AEW Dynamite
May 29, 2024
By: John Siino
Kia Forum in Inglewood, California
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
RESULTS
*Dark Match: Brandon Cutler over Evil Uno
*Dark Match: Zak Knight over Colt Cabana
*Non-Title: Swerve Strickland over Killswitch via pinfall (11:45)
*IWGP World Heavyweight Title Eliminator: Jon Moxley over Rocky Romero via pinfall (10:37) (Recommended)
*TBS Title: Mercedes Mone’ over Skye Blue via pinfall (7:37) (Recommended)
*Forbidden Door Casino Gauntlet: Will Ospreay over Orange Cassidy via pinfall (22:14) (Recommended)
The CEO Championship Celebration
The new AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone’ makes her way down to the ring which is filled with balloons. She gets a CEO chant, and mostly cheers with some boos sprinkled in, but not many. Mone’ introduces herself as the new champion and asks if she is worth the wait and if money changes everything, and she does exactly that at Double or Nothing. She speaks about it being the return of the greatest of all time in herself, as her and Willow Nightingale tore the house down. She talks about Willow having the run of her career and giving her the fight of her life, but Willow is just way too nice. She could have told her a mile away that Kris Statlander & Stokely Hathaway were going to screw her over, but when Willow comes back she wants her to come back better than ever to kick their ass.
Back to her celebration, which starts getting more boos, as she starts dancing again. Being the TBS Champion puts a big target on her back, but she’s not afraid and she’s ready. She starts talking about Forbidden Door before she gets interrupted by Skye Blue on the tron, as we cut to a few weeks ago when Mercedes got attacked in the dark. Blue calls it some of her best work but says she’s only getting started before Blue shows off from behind Mone’ and takes her out with a TKO.
Tony Schiavone says Tony Khan will provide an update on this situation very soon.
We see footage of The Elite arriving earlier today, including Jack Perry driving in his Scapegoat Bus before showing footage of the Anarchy in the Arena.
Swerve Strickland (w/ Prince Nana) vs. Killswitch
This match is sponsored by the new season of House of the Dragon and presented as a ‘Who’s House?’ match, whatever that means, what we do know is that this is a non-title match. Swerve Strickland goes after Killswitch right away and drapes him on the apron where he hits a neckbreaker as Schiavone brings up Tony Khan having a big announcement for a match later on, on this program. Killswitch takes control on the outside and starts tossing Swerve against the barricades, as my audio feed on TBS is bombarded with technical issues. Killswitch sends Swerve back inside, as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Swerve is able to mount a comeback, hitting a vertical suplex for a two-count. Killswitch comes back with a chokeslam and puts Swerve on the apron, before grabbing a chair and goes to use it, but Prince Nana is able to snatch it away, but not before Killswitch punches it out of his hand. Swerve comes back with a flurry of kicks from the apron followed by a Swerve Stomp to the outside. Back inside, Swerve heads to the top rope but Killswitch gets up before he can hit a top rope Swerve Stomp. Swerve comes back with kicks, but Killswitch stops a House Call attempt with a chokeslam and a standing moonsault for two. Swerve dodges the Extinction lariat and hits a German Suplex, followed by the House Call and a top rope Swerve Stomp but surprisingly Killswitch kicks out at two (not sure why this is necessary), so Swerve follows with another House Call to finally get the pin and the win.
Winner: Swerve Strickland by pinfall at 11:45
After the match, Swerve gets a pair of scissors and cuts off a lock from Killswitch’s hair.
After the break, Schiavone says Tony Khan has made the announcement of Mercedes Mone’ defending the TBS Championship against Skye Blue tonight.
Pissing Away At Disney World
We got to Jon Moxley in the back who talks about Rocky Romero being one of the most dangerous and experienced men in the game and maybe not being a smart idea taking this Eliminator Match calling it a dumb and a bad idea, as he’s not 100%. That’s what champions do tho, he’s not pissing away at Disney World. He talks about how he will be wrestling in Japan and for Bloodsport and says he will also go wherever the hell else he wants to go.
TV Time
Big Bill is in the ring with fake grass and a cardboard tree as he introduces ‘The Learning Tree’ Chris Jericho for his new ‘TV Time’ segment. Jericho talks about wanting more TV time and tells Bill to finish his introduction. Bill says Jericho taught him even though the leaves fall down in the fall they come back stronger and better than ever. Jericho thanks him for those inspiring words and for making the new Learning Tree University shirt the #1 seller in the world before pandering to the crowd who wants a free shirt, but he comically just places it on the turnbuckle instead. He thanks all his ‘branches’ in the crowd for making him #1 and making him the longest reigning For The World Champion at 39 days. He talks about having adversity with Hook & Katsuyori Shibata at Double or Nothing but calls it ice cream and puts the cherry on top. Jericho talks about walking under the shade of the Learning Tree and introduces Bryan Keith.
Jericho asked Keith what made him get sucked into the Jericho Vortex and learn under the Learning Tree. Keith says there’s a lack of respect for Jericho and brings up all of Jericho’s accolades, putting him over. Keith says he can’t believe more people didn’t jump at this opportunity as the crowd chants ‘Shut the fuck up’ which Jericho tells them to watch their language as it’s a family show. Keith starts yelling at the ‘branches’ to show some respect and calls out some snot-nosed kids. Jericho tells him to stop yelling and calls him a bad man, but Bill says maybe he’s a ‘bad apple’ and Jericho says a ‘bad apple doesn’t fall far from the Learning Tree’, but they get interrupted by Hook who rushes to the ring, taking out security in the process. Samoa Joe’s music hits as he magically appears in front of Hook and gives him some words, as Hook & Joe leave to the back together.
We get a couple of production cue errors (tonight with WB executives in attendance of all nights) as Excalibur pitches to a Moxley package, then brings up Stephanie Vaquer. We cut to a Moxley package, but then it stops and Excalibur pitches to the Vaquer one, introducing her to the AEW audience. I said on Collision Course this past Saturday, that I was hoping she would be brought in for Forbidden Door, and it looks like we might be heading that way.
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Eliminator Match: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Rocky Romero
As soon as Rocky Romero enters the ring, he attacks Jon Moxley with a kick before the bell rings, sending him to the outside where he hits him with a tope suicida and continues to attack Moxley whose left arm is all bandaged up from his attack and match with Konosuke Takeshita. Back inside, they head to the top rope where Romero pushes Moxley off and stomps on his injured arm, before continuing to work on it. Moxley comes back by choking Romero against the ropes, but Romero kicks him off and takes him out with a missile dropkick. Romero stays in control working on Moxley’s injured arm as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, they are trading back-and-forth blows before Moxley takes out Romero with a cutter. Romero tries to put on an armbar, but Moxley escapes and hits a couple of knee strikes to the head before putting on the bulldog choke. Romero escapes and snaps Moxley’s arm back but Moxley stops him in the corner. They head to the top rope where Romero drops him back down right into another armbar, but Moxley powers out and stomps away at Romero. Moxley hits a lariat followed by the Death Rider, to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Jon Moxley by pinfall at 10:37
Truly Dangerous Men
Renee Paquette is in the back and tries to get a word with Samoa Joe & Hook. Joe says tonight they learned their first lesson as they don’t exist in their time and truly dangerous men exist in their own time, as Joe & Hook walk off together.
A Contract For The Don Callis Family
Don Callis heads to the ring as he is there to present a contract to the potential newest member of the Don Callis Family. Callis tries to talk over the boos as he says the contract is more valuable than gold and diamonds. Callis says it’s been an honor to scout a talent like Orange Cassidy, and when he sees Orange he sees himself, as Orange makes his way out to the ring (back to using ‘Jane’).
Callis says this is the moment he’s been waiting for, and he calls Cassidy an iconic performer in this industry and a star wherever he goes. He’s been confused with some bad choices but now he’s there to work with him and welcomes Cassidy with a contract to be part of the Don Callis Family. Cassidy takes it and slowly rips it up before telling Callis ‘No’ and begins to walk away. Callis pulls him back in and says ‘Nobody says no to him’ and asks Cassidy what he’s going to do about it.
Stokely Hathaway & Kris Statlander start making their way down to the ring, as Stokely starts quoting Kendrick Lamar saying he doesn’t like Cassidy and says he reminds him of Willow Nightingale. Statlander takes over the mic and says on behalf of her ‘best friend’, he accepts your invitation to the Don Callis Family. Trent Beretta is behind Cassidy, wearing an all-black suit, and attacks Cassidy, busting him open while screaming that he hates him. Callis pulls Beretta off and they have a staredown, but it just leads to a hug from Beretta & Callis, with the camera zoom out and all. Callis starts stomping away at Cassidy before Trent stands over him and mocks him with a thumbs up.
Garcia In The Mud
They announce this Saturday on Collision, Will Ospreay will defend the AEW International Championship against Kyle O’Reilly before we cut to Renee in the back with Daniel Garcia & Matt Menard. Garcia says he’s looking over his shoulder as this place is filled with blood-hungry killers. Garcia talks about how sometimes he feels like he is in the mud but it might be time to take these muddy boots straight to the International Championship. Renee tries to tell him Ospreay is the champion, but Garcia says he doesn’t care and will make his way up the rankings and challenge Ospreay.
AEW TBS Championship: Mercedes Mone’ (c) vs. Skye Blue
Mercedes Mone’ goes right after Skye Blue, tossing her into the corners before hitting her with an arm drag off the ropes, and goes for the cover getting one. Mercedes hit a headscissors, sending Blue to the outside. Mercedes follows her and hits her with a diving Meteora off the apron, before sending her back inside for a two. They go back and forth before Blue catches Mercedes in the ropes with a kick to the head and a draping neckbreaker for two, as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, they are going back and forth, before Mercedes hits a knee strike and backstabber, for some pin attempts. Blue comes back with the Sky Fall, but Mercedes is able to kick out at two. They trade kicks before Mercedes blocks the Code Blue and hits a flawless-looking Money Maker for the pin and the win.
Winner: Mercedes Mone’ by pinfall at 7:37, to retain
As Mercedes is celebrating, she gets interrupted by CMLL’s NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer as they both raise their titles up high towards each other.
Protection From Statlander
Renee is in the back trying to get an update on Orange Cassidy, but Stokely & Statlander interrupt and send her away. Stokely starts talking down on Willow but brings up the 4-way back on March 27th when Willow didn’t listen to Statlander saying she wanted to be TBS Champion. Willow didn’t listen, but Stokely did and was a shoulder for Statlander to cry on. Stokely starts talking about all the bitches who don’t show up for work, before saying he wasn’t even talking about the women yet, but the men. Statlander says Willow didn’t care about them and knows Statlander was being used to clean up her mess but she’s done being the protector as everybody will need protection from her.
We get a video package for MJF showing his return as well as all his moments and accolades.
The Elite Address The TNT Title
The Young Bucks make their way to the ring to address the TNT Championship situation since Adam Copeland is out injured, not before introducing Kazuchika Okada who unfortunately gets announced as the Intercontinental Champion for the second time today. Only a matter of time before someone slips and calls him the Intercontinental Champion. Jack Perry joins them, and The Elite enters the ring. The crowd starts to chant for CM Punk before Okada tells them to ‘shut up, bitches’. Perry says first things first, let’s get things straight as The Elite run this shit. Perry talks about how they won despite him being put on fire, and in Perry’s first match here in 9 months he took a piece of the Dragon, by pinning Bryan Danielson.
Nicholas Jackson talks about what a fantastic week it’s been for them, as they just released their Reebok Pump and it became the hottest-selling Reebok shoe in multiple years. The Young Bucks show a video of a black Lamborghini Huracán they gifted to Okada, who gives an over-the-top thank you for it and pretends to cry. Matthew Jackson talks about telling Adam Copeland to ‘break a leg’ before his match, and how it probably jinxed him but says he hopes to come back stronger. As EVPs, they have to make the tough decisions and they have to strip him of the TNT Championship. They talk about being forced to crown a new champion and know the perfect guy and present Jack Perry as the new TNT Champion. Before they can continue, they get interrupted by Christopher Daniels who says he has a new job as the Interim Executive Vice President and he’ll be making all the decisions on behalf of Tony Khan. He talks about Perry having to earn the TNT Championship as they will start having qualifying matches starting next week with no seconds in their corner, and the winners of those will face off in a Ladder Match at Forbidden Door. He says those matches will start this week in Los Angeles on ‘Friday Night Dynamite’ (oops). The Elite tease going after Daniels, but The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn come out to make it even as they face off
Swervie Wonder
We see Swerve Strickland & Prince Nana, as Nana calls Swerve ‘Stevie Wonder’ as nobody will be able to see him in the ring. Swerve says he had to give Killswitch a ‘killshot’ and know he has a token. He’s curious to see who his next challenger is and sees some of the competitors being former champions and asks who wants to get Swerve Stomped or House Called next.
MJF Returns Next Week
They announce that MJF returns to Dynamite next week, before going to Rush in the back who congratulates MJF on his return but tells him that if he messes with the bull, he’ll get the horns.
There was a scheduled match between Saraya vs. Mariah May, that didn’t happen without an explanation or reschedule, as we head into our main event.
AEW World Championship #1 Contender’s Forbidden Door Casino Gauntlet Match
Jay White comes out as the first entrant, followed by PAC in what was announced as this match, which is up to 21 men, with random entrants and times throughout. PAC goes right after White with a kick and starts choking him out in the corner, as Schiavone reminds us the match can end right here with a pinfall or submission. They start fighting on the outside for a bit, before heading back inside where PAC sends White right back outside with another hurricanrana followed by a dive onto him. PAC hits a missile dropkick for two, as Mistico comes out as the third entrant and goes after both PAC & White, sending them both to the outside where he hits them both with a top rope crossbody as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, we see coming out at #4 is new International Champion Will Ospreay, who takes out Mistico with a springboard forearm before going after Jay White as the crowd erupts for Ospreay. White escapes to the outside but gets sent right back in as Ospreay takes him out with a springboard Pele Kick. PAC & Ospreay have a standoff before Mistico takes them out with a double crossbody before hitting La Mistica on Ospreay. Number 5 is Shota Umino who comes out to break up the submission. Ospreay & Shota go at it in a crazy-fast flurry, before Shota hits a dropkick followed by a pair of DDTs off the ropes, but White is there to break up the pin. Number 6 is Claudio Castagnoli who starts chasing White around the ring while taking out PAC & Mistico in the chase. Claudio hits the Giant Swing on White as we go to picture-in-picture (I wish he would have done the Swing the entire break).
We come back as Lio Rush comes out as a surprise return at #7. Rush & Claudio start going at it, with Rush sending Claudio to the outside. Rush & Shota go at it next, by running the ropes and faking each other out before Claudio takes them both out. Number 8 is Dark Orange Cassidy, who now comes out to The Pixies and a black shirt and takes out Claudio with a spinning DDT. Cassidy is showing signs of his attack from earlier, before turning around to see Ospreay setting up for the Hidden Blade. White ends up attacking Orange & Ospreay from behind, including a nasty-looking Dragon Sleeper suplex to Ospreay. Number 9 is Hechicero from CMLL who goes after everyone with some wild offense and pin attempts. Mistico enters and sends Hechicero to the outside where Lio Rush hits him with a suicide dive. Mistico hits a diving hurricanrana to Claudio on the outside as Cassidy & PAC go at it inside. As PAC goes to the top rope to attack White, Juice Robinson runs out and takes out PAC. Everybody goes at it inside before Ospreay hits the Os Cutter on Cassidy to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Will Ospreay by pinfall at 22:14, to become #1 Contender to the AEW World Championship.
Swerve Strickland comes out and goes face-to-face with his next challenger at Forbidden Door in Will Ospreay, as Excalibur runs down the next three shows.
Rampage Line-Up
- TNT Championship Eliminator Match: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Penta El Zero Miedo
- Satnam Singh in action
- AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator: Toni Storm (c) vs. Viva Van
- Kyle O’Reilly in action
Collision Line-Up
- International Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Kyle O’Reilly
Dynamite Next Week
- Mariah May vs. Saraya (originally scheduled for tonight)
FINAL THOUGHTS
A very fun show, overall, with some really good in-ring action topped off with significant non-wrestling segments sprinkled throughout. The Casino Gauntlet Match was a lot better presented and executed, than the first attempt although I am a bit surprised with the outcome. Not because it’s Will Ospreay winning yet again, but the fact that they are going to Swerve vs. Ospreay so soon as most expected them to hold off until at least All In in Wembley, and also the fact that it’s two AEW wrestlers going at it for the title, opposed to a NJPW or CMLL star challenging instead.
Nice little surprise having an unannounced Mercedes Mone’ match, although it makes me wonder if something might have happened to pump Mariah May vs. Saraya to next week without any explanation when I thought that we might get a rare two women’s matches, but at last that did not happen.
Nothing really offensive tonight, with a lot of moving parts as we head into a busy season before Forbidden Door. A couple of things were predictable with Stephanie Vaquer and other CMLL talent being brought in in anticipation, as well as the bait-and-switch of handing the title over to Jack Perry, but sometimes predictable is good, and all these worked tonight.
