AEW Dynamite – “3 Year Anniversary”
May 25th, 2022
Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, NV
Commentary: Jim Ross, Excalibur & Tony Schiavone
Steel Cage Match: Wardlow vs. Shawn Spears (Special Referee: MJF)
MJF has a burberry style referee shirt as he says he will call the match right down the middle. Wardlow gets his name chanted as he comes out with no music, handcuffs and the security guards. As Wardlow enters, MJF pats him down before saying he can’t find the keys to uncuff him. Shawn Spears attacks the cuffed Wardlow as the bell rings. MJF says he found the keys just to join in the attack on Wardlow in the corner. Wardlow tries to elbow and kick his way out of the attack, but MJF and Spears double team and smash Wardlow into the cage. Wardlow comes back with a back body drop and boots on Spears, before getting into MJF’s face. MJF encourages him to hit him, so he can disqualify him and ends up spitting in Wardlow’s face that only enrages Wardlow to snap off his handcuffs before tossing Spears repeatedly into the cage. They both start climbing the cage, before Wardlow tosses Spears off and hits a Senton off the top rope, as MJF teases making the pin count but decides not to. The loud crowd chants ‘Max, you suck’, as Wardlow gets in his face. Wardlow goes to power bomb Wardlow, but MJF kicks him in the balls. Spears quickly hits the C4, as MJF makes the fast count just for Wardlow to kick out at two. Spears exits the cage and grabs one of his chairs (you can only win by pinfall or submission, in this cage match) and goes to hit Wardlow with it, while MJF holds him. Wardlow ducks, and MJF gets a chair shot to the head and gets knocked out cold as Spears looks down with a shocked face as the crowd chants ‘you fucked up’. Wardlow rises behind Spears and puts his straps down, before grabbing Spears and power bombing him down. Wardlow follows that with three more power bombs as the crowd goes wild. Bryce Remsburg runs into the ring as Wardlow power bombs Spears for the fifth time, this time on top of Spears’ chair as Remsburg counts the three.
Winner: Wardlow by pinfall at 6:52
As a result, Wardlow will now get his match with MJF at Double or Nothing on Sunday. Wardlow goes to power bomb MJF, but a dozen or so security guards stop him just for Wardlow to take them all out including power bombing one poor soul into the cage. Wardlow climbs the cage as the crowd gives him a huge reaction.
We cut to the commentary table as Jim Ross gives a heartfelt message to the families of the victims in the Uvalde, Texas school shooting;
“Our hearts go out to the families in Texas. There is nothing more we can say other than pray and understand what they are going through and love them. Love them all you can. Something has to stop. Something’s got to stop, can you make it happen?”
Cuz I’m A Wizard
We see The Jericho Appreciate Society backstage where Daniel Garcia says in the Anarchy in the Arena they will show them how violent sports entertainers can get. They bump into someone backstage that has on a Jon Moxley shirt before Chris Jericho throws a fireball in his face and calls himself a wizard.
Page & Punk Face-to-Face
Tony Schiavone is in the ring and introduces the competitors of Double or Nothing’s world championship match with CM Punk coming out first in a Misfits style ‘Mutants’ shirt with Wolverine on the front. AEW World Champion ‘Hangman’ Adam Page comes out next in a ‘Hangman Ranch’ shirt. Schiavone talks about how they both were on commentary as the other one would do each other’s signature move before going to CM Punk first who gets a mixed reaction. Punk says it’s safe to say that the biggest moment of his career happened in Las Vegas and he loves all the fans across the world and he plans on walking into Sunday Double or Nothing the challenger and very respectfully walking out the champion. Schiavone goes to Page before saying Punk’s confidence level is off the charts. Page says he said exactly what he was going to do and asked if he stuttered. There is nothing that Punk can do to him to take the championship away from him. Punk says he’s not exactly sure to be taking this so personally and says Page is the champion for a reason and possibly the toughest son of a bitch on this roster and he holds the gold for a reason. There’s a locker room full of people like Punk waiting to get his shot and this is just business, not personal. Schiavone says there seems to be a lot of respect here before Page repeats that he is going to destroy, annihilate and embarrass Punk and he did not mean at Double or Nothing, he meant right now.
Page talks about lighting a pipe bomb and rolling it down and having it blow up in Punk’s face and how good it would feel and full circle for him in Las Vegas. Now that we are here, Page says he realizes that he can’t do it not because he’s afraid because this is exactly what Punk would do. Page says he doesn’t think it’s the right thing to do but says he doesn’t hate Punk, he almost pities him. He has no respect for Punk and what he’s done since he got here. Page says he doesn’t think Punk understands how to be a champion. It matters what happens when you are out of the ring in those small moments when you think nobody is watching, that’s what makes a champion. Page says Punk has shown the exact opposite of worker’s rights since he got here, and this is his home and on Sunday, he won’t be defending this title against Punk but defending All Elite Wrestling from Punk. The crowd cheers Page on and chants ‘Cowboy Shit’, before handing the mic back over to Punk.
Punk says he doesn’t know why Page is so angry and takes this personally, and it makes him confused that Page is talking in riddles and circles and if he’s so upset that Punk is there he’s going to have to do something about it on Sunday. Win, lose or draw he respects Page, but those roads he travelled to get here were paved by Punk and this house that he built, it was constructed by lumber from trees that Punk chopped down. The world Page travelled to get here and create AEW happened before Punk gave him the blueprint. Punk says Page will shake his hand right now and all his misplaced anger is being mad at himself before pushing Page telling him to shake his hand. They get into a shove exchange, before Page punches Punk down.
Nothing But Money
We see a video package for the TBS Championship match this Sunday with Jade Cargill and Anna Jay with both of them giving sound bites. Jay talks about since their last match she’s talked to the best and now is ready to be the best. Jade says that Jay better be ready and Jade is nothing but money.
The Jericho Appreciation Society comes out but Chris Jericho cuts off the music and says Las Vegas doesn’t have what it takes to sing his song and ‘no singing for them’, before joining the commentary table in which William Regal is already seated. Jericho is surrounded by the rest of J.A.S. as he takes a seat.
Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)
Moxley and Kingston meet the Private Party on the outside before Moxley and Quen start the match. Kingston in a Terry Funk U shirt comes in as the double team Quen in their corner. Jericho says it’s ironic that he is wearing the shirt as Funk was a wizard also and threw fireballs. Quen and Kassidy start double teaming as Regal and Jericho start bickering on commentary. Moxley takes control of Kassidy as they go picture-in-picture.
When we come back Quen hits Moxley with a crossbody and a drop kick knocking him to the outside where Quen dives and takes out Kingston, before Kassidy takes out Moxley. Kassidy hits a stunner to Moxley inside before Quen hits a shooting star press for a two count. Moxley dodges the Silly String as him and Kingston start attacking Private Party followed by Moxley hitting the Paradigm Shift on Kassidy to get the pin, as Kingston holds down Quen.
Winner: Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston by pinfall at 7:23
The Jericho Appreciation Society attacks Kingston and Moxley before Santana, Ortiz and Bryan Danielson run out to save them as all ten men start brawling. Jericho and Danielson start going at it in the ring, but Jericho goes right after Danielson’s knee that he injured when his leg got trapped between the ring and the ramp on Rampage. Regal on commentary says that Jericho is going to suffer for this at the Anarchy in the Arena.
We see a video on the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament with words from Mark Henry, Toni Storm, Dr. Britt Baker DMD, Kyle O’Reilly and Samoa Joe.
ROH World Tag Team Championship: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) (c) vs. Roppongi Vice (Rocky Romero & Trent Beretta)
Bobby Cruise does the ring announcing as Caprice Coleman joins commentary. Excalibur mentions how this is Roppongi Vice’s fourth attempt at winning these tag titles. Cash Wheeler and Rocky Romero start the match, and take it to the mat right away with holds and roll-ups. Romero knocks Wheeler down and follows with kicks and chops before dodging a drop kick and getting a two count. Romero comes back with a flying cross armbreaker, but Wheeler escapes to the outside. Harwood and Beretta tag in as Beretta stops the sequence with chops, before Harwood reverses in the corner before they go back and forth with the chops. Harwood hits a suplex before tagging in Wheeler dropping him down with a leg drop on Beretta for a two. Roppongi Vice hit a bunch of offense including a half and half suplex on Wheeler, but he grabs the rope to break up the count before they head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Wheeler hits Romero with a back body drop before Beretta tags in as Wheeler leaps and tags in Harwood. Beretta comes back and hits two German Suplexes on Harwood who comes back and hits two of his own before finally hitting a third one, which Romero has to come in and break up the count for before tagging in. Roppongi Vice stays in control of Harwood as Beretta gets a two count before trying the Strong Zero. Wheeler breaks it up by knocking Romero off the top rope as Beretta and Harwood trade back and forth pin attempts. They go for the Strong Zero, this time hitting it but the pinfall gets broken up. United Empire’s Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan from NJPW run in and attack both teams ending this match.
The match ends in a no contest at 10:24, in which FTR retains
Cobb and Khan continue attacking both teams, putting them through tables and raising the Ring of Honor Tag Team Titles.
Bucks & Goats
Commentary talks about the Hardys vs. Young Bucks at Double or Nothing before going to the Hardys who say they were raised up and didn’t do anything wrong but that’s where the similarities with them and the Young Bucks end. The Bucks couldn’t survive in their era and calls them talented and elite but when they look at the Bucks they see Hardy cosplayers and the reason they are here is to prove they are the GOATs and be legendary tag team champions and the Bucks could never be better than them.
Ricky Starks vs. Swerve Strickland vs. Jungle Boy
All three go at it right away with kicks and pin attempts. Starks drags Jungle to the outside before they go back and forth with Starks clotheslining down Jungle Boy tosses Swerve into the barricade and stomps on his head off the apron as they go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, they are fighting on the apron with Jungle Boy hitting a hurricanrana on Swerve on the outside before hitting him with a clothesline to the back inside as Starks break up the count. Swerve and Jungle go to the top rope, Starks tries to join them but gets tossed to the outside before Jungle tries a poison rana, with Swerve landing on his feet. All three go at it with Starks trying a Michinoku Driver on Jungle Boy, where Swerve breaks it up. Swerve and Starks go at it, with Starks putting the thumb in his eye and hitting Rochambeau, but Jungle Boy breaks it up and puts Starks in the Snare Trap. Starks reaches for the ropes, but Jungle Boy drags him back into the middle of the ring but Swerve breaks it up with a kick. Swerve hits the Swerve Stomp on Starks and gets the victory.
Winner: Swerve Strickland by pinfall at 9:35
Powerhouse Hobbs runs out and attacks Jungle Boy, before Luchasaurus runs out and tries to chokeslam Hobbs. Keith Lee makes his way down to the ring and attacks Hobbs and Luchasaurus knocking them to the outside where he dives onto them.
TNT on TNT
We go to Dan Lambert and the Men of the Year backstage where Lambert says Tay Conti and Sammy Guevara destroying the TNT Championship won’t get them a title shot. Lambert says he has every belt maker in the world on speed dial and ordered Scorpio Sky a new title. On Rampage, the new title will be presented to Sky and he will love it.
True Face of a Champion
Tony Schiavone is on the stage and introduces AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa. Rosa has no face paint and says this is the face of a woman who has never complained as that’s what champions do. Rosa says that Serena Deeb is not a champion as the crowd starts chanting for Rosa. Rosa said she used to look up to Deeb but not anymore and on Sunday she won’t see this face, as the war paint comes on and the warrior inside of her will take over and the “mera mera” will teach her a lesson of respect.
We go to Tony Schiavone and Red Velvet where Velvet is upset that she should have been here to advance and take on Ruby Soho. Soho comes into the interview and Velvet hands her a notebook that shows everything that’s wrong with Kris Statlander including a hurt shoulder. Soho says she knows on Friday she won’t be stepping into the ring with the same Statlander and drops the notebook.
The Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Semifinal Match: Dr. Britt Baker DMD vs. Toni Storm
The crowd seems divided as they take it to the middle of the ring right away with takedowns and holds. They take it to the outside where Baker starts ramming Storm face first into the apron. They continue brawling, before Storm gets tossed into the ring steps and they go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Baker tries the Pittsburgh Sunrise, but Storm counters it and hits a swinging DDT. Storm tries the Storm Zero but Baker reverses it with an Air Raid Crash. Jamie Hayter makes her way down ringside and this seems to distract Baker who gets rolled up for a two. Baker comes back with a twisting neck breaker and gets a two count. Storm hits a release German as Baker goes to the outside where Storm hits a DDT off the apron. Storm’s nose is busted open as she knocks Hayter off the apron. Baker tries a superkick, but Storm blocks it. Baker rolls up Storm and it looks like Hayter might have missed her cue and helped Baker with the ropes, so Baker grabs it and gets the pin.
Winner: Dr. Britt Baker by pinfall at 9:01, to advance
Rampage Line-Up
- Owen Hart Foundation: Ruby Soho vs. Kris Statlander
- Young Bucks in action
- Bryan Danielson vs. Matt Sydal
The Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Semifinal Match: Kyle O’Reilly vs. Samoa Joe
They go right at it with takedown attempts before Joe tries to put on a sleeper hold. O’Reilly escapes before Joe knocks him down hard with a big chop. Joe stays in command with a body slam and a running elbow drop and gets a two count. O’Reilly takes over and starts attacking Joe’s back and shoulder with elbows and knees, including a running knee drop. Joe stops a running O’Reilly with an elbow drop, but O’Reilly comes back with a dragon screw on the ropes before hitting a flying knee drop off the top rope for a two count and into a cross armbreaker as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back they are exchanging chops, until Joe takes him down and hits a boot and a senton for a two count. O’Reilly comes back with a kick but gets taken down with a big clothesline for another two. They start exchanging strikes before Joe puts O’Reilly up for a Muscle Buster, but O’Reilly fights out of it and puts on the Fujiwara armbar. Joe reaches for the rope to break it up, but O’Reilly tears off Joe’s athletic tape and kicks him in the corner. They continue with kicks, chops and forearms before Joe gets knocked down in the middle of the ring. O’Reilly rolls up Joe and gets a two, but Joe catches him in a rear naked chokehold until O’Reilly passes out.
Winner: Samoa Joe by submission at 12:37, to advance
Adam Cole, who will be Samoa Joe’s opponent on Sunday in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Final comes out and has a stare down with Joe to end the show.
