the apron with a headbutt before stomping a draping Cage to the outside. Swerve follows with a 450 Splash on the inside, but only gets two. Cage hits two back-to-back powerbombs, but only gets two. Swerve counters a Drill Claw, before they trade kicks back and forth. Swerve hits a stomp on Cage before snapping back Cage’s arm. Swerve follows with the House Call to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Swerve Strickland by pinfall at 14:49
First Your Blood, Then Your Title
Swerve continues to attack Brian Cage with chairs, as Christian Cage’s music hits, as he comes out with Mother Wayne. Swerve continues to go to attack Brian Cage, but gets taken out from behind with a low blow from Nick Wayne. Killswitch joins in on the attack as Wayne has a picture of Swerve and his family that he smashes over Swerve’s head. We see the glass has cut Swerve, as he squirted blood from above his eye. Christian gets on the mic and says he embarrassed Nick Wayne when he attacked him at his home here last year and now he’s forced to embarrass Swerve. Christian takes the photo and says maybe they should ask Swerve’s daughter if she’s proud of her absentee father before covering the picture with Swerve’s blood. Christian says tonight he took his blood and at Double or Nothing he takes his World Championship.
Push Comes To Shove
Renee is in the back with Hook & Katsuyori Shibata and asks if the numbers game is feeling stacked against him. Hook says whoever he has to beat to get to Chris Jericho he will beat before Shibata asks even him as he wants another shot at Jericho also. Hook says that if push comes to shove, Hook vs. Shibata to get to Jericho is fine by him. Samoa Joe walks in and asks Hook who this is and says he thought he was something special until he fell into the same trap over and over, and Jericho has Hook & Shibata going against each other, and if they took each other seriously maybe they’d be a threat. Hook starts screaming at Joe that he’ll fight him too, as Shibata says Joe is too large to wear a floral pattern.
Toni Storm vs. Harley Cameron
Nobody is allowed ringside here in this non-title match as commentary brings up Mina Shirakawa appearing out of nowhere whenever she pleases. Toni Storm holds Harley Cameron down with a side headlock before taking out Cameron with a Thesz Press and sending Cameron to the outside hard with a hip attack. Serena Deeb shows up on the ramp and catches Storm’s attention, as Cameron sends Storm head-first into the steel steps and keeps attacking her against the apron as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we return, Storm stops Cameron in the corner and hits a backstabber followed by a DDT and a Fisherman’s Suplex, but Cameron kicks out at two. Cameron stays in control, hitting Sole Food followed by a running knee for two herself. Storm comes back with a Sky High before they counter pin attempts back and forth that ends with the Storm Zero for the pin and the win.
Winner: Toni Storm by pinfall at 7:09
No Strong Respect
Arkady Aura is in the back with Will Ospreay and The Undisputed Kingdom, as she asks Ospreay how this title match feels different. Ospreay says they left a sour taste in his mouth and says Roderick Strong feels too comfortable with his title and it could be because of his backup or maybe him retiring the Tiger Driver ’91. Ospreay says Strong knows how to feel to be dropped on his head, and he’s done it on people he loves and respects, but he doesn’t respect Strong. Ospreay says in PWG, ROH, PROGRESS, and even Southside Wrestling, that Strong has never respected him, to which Strong agrees. Strong says Ospreay is talented in the ring but an idiot outside of it, and calls Ospreay the little child that he was and will always be. Strong says he didn’t quit after his neck injury and everything he has he works for and he knows Ospreay is a fraud, a coward, and a child and at Double or Nothing he will end it. Ospreay says he will take the one thing that makes Strong important with his title and show everybody why he’s on another level.
Willow & Mercedes Contract Signing
Renee is in the ring for the contract signing between Willow Nightingale & Mercedes Mone’, before introducing Mercedes and Willow to the ring, as Willow tells Stokely Hathaway & Kris Statlander to stay in the back. Willow goes to sign the contract but before says she respects Mercedes but asks if Mercedes respects the TBS Championship. A championship that celebrates the legacy of professional wrestling, that dates back 50 years on this very channel. A legacy built on fighting, hard work, dedication, defending, and making a name for yourself in the face of obstacles, something everybody who’s held this title has represented, like her friend Statlander. Now she’s the face of TBS and no matter what she looks for something to smile for, and this title is what matters to her. She’s not going to let Mercedes walk into AEW and take it away before she signs the contract.
Mercedes gets on the mic but starts getting booed, as she tells them to say hello to their CEO. Mercedes brings up legacy, and brings up dedication, as she has broken down the doors and kicked down glass ceilings… (That’s not how that goes). She talks about the difference between being great and being the greatest of all time and says they should all be looking at the face of TBS as she steps up and talks about all the things she’s done and that’s what a CEO does. Mercedes talks about her legacy being all about winning Willow says last time they fought she walked out as champion while Mercedes didn’t walk out at all. Mercedes goes to attack Willow, but Willow stops her and puts her through the table with the Doctor Bomb.
AEW Continental Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Dax Harwood
They start the match slow, both testing each other out before Dax Harwood knocks Kazuchika Okada down with a shoulder block and attempts a Sharpshooter, but Okada is able to escape to the outside. Back inside, Dax starts landing some loud chops on Okada, but Okada fights back and sends Dax shoulder-first into the ring post as we head to picture-in-picture.
We come down to see them fighting on the outside, with Okada attacking Dax up against the barricade, before hitting him a draping DDT off of one. Dax sells this move and just barely beats the count coming back inside the ring. Okada goes to pick up Dax for the ripcord, but he collapses back down. He gets him up, where Dax dodges the clothesline and hits two back-to-back suplexes. They trade headbutts and punches before Dax hits a release Dragon Suplex. Dax stops a dropkick attempt from Okada and goes for the Sharpshooter, but Okada sends him back, head-first into the corner. Okada follows with a neckbreaker and gets a two. They head to the top rope where Dax hits a Superplex. After some back and forth and reversing each other’s moves, including a slingshot powerbomb and another Sharpshooter, Dax hits a Tombstone on Okada for a two. Dax goes for a top rope headbutt but misses it before ducking a Rainmaker and putting on the Sharpshooter, finally, just for Okada to reach the bottom rope. Okada goes to grab the title belt, but as the referee goes to take it away, he kicks the rope from under Dax and hits the Rainmaker for the pin and the win.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada by pinfall at 16:05, to retain
“From Everest To Everett”…. Darby Allin Returns
As soon as the match ends, Jack Perry & The Young Bucks run out to attack Dax. Bryan Danielson & Cash Wheeler join in, but are still outnumbered until Darby Allin makes a shocking return and joins in on the fight as commentary says it’s official that Allin is the fourth man for Anarchy In The Arena.
Collision Line-Up
- Will Ospreay vs. Shane Taylor
- Serena Deeb vs. Anna Jay
Rampage Line-Up
- Deonna Purrazzo vs. Robyn Renegade
- Rush in action
FINAL THOUGHTS
A huge improvement from last week’s show as they delivered, for the most part, a very strong show top to bottom, from the wrestling to the backstage promos to the in-ring segments. Plenty of push and developments for all six matches announced so far for Double or Nothing, while still lingering some other unresolved stories that can end up being added to the card as well.
Coming into this show, I did find it weird for them to announce an over-run before the show even started, because things like that, as well as the countdown clock at the top of the hour for Swerve & Cage, did make the pacing and results of the matches prior that match, predictable. Speaking of predictable, although a fantastically executed contract signing, Mercedes ‘kicking down ceilings’ flub aside, it does make the outcome of their match pretty predictable as everything Willow said was true and she deserves to hold on to that title as the face of TBS. I hope they prove me wrong tho, as Willow stood out as the real star in that segment. The over-run felt a little unnecessary, especially with a pretty underwhelming main event, but the fact it was announced so early in the day made something noteworthy predictable, so the 4th man for Anarchy in the Arena made sense to be it.
It being Darby Allin though, I could not have predicted and one side of me worries that the first match back he would have would be the Anarchy in the Arena, coming back from an injury… that’s on top of another injury! On the other side though, is Darby Allin coming back from injuries and returning for Anarchy in the Arena? Of course! Why not? That makes all the sense in the world for Darby. It should be interesting how they continue this Danielson/Claudio issue they were teasing with Danielson now not having to team up with Eddie Kingston anymore.
