AEW Dynamite
May 31st, 2023
By: John Siino
Viejas Arena in San Diego, CA
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta) vs. Bandido & The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) (w/ Alex Abrahantes)
Bryan Danielson starts the show on commentary, and when Excalibur asked about Konosuke Takeshita and Don Callis’ allegiance with the Blackpool Combat Club, he said he couldn’t answer but that they will speak for themselves later on on this show. and Bandido came out in fabulous El Chapulin Colorado-inspired gear (a Mexican comedy from the 70s). All six men start brawling before the bell rings inside and outside, as Bandido and Wheeler Yuta start the match with Bandido holding up Yuta for over a minute in a vertical suplex to get a two count. Claudio Castagnoli and Penta El Zero Miedo come in as Penta hits him with a back cracker off the ropes before tagging Bandido back in. Claudio and Jon Moxley take out Bandido with a spiked piledriver on the outside before they go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back it’s Bandido and Moxley going at it before tagging out to Claudio and Rey Fenix. All six men go at it before ending Bandido and Yuta in a wild and long forearm exchange that Yuta ends by biting Bandido’s face just to get dropkicked down. It stays wild with the Lucha Brothers diving to the outside to the rest of the BCC. Bandido and Yuta keep going at it, as Yuta hits a jumping knee before dropping elbows down and putting on the Seatbelt pin for the win.
Winners: Blackpool Combat Club (Wheeler Yuta, Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli) by pinfall at 11:00
Where In The World is Kenny, San Diego?
Alex Marvez is backstage with The Elite (sans Kenny Omega) and tries to get an update from Matt Jackson on how he’s feeling. Matt says that after Anarchy in the Arena, the BCC brought out the worst in them as he tried to burn someone’s face with a sneaker. Nick Jackson says they are the heart, soul, and spirit of this place, and not one setback will keep them down. Adam Page starts talking but gets interrupted by the Dark Order who say Page is with his new best friends, and they will leave as Page tries to explain himself. Marvez brings up rumors of Kenny Omega leaving the country and going to Canada. Page says yes, Kenny is hurt, but he is not in Canada.
Top Shelf Top Guys
Tony Schiavone is in the ring and brings out Jay White & Juice Robinson of Bullet Club Gold. Schiavone says that their issue with Ricky Starks seems never-ending, as White tells Schiavone to put his arm around them. White says that Starks feels on top of the world after eliminating them from the Blackjack Battle Royale but reminds Starks that he still lost the Battle Royale. Juice then brings up FTR and asks why they came to the aid of Starks and there is no way they are friends with Starks. White says it’s safe to assume that FTR are slow as they are Southern boys and makes fun of how they look and talk, which prompts FTR to come out. Juice & White think that FTR is here to apologize and they want to join Bullet Club Gold and asks them to ask politely before dropping the mic in front of Dax Harwood before he can grab it as Juice knocks Dax out with a cheap shot. Cash Wheeler goes to attack Jay White but they double-team him as it’s revealed that Juice knocked out Dax with a roll of quarters. Ricky Starks runs out with a chair and chases off Bullet Club Gold. Starks tells Juice to stay in the back next week as he and Jay White will finish this feud.
Collision Made Punk
We go to Tony Khan with his Collision announcement. Khan says that AEW Collision will feature CM Punk which gets a mixture of cheers and boos from the crowd.
Trent Beretta vs. Big Bill vs. Swerve Strickland
Chuck Taylor, Lee Moriarty & The Mogul Embassy both escort their partners out before heading to the back. As soon as the bell rings, Swerve Strickland escapes to the outside as Big Bill and Trent Beretta go at it. Beretta dives onto Swerve on the outside, bringing him back inside as Bill splashes them both in the corners. Bill stays in control as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Swerve and Beretta are fighting on the apron before Bill big boots Swerve off, followed by Bill himself getting dropkicked off by Beretta who follows by a moonsault. Swerve takes control, kicking Beretta off the apron and heads to the top, but Bill catches him and joins him on the top rope himself. Beretta joins them, as he and Swerve take Bill down with a double superplex. Bill is able to catch Beretta off the ropes with a side slam, but Swerve breaks up the pin attempt. Beretta comes back with a stalling piledriver on Swerve, that Bill breaks up the pin for. Bill chokeslams Beretta from the apron, back inside but gets taken off the apron with a top rope stomp from Swerve. Swerve runs back in and rolls up Beretta in a crucifix pin for the win.
Winner: Swerve Strickland by pinfall at 8:54
We get a short video from Kris Statlander after her TBS Championship win where she gets emotional, and talks about feeling wanted here and having the best title reign possible.
Gunning For Gold
The remarkable Renee Paquette is on the stage and introduces The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn. Gunn talks about letting The Acclaimed down as Max Caster tells him not to blame himself before putting each member over and calling themselves the people’s choice. Anthony Bowens says they were screwed out of tag team gold, and they want gold back and says Gunn deserves to hold gold one more time.
Cutting The Elite Out of All Elite
Tony Schiavone is in the ring and is disgusted to introduce Don Callis and Konosuke Takeshita. As Callis tries to speak, he gets rained down with boos. Callis tries to carry on and list all the accomplishments Kenny Omega gained, and they are all because of him. Callis starts naming all the Japanese wrestlers that Takeshita is better than, including Great Muta and Kazuchika Okada, before saying Takeshita is better than Kenny Omega. Takeshita gets on the mic and gets the same amount of boos as Callis. Callis continues about building a new family that will cut The Elite out of All Elite Wrestling.
We get a produced promo from Wardlow and Arn Anderson as Wardlow says he would be happy to finish the job with Luchasaurus.
Darby Allin & Orange Cassidy vs. Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
Gates of Agony attack before the bell rings, as it becomes Toa Liona and Orange Cassidy to start the match. Orange tries to headbutt Liona to the turnbuckle but it has no effect, as he comes right back with a suplex to his corner where he tags in Darby Allin. As Gates of Agony takes control, Prince Nana comes back out with Swerve Strickland and Brian Cage to watch from the stage. Liona flips Darby to the outside where Bishop Kaun whips him violently against the ring and the barricades as Liona tackles Orange on the other side before we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Gates of Agony is in control until Darby is able to make the hot tag to Orange who puts his hands in his pockets and takes out Liona & Kaun, hitting Kaun with a DDT for a two-count. Darby comes in to break up a pin attempt but gets tossed to the outside by Gates of Agony. The crowd starts chanting for Orange to be able to escape and tag in Darby. Orange takes out Liona to the outside with an Orange Punch before Darby hits him with a cannonball. Inside, Orange hits a Stundog Millionaire on Kaun, followed by a Code Red and the Coffin Drop to get the pin on Kaun.
Winners: Darby Allin & Orange Cassidy by pinfall at 11:13
The Mogul Embassy start making their way to the ring, but we get the return of Sting who makes his way down to defend Darby & Orange.
We get a video of MJF after his win at Double or Nothing saying he is running out of competition and gladiators for him to slay. MJF says it’s been made clear in Sin City that no one is on the level of the devil.
JungleHook Returns
Tony Schiavone is in the ring yet again (he might as well just stay there), but before he can say anything Hook’s music hits as he heads to the ring. Schiavone talks about Hook’s win at Double or Nothing and asks what is next for Hook. Before he can say anything Jose the Assistant, Preston Vance & Dralistico come out and says this is the only way they can get TV time and says Rush is not here right now and is too dangerous to be on television. They start surrounding Hook and say they are going to take this opportunity as Vance & Dralistico jump into the ring and attack Hook. Jack Perry heads out and takes Dralistico & Vance with a chair. Perry chases Jose into the ring where Hook takes him out with a suplex.
Good Enough To Carry Bags
Renee Paquette is backstage with The Outcasts and asks how Toni Storm feels this time around as AEW Women’s Champion. Storm says she couldn’t feel better and luck had nothing to do with this. Storm says they have looked around the locker room and there is no one good enough to carry her bags. Ruby Soho says that Toni is gracing the fans with her presence at the House Rules shows, as she will be defending her championships. Saraya asks if there anyone is even good enough as Storm says the only people who should consider themselves lucky are the fans.
AEW TBS Championship: Kris Statlander (c) vs. Nyla Rose
Nyla Rose starts the match in control, but Kris Statlander is able to dodge a senton and put on body scissors before Rose can get her nose on the bottom rope. Rose gains control and tries to suplex Statlander, but she blocks it and tries it herself. We see Taya Valkyrie watching from the back, as Rose suplexes Statlander into the corner before we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Statlander is able to fight off Rose and attack her with knees in the corner followed by a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two. Statlander heads to the top, but gets whipped off and splashed in the corner by Rose. Statlander is able to slip to the outside, but Rose still hits her with a cannonball. Rose continues with another cannonball to Statlander against the barricade and tosses her back inside where she hits a chokeslam for a two. Statlander comes back with a lawbreaker, heads to the top, and hits a 450 Splash for the pin and the win.
Winner: Kris Statlander by pinfall at 8:05, to retain
Rampage ‘Championship Friday’ Line-Up
- AAA Mega Championship: El Hijo del Vikingo (c) vs. Dralistico vs. Komander
- NJPW Strong Women’s Championship: Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Emi Sakura
- NJPW World Television Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Action Andretti
- ROH Pure Championship: Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Lee Moriarty
Dynamite Line-Up
- Ricky Starks vs. Jay White (Juice Robinson & FTR banned from ringside)
- AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Swerve Strickland
Dr. Britt Baker DMD & Adam Cole vs. Saraya & Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho and Adam Cole start the match and go right into a heavy chop exchange in the corner. They end up spilling to the outside, before going back in as Cole sends Jericho into his corner to tag in Saraya as Dr. Britt Baker DMD meets her in the middle of the ring with punches and a sling blade. Jericho takes down Baker, as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Ruby Soho & Toni Storm come out and start attacking Baker as the referee is distracted, but Hikaru Shida runs out and chases them away with a Kendo stick. Jericho takes control, hitting a Lionsault for a two-count. Baker and Saraya fight on the top rope, as Baker knocks Saraya off. Jericho covers Saraya to stop Baker from jumping, but she hits a splash on both of them anyway, for a two count on Saraya. Cole hits a backstabber on Jericho and goes for the Panama Sunrise, but Jericho catches him and puts on the Walls of Jericho as Saraya knocks Baker off the apron. Jericho keeps it on for a while, but Baker puts her glove on and puts on the Lockjaw on Jericho before Saraya breaks it up. Cole goes for a super kick, but Jericho reverses it with a Codebreaker for a two. Saraya takes out Baker with a deadly-looking DDT but only gets a two. Jericho goes to hit Baker with a bat, but she ducks as Cole takes him out with a super kick. Cole drops the knee pad and hits the Boom for the pin and the win.
Winners: Adam Cole & Dr. Britt Baker DMD by pinfall at 13:13
