AEW Dynamite – “Grand Slam”
September 25, 2024
By: John Siino
Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York
Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Taz & Tony Schiavone
RESULTS
- Bryan Danielson over Nigel McGuinness via submission (18:51) (Recommended)
- FTW Title: Hook (c) over Roderick Strong via submission (8:57)
- AEW World Tag Team Title: The Young Bucks (c) over Will Ospreay & Kyle Fletcher via pinfall (19:27) (Recommended)
- AEW Women’s World Title: Mariah May (c) over Yuka Sakazaki via pinfall (6:11)
- Jon Moxley over Darby Allin via pinfall (18:43) (Recommended)
Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness
Nigel McGuinness comes out first for his match against Bryan Danielson, but as Danielson’s music hits, he doesn’t come out. Nigel gets on the mic and says he hasn’t seen Danielson all day and the American Coward dropped the ball and he tells Paul Turner to make the ten count, declare himself the winner, and strip Danielson of the AEW World Championship. Turner starts counting and once he gets to six, we now hear ‘The Final Countdown’ by Europe play, and this time Danielson does come out.
Danielson’s neck is all taped up as Taz mentions by looking into Danielson’s eyes that he is in the zone. They go to lock up and trade uppercuts, as Nigel stays yelling that this is too easy. They tie up again and go back and forth with wrist control until Nigel catches Bryan on the ropes and kicks away before keeping Bryan in the corner with slaps, just for Bryan to deliver a huge slap right back. They start trading uppercuts before Nigel acts as if he got kicked a bit too low and starts to sell it. They get on the ground and start trading body shots, before Bryan is able to put on the LeBell Lock. They start fighting on the outside, where Nigel tries to drop the steel steps on Danielson who is able to dodge them before they end up back in the ring. Nigel stays in control until Danielson stops him in the corner with a knee before he keeps kicking away at him. Danielson heads to the top rope where Nigel stops him and tries the Tower of London, but Danielson escapes and hits the Busaiku Knee. Danielson starts kicking away, before hitting a roundhouse kick, but McGuinness kicks out at two. Danielson catches Nigel upside in the corner and starts twisting his neck, but Nigel escapes out and hits a neckbreaker, for two. Nigel encourages Bryan to hit an uppercut, which he does but it’s from his injured arm as he sells the pain after. They go back and forth on the ropes, as Nigel bounces back with a clothesline, but Danielson kicks out at one.
Danielson goes to hulk up, but Nigel pokes him in the eye and hits a ripcord lariat for two. Nigel comes back with the Tower of London, for another two. Nigel keeps working on Danielson’s injured arm with the London Dungeon, but Danielson escapes and hits elbow strikes as both men are now laid out. They go back and forth until Nigel catches Danielson off the ropes with a big clothesline for two. Danielson tries to put on the LeBell Lock, as Nigel keeps trying to escape before eventually giving in and tapping out while saying something that is censored that Jim Ross asks if he said ‘Thank you’.
Winner: Bryan Danielson by submission at 18:51
As soon as the match ends, Christian Cage comes out with his championship contract and goes to sign it, just to have his pen stolen from behind by Kip Sabian. Christian goes to chase after him, but sees Claudio Castagnoli & PAC in the way, before avoiding them and chasing after Sabian.
FTW Championship: Hook (c) vs. Roderick Strong (w/ Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
Jim Ross seems to have only done the opening match, as it’s back to the regular three-man commentary team for this match. Hook takes Roderick Strong to the mat right away, where Mike Bennett & Matt Taven are there to pull him out to safety on the outside. Hook chases after Strong and starts attacking him against the barricades. Strong comes right back and sends Hook into the barricade himself before he goes to grab a Kendo stick, but Hook takes it away from him and goes to attack all of The Undisputed Kingdom with it, including using it for a Russian Leg Sweep to Strong against the barricade. He goes to take out Taven & Bennett, but Strong takes advantage and sends Hook into the ring post and steel steps as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we are back, they are in the ring where Hook is in control, attacking Strong in the corner with body shots. Taven tosses a chair into the ring, and Strong wedges into the corner, but as Hook tries to put on the Redrum, Strong sends him headfirst into the chair before hitting a knee and a suplex for a two. More chairs get set up, as Hook throws Strong onto them. Strong picks up Hook and sends him onto a chair with a gut buster, before hitting a running kick for two. Hook escapes out of an End of Heartache attempt and puts on the Redrum as Strong taps out.
Winner: Hook by submission at 8:57, to retain
After the match, Strong helps Hook up and shakes his hand before bringing him in for a hug, to everybody’s surprise.
Hook Retires The FTW Championship
Tony Schiavone gets a word with Hook and talks about how back in 1998, the FTW Championship was born by his father Taz not too far from here at the Elk’s Lodge. Hook says with that being said all good things come to an end. On behalf of his family, he thinks of everybody who’s ever competed for this championship and the fans who supported the FTW Championship. At this very moment, the FTW Championship is officially retired, he hands it over to his father, and he and Taz hug.
AEW World Tag Team Championship: The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) (c) vs. Will Ospreay & Kyle Fletcher
Don Callis joins the commentary team for this match, as Taz is still overwhelmed with what just happened in the last segment with Hook. Will Ospreay & Nicholas Jackson start the match, but Matthew Jackson joins in right away as they start double-teaming on Ospreay before Kyle Fletcher joins in. All four start going at it, as the Young Bucks end up stacked on top of each other, Ospreay flips off of Fletcher onto them, before the Bucks head to the outside where Fletcher & Ospreay take them out with moonsaults from the top rope, as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Fletcher is able to escape and make the tag to Ospreay who hits a standing Sky Twister Press on Matthew for a two count. The Bucks follow with a senton powerbomb combo on Ospreay, but Fletcher is there to break it up before he gets sent to the outside. They pick Ospreay up for an EVP Trigger attempt, but Ospreay fights them off with a double Os Cutter, Rick Knox takes too long to go for the count, as it’s a two. Fletcher enters and takes out the Bucks with a double clothesline, as all four go at it with a crazy sequence ending with a Hidden Blade from Ospreay as all four are now laid out. They start fighting the apron and outside, before the Bucks end up hitting the TK Driver to Fletcher on the apron. Fletcher is able to beat the count right before ten but Nicholas is there to meet him with a running kick as we go back to picture-in-picture.
We come back, just in time to see Ospreay & Fletcher catch the Bucks into a Double Styles Clash, followed by a Hidden Blade & Storm Breaker from Ospreay to Matthew, but Nicholas is there to break it up. Ospreay looks to the crowd who gives him the okay to go for the Tiger Driver ’91 but isn’t able to get it done. Fletcher starts attacking the Bucks in the corner, but they come right back, as Nicholas hits a bulldog. Ospreay stops Nicholas off the ropes with a cutter, before they hit a TK Driver on Matthew, who is able to kick out. They follow with Coriolis, but Matthew kicks out again. Fletcher hits a turnbuckle brainbuster on Matthew, but Nicholas & Ospreay crash onto to them, breaking it up. They all start fighting by the commentary table as Don Callis hands Fletcher the screwdriver. Callis starts distracting Rick Knox, as Fletcher goes to stab Matthew with it, but Ospreay takes it away and hands it to the referee. During all this distraction, the Bucks start using the titles on Ospreay & Fletcher, before hitting a double superkick on Fletcher and the EVP Trigger on Fletcher to get the pin and the win.
Winners: The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) by pinfall at 19:27, to retain
Renee Paquette is in the back with The Conglomeration and Rocky Romero, as Orange Cassidy officially makes Romero a member. Mark Briscoe says they can expect some new cool Conglomeration shirts for their match on Collision, but he is wearing a #DemBoys shirt as they are in the same city where The Briscoes had their last match together.
MVP Is Here To Talk Business
Tony Schiavone brings Prince Nana to the ramp for an update on Swerve Strickland. Nana says nothing can stop Swerve, but physically he is not cleared to come back, but he is fighting each and every day for the fans. Nana gets cut off by MVP, who reintroduces himself before agreeing with Nana about Swerve being the most dangerous man in AEW. MVP goes through all the accolades of Swerve and everybody he beat, before asking why Nana is smiling after what happened to Swerve. MVP says it’s not a failure on Swerve, but a failure on his management who’s more concerned about selling his coffee and dancing for these people. MVP tells Nana to tell Swerve when he’s ready to be taken seriously again to let him know that he will be ready to talk ‘business’, as he hands Nana his card.
We see Jack Perry driving his Scapegoat bus around New York City, as he has an open challenge this Saturday. So in kayfabe, he is driving around for three days, and parking is going to be ridiculous.
AEW Women’s World Championship: Mariah May (c) vs. Yuka Sakazaki
Yuka Sakazaki attacks Mariah May as she is making her entrance, before sending her back inside to officially start the match. They quickly take it back to the outside, where May hits a shotgun dropkick to Yuka, before sending her right back inside. May follows with a spinning side slam, for a two. They fight in the corner, where Yuka traps May’s neck with headscissors. They go back and forth, going for pin attempts, with Yuka coming really close with one of them. May escapes out of an airplane spin and delivers a headbutt followed by a high German Suplex for two. Yuka comes back with a thrust kick and Northern Lights Bomb before trying the Magical Girl Splash, but May is able to get her knees up and hits another knee followed by the Storm Zero to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Mariah May by pinfall at 6:11, to retain
May goes to attack Yuka again after, but Willow Nightingale runs out and gets in May’s face. Mina Shirakawa’s music hits, which distracts Willow enough for May to take her out with the title before May goes and embraces Mina who is all confused, before Yuka chases May away.
AEW World Championship #1 Contenders Match: Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley (w/ Marina Shafir)
Jim Ross rejoined commentary for this main event. Jon Moxley attacks Darby Allin right away and starts punching away at him in the corner. Moxley stays on the attack inside and out before viciously whipping Arbin into the corner, as he goes spilling to the outside. They start fighting on the apron, where Darby puts Moxley’s arm inside the ring post and starts punching away at it. Marina Shafir is there to help him get it out but Darby meets Moxley on the outside with the Coffin Drop. Darby is bleeding from the face as he goes after Moxlye on the outside and sets up a chair, but Shafir gets in between him and the chair. As Moxley is being checked on by the referee, Shafir starts attacking Allin on the outside. Moxley starts attacking Allin against the ring post as we go to picture-in-picture.
We come back, and Darby takes out Moxley who was on a chair on the outside, before they take it back inside. Moxley stops Darby with a John Woo dropkick before they go back and forth with pin attempts before Darby puts on an arm breaker. Shafir starts removing the padding from the floor in front of the ring, as all the wood is exposed, but Darby avoids the Death Rider and sends Moxley into the steel steps. Darby tries to dive onto Moxley but goes crashing into the wood instead before Moxley drops him onto the steel steps. Darby crawls back into the ring, as the crowd starts chanting ‘You can’t kill him’. They start trading slaps before Moxley runs into an exposed turnbuckle as Darby gets a two-count. Darby tries a Coffin Drop but drops right into a sleeper hold from Moxley. Moxley turns it into the Bulldog Choke, but Darby is able to crawl to the bottom rope to break it up. They head to the top rope, but Darby gets distracted by Marina on the apron, as Moxley hits an avalanche Death Rider for the pin and the win.
Winner: Jon Moxley by pinfall at 18:43, to become #1 Contender for the AEW World Champion.
Bryan Danielson runs in from the crowd and starts choking out Moxley with a tie, before Marina, Claudio Castagnoli & PAC run out to break him off. Private Party & Komander run out to fight them off before Moxley gets pulled out as Danielson is trying to hit him with the Busaiku Knee. Danielson gets on the mic and makes it official that he will defend his title against Moxley at WrestleDream, as it’s also made official for Collision; Claudio Castagnoli, PAC & Wheeler Yuta defending the Trios Championship against Private Party & Komander.
