It’s Wednesday night, and you know what that means …
All Elite Wrestling returns from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. for their annual Fight For The Fallen edition of AEW Dynamite.
On tap for tonight’s show at 8/7c on TBS is Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta for the AEW International Championship, The Young Bucks vs. The Gunns, we will hear from MJF & Adam Cole, plus Jim Ross sits down with Kenny Omega about AEW ALL IN 2023.
Also scheduled is Chris Jericho’s decision regarding the Don Callis Family, Britt Baker vs. The Bunny for the final spot in the AEW Women’s Championship bout at AEW ALL IN 2023, Jeff Hardy vs. Jeff Jarrett in a Texas Chainsaw Massacre Death Match, as well as Darby Allin & Nick Wayne vs. The Gates of Agony.
Featured below are complete AEW Dynamite results from Wednesday, August 16, 2023. The following report was written by PWMania.com reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired live from 8-10pm EST. on TBS.
AEW DYNAMITE RESULTS (8/16/2023)
We shoot directly inside the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. as fireworks and pyro erupts to get the special Fight For The Fallen edition of AEW Dynamite off-and-running.
AEW International Championship
Orange Cassidy (C) vs. Wheeler Yuta
From there, Orange Cassidy’s theme hits and the AEW International Champion makes his way down to the ring for our opening contest, which features his title on-the-line against his former protege’ and friend, Wheeler Yuta.
After he settles in the ring, we hear the familiar sounds of Wheeler Yuta’s theme and out he comes as video from the Parking Lot Brawl two weeks ago on AEW Rampage is shown to explain how the seeds for this match were planted.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one, which features special logos on the ring for Fight For The Fallen. The fans chant “Freshly Squeezed” as Yuta immediately goes to work on Cassidy with amateur based wrestling. Cassidy’s back is all taped up as usual.
Now we see Cassidy get more fired up than usual this early into a match, as the two start trading chops and shots in the middle of the ring, as fans react to each one that lands. Cassidy ends up beating Yuta down to the point that the ref has to pull him off. Yuta takes advantage and yanks Cassidy out of the ring and then hits a big suicide dive on him.
Cassidy starts to fight back and then he counters a Yuta move attempt with a big suplex on the floor. This gets him back in the fight, which is headed up the entrance ramp. Yuta hits a big piledriver on Cassidy on the ramp. He tucks his hands in his tights, Al Bundy style, because he doesn’t have any pockets, and he does the wimpy kick routine to knock Cassidy down the ramp.
He blasts him with a big super kick once he’s at ringside and then he rolls him back into the ring. Once back in the ring, Cassidy surprises Yuta with a Beach Break out of nowhere. He goes for the cover but Yuta kicks out. We head to a mid-match commercial break as this opening title tilt continues.
When we return from the break, we see Yuta dominating the action, focusing his attack on the weakened leg of the champ. As the action continues, we see Blackpool Combat Club members Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli come out. Just as they do, Cassidy comes to life and starts hitting high spots on the challenger. He ends up getting the pin and retaining, but immediately getting ambushed by the BCC afterwards.
Winner and STILL AEW International Champion: Orange Cassidy
ALL IN Stadium Stampede Match Announced
The post-match brawl sees all three BCC guys beating down Cassidy until for the first time since the Rampage Parking Lot Brawl, we see Best Friends Trent and Chuck come out and help even things up.
The BCC guys still end up dominating until The Lucha Bros theme hits and out comes Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix to run off the BCC guys. They hang out at ringside, however, and grab steel chairs. Now the theme for Eddie Kingston hits and out comes “The Mad King” as the brawl re-ignites.
Castagnoli meets Kingston on the ramp and they duke it out as fans chant “Eddie! Eddie!” Kingston knocks Claudio into the crowd and eventually the baby face guys run off the BCC and stand tall in the ring. Kingston grabs a mic and demands it be turned on. He says, “Guess what … Wembley Stadium, boys! ALL IN, boys! Us against you and whoever you can find in a Stadium Stampede match!” The crowd goes wild!
Jim Ross’ Sit-Down Interview With Kenny Omega Turns Violent
We shoot to Jim Ross’ sit-down interview with Kenny Omega inside the empty arena from yesterday at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL. He talks about his history with Don Callis.
As the conversation continues, Omega talks about his history with Konosuke Takeshita and how it has evolved to Callis grooming him to be the new-and-improved version of Omega.
They continue talking and then up comes Don Callis talking trash to him in sarcastic, mocking fashion. When Omega finally stands up to deal with him, we see The Bullet Club Gold guys and Konosuke Takeshita come and violently attack him with weapons.
Hangman Page Issues A Challenge For AEW ALL IN 2023
Now we return inside Bridgestone Arena where Excalibur explains that after that attack, Omega was rushed to a local Jacksonville hospital. He says then Hangman Page showed up to be with his friend and he said this.
We shoot to video of Page talking about how Hangman Page and Kota Ibushi are a dream team, and with Omega, it makes for a perfect showdown against Takeshita, and the Bullet Club Gold duo of Jay White and Juice Robinson. Up comes someone who tells Page he can’t drink at a hospital. He chugs his drink and hands him the empty cup.
Chris Jericho Responds To Don Callis’ Offer
From there, we return inside Bridgestone Arena where Don Callis is already in the ring. He then introduces us to his longtime friend and peer, Chris Jericho. “Judas in my Mind” plays and out comes the wizard of pro wrestling to finally give his answer to Don Callis regarding his invitation to join the Don Callis Family.
As Jericho makes his way out and heads to the ring, we shift gears and head into a quick commercial break. When we return from the break, the crowd is negative-chanting Don Callis like crazy as Jericho is standing next to him.
They finally begin talking and they bring up the entire Jericho Appreciation Society walking out on Jericho last week. Jericho says it made him reevaluate himself and made him think how he needs to change some things. He reminds us that Chris Jericho doesn’t join factions, that he creates them.
He then throws a curve ball and says so his answer to the offer to join the Don Callis Family is “yes!” He says this as the fans are loudly chanting “No! No! No!” He says he needs to focus on himself so the answer is yes. Callis is happy as all hell. The crowd isn’t.
Callis is in a rush to get to the bar with Jericho to celebrate. Jericho wants to see the picture that is covered behind a cloth. Callis doesn’t seem to want him to. Jericho excitedly removes the cover and it’s a framed painting of Callis holding Jericho’s decapitated head in his hand.
Jericho asks what this is. He asks if Callis thought he was going to say no. He asks if Callis was then gonna have him assassinated and be-headed because he thought he’d say no. Callis says he spent a lot of money to have a painting of the two of them with Bad News Allen and the artist screwed up. Jericho says he knows he’s being a liar right now.
We hear Callis babbling and trying to explain this, but it leads to Jericho demanding he tell the truth for once in his life. Callis says he did think Jericho was gonna say no. Not because it isn’t a great business decision for him, but because of his ego. He calls him a narcissistic ego maniac who is too stupid to see what is good for him. He says because of that he doesn’t deserve to be part of the Don Callis Family.
Jericho asks who the hell is Don Callis? He says three years ago, Callis wasn’t even in the wrestling business and nobody cared. He says because of him, he’s in AEW at the top of his game and compared to him, nobody cares. He says this is why Callis lost everything. His family, Omega and all his friends. He says he’s messed up every personal relationship he’s ever had in his life. He says he’s a low-life worm, piece of trash and an assh*le. Callis b*tch slaps Jericho for that one.
This enrages Jericho, who grabs Callis by his collar and drags him down to the mat. Out comes Konosuke Takeshita with a steel chair but Jericho beats him down in the corner of the ring. Now we see Will Ospreay hit the ring and knock Jericho down. Callis pats Ospreay on the shoulders as he and Takeshita continue to beat Jericho down as the fans boo. They hold a bloody Jericho as Callis shatters the framed picture over his head. Out comes Sammy Guevara with a baseball bat to run them off.
Jack Perry To Retire FTW Championship
We shoot to a video package where Jack Perry vows to retire the FTW Championship next week on AEW Dynamite. Taz is taken back by that announcement on commentary.
The Gates Of Agony vs. Darby Allin & Nick Wayne
Now we return inside Bridgestone Arena where we hear the familiar sounds of Darby Allin’s theme song. Out comes the charismatic performer with his friend Nick Wayne by his side for this scheduled tag-team contest.
As the two make their way down to the ring, they are attacked from behind by a member of The Mogul Embassy with a steel chair. They are beaten down as The Mogul Embassy theme hits and out comes Shane “Swerve” Strickland with a smirk on his face and AR Fox by his side.
The Gates of Agony get Allin and Wayne in the ringside area and beat them down. Excalibur says this tag match will continue when we return. On that note, we head to a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
When we return from the break, we see some more back and forth action until finally Allin and Wayne start hitting high spots. Allin eventually finishes them off for the win.
Winners: Darby Allin & Nick Wayne
Sting Is Directing Movies With Leading Man Prince Nana
We shoot to the big screen after Darby beats down The Mogul Embassy with a skateboard. Sting appears on the big screen and says he’s directing movies now and he’s got his star, but he’ll talk about that in a minute.
Sting then mentions the Coffin Match he’s got scheduled for 80,000 fans at AEW ALL IN. He tells his leading man for the movie to tell the fans. We see he’s got Prince Nana held hostage. Sting says, “It’s showtime! It’s showtime, folks!” He then yells and scares Nana.
MJF & Adam Cole Prepare For Aussie Open
We see MJF and Adam Cole bro’ing out ahead of their ROH World Tag-Team Championship opportunity against Aussie Open. They prepare for them by studying them. They do this by eating at Outback steakhouse and watching Crockodile Dundee.
No, seriously.
MJF practices a kangaroo kick. They double-clothesline someone with an inflated aligator, which gets them scolded by Tony Khan in his office for “running around hitting double-clotheslines on anyone they want.”
This leads to MJF telling Cole he’s gonna regret that in 2024 when bidding season comes. Khan comes out in shades and asks MJF what he said. MJF kisses his ass. Khan leaves and then MJF tells Cole he was GONNA tell him off, but …
Anyways, we shoot live and see MJF and Adam Cole pull up in a car together. MJF says he’s gotta take a dump. Cole says they’re up now. He tells the camera that he guesses they’ll see us after the commercials.
Roderick Strong comes up with his neck brace on and The Kingdom by his side as Cole walks off. We head to another commercial break on an insanely packed episode of Dynamite for this week.
When we return from the break, MJF and Adam Cole come to the ring to a huge pop. The two get in the ring and MJF says “The Devil” has arrived. Cole then asks who is ready for story time with Adam Cole…bay-bay?!
He talks about them being ready to win the ROH tag titles. MJF says with a Kangaroo Kick. He gets the fans to chant it. They then say, no, with a double clothesline. Cole talks about how he has gone from thinking his career might be over after being forced on the shelf long term, to fighting for the most precious prize in our sport, the AEW World Championship, with one of his best friends on one of the biggest wrestling shows ever.
Cole tells MJF he’ll do anything and everything to win that AEW title when the bell rings. MJF says that was a great story, too bad his is better. He asks who is ready for story-time with MJF ..bay-bay?! He talks about putting two names on a paper for dream opponents. Cody Rhodes and Adam Cole. He says he then put 90,000 miles on a truck in one year working the indie scene trying to make those dreams come true.
MJF says he then saw ALL IN coming up and he shot his shot. He talks about contacting Cody Rhodes and asking for the opportunity. He says Cody finally gave him that opportunity and he says he got to open that show, even if he had no right being on the show at all. He says he lost that night but he managed to turn some pretty important heads. Among them was Tony Khan, who offered him a contract to All Elite Wrestling.
He says if there’s no ALL IN, there’s no MJF, and that’s a fact. He says fast forward to 2023 and he grew up in front of our very eyes to become a generational talent and the AEW World Champion. The fans chant “MJF! MJF!” MJF says he’s once again seeing an opportunity to work a show called ALL IN that will be one of the biggest opportunities of his career.
Why? Because it’s one of the biggest shows ever and he’s in the main event against one of his dream opponents, a guy who has become his best friend. He says it means so much to him, he has no idea. He says it means a lot, but not everything. He says there’s only one thing that means everything to him. That is the triple b, which he says as he holds up the AEW World Championship.
He says it symbolizes all his blood, sweat, tears, the hard work, the mis-steps, all of the hard work in the gym, studying tape and all so he could obtain it. He says if Cole thinks just because they’re buds, he’s gonna lay down on August 27, you’re outta your god damn mind. He says he loves him but a win at Wembley Stadium will make him legendary. He’s gonna win because nobody is on the level of the Devil. Cole says the best man will win.
MJF says he has an idea that the best man will win, because his name is Maxwell Jacob Friedman, and he’s better than you, and he knows it. Cole says that’s interesting because he thinks your new AEW World Champion has a name and it’s …Adam Cole, bay-bay! The two pound fists after wrapping up an epic promo battle. From behind, however, we see Aussie Open attack the two. Cole and MJF fight back and beat them down.
They set up a double clothesline but Mark Davis runs off. They wait for Kyle Fletcher to turn around but Davis saves him from it. MJF taunts the two as they leave and Cole sets up for a super kick. MJF turns around and Cole decides against it. The two hug. We see Roderick Strong and The Kingdom watching this on a monitor backstage. Awesome segment.
Chris Jericho Challenges Will Ospreay For ALL IN
We shoot backstage and Renee Paquette is with Chris Jericho as he gets stitched up in the trainers room. Jericho pushes the trainer aside and says Will Ospreay didn’t have to attack him. If he wanted a match, all he had to do was ask. He then challenges Ospreay to a fight for ALL IN.
He licks his blood and vows to make Ospreay bleed his own blood in Wembley Stadium. Jericho slaps his head and says he knows Ospreay has mental problems. He vows to beat him down in front of his family and country men at ALL IN. He says he don’t know what he got into by attacking Jericho and tells him “The Ocho” is coming for him.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre Death Match
Jeff Hardy vs. Jeff Jarrett
It’s time for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre Death Match!
With that said, we see “The Dapper Yapper” Justin Roberts in the ring, where has tables leaning in the corners and other goodies laying around. He announces that it’s time for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre Death Match.
On that note, we hear the iconic sounds of Jeff Hardy’s theme song. Out comes “The Charismatic Enigma” to a loud pop and chants of his name. He settles in the ring but then leaves it and walks through the crowd. He heads to the back and sees a bunch of weapons hanging up and is attacked from behind by Jeff Jarrett.
The bell sounds and this fight is officially off-and-running. We see Karen Jarrett yelling and looming as Jeff Hardy fights back. Satnam Singh attacks Hardy from behind and chokes him against a wall. Brother Zay and Matt Hardy and Ethan Page also show up and fight with Singh to help even things up a bit.
They dump a giant bucket of blood or something all over Karen and Jeff Jarrett. She is annoyingly yelling and screaming as they beat Jarrett down some more. Karen yells that she wants to get out of here and go home. Excalibur informs us that this match, if you want to call it that, will continue. We head to a mid-match commercial break on that note.
When we return from the break, we see Hardy and Jarrett fight out to the ramp. As they do, we see Brother Zay, Ethan Page and Matt Hardy trailing behind them, along with Satnam Singh, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt and Karen Jarrett. We see trash cans and trash cans lids used as weapons, Karen jumps on Jeff’s back, and a giant ball of powder or dust gets thrown and is dusting the crowd.
In the ring, some bodies start to fill up as this chaotic scene continues and tables are starting to be set up. The Hardy Boyz and their crew beat Jarrett down and lay him out on a table. Jay Lethal helps fight some of the extra bodies out of the ring. Hardy goes to the top-rope and hits a swanton bomb that puts Jarrett through the table, but not before Jeff nearly folds in half in a way your body isn’t meant to do.
Hardy goes for the follow-up pin attempt, but Lethal hits the ring to break it up and keep this one alive. This buys Jarrett some time, and he pulls out a special guitar with Jeff’s face-paint style on the back of it. Hardy takes it from Jarrett and breaks it over his head. As he sets Jarrett up for the finish, we hear a chainsaw and in a Robocop in WCW type of moment, out comes Leatherface with his chainsaw to scare off almost everyone, heels and faces alike.
After they clear out, we see Jarrett laid out in the ring. Satnam Singh goes to attack Hardy, but Hardy fights back until Jay Lethal bashes him in the back of the head with a hammer. Singh hits him with a chokeslam and then they drag Jarrett over Hardy for the pin fall victory. This chaotic mess is over. Jeff Jarrett and company celebrate, giving Jarrett some kind of Leatherface title belt. Afterwards, we head to another commercial break
Winner: Jeff Jarrett
Britt Baker vs. The Bunny
Now it’s time to find out who will secure the fourth and final spot in the AEW Women’s Championship fatal-four-way bout at AEW ALL IN 2023 at Wembley Stadium, as Britt Baker’s theme hits and out she comes.
Excalibur points out Baker is wearing the same ring jacket tonight that she wore at ALL IN in 2019. She settles in the ring for our next match of the evening, where the winner joins Saraya, Hikaru Shida and Toni Storm in the fatal-four-way bout for the title on August 27.
Out next comes The Bunny with her friends by her side. She settles in the ring and the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running. The fans immediately break out in “DMD! DMD!” chants. The two shove each other and then The Bunny lights up Baker with rapid-fire forearm shots.
Baker fights back and looks for a stomp, but is distracted by Penelope Ford at ringside. This allows The Bunny to take back over control of the offense as Excalibur reads a plug for a special t-shirt to benefit the victims of the Maui Wildfires.
Meanwhile, Baker fights back and takes The Bunny to the top-rope and follows up after her. The Bunny gets her legs scissored around Baker’s throat as she drops back over the ropes. After that, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as this high stakes women’s showdown continues.
When we return from the break, we see the action still in progress. Baker starts to fight her way back into the offensive driver’s seat after clubbing The Bunny with some vicious forearm shots. She gets her set up for the Lock Jaw but has to deal with Ford on the apron.
She does and then turns around and avoids a cheap shot from The Bunny to finish her off. With the win, Baker fills the final spot at ALL IN for the AEW Women’s Championship.
Winner and ADVANCING to ALL IN: Britt Baker
The House Of Black Beats Down The Acclaimed
Excalibur speed-reads through updates to the lineup for AEW ALL IN 2023 and then we head back inside Bridgestone Arena where The Acclaimed’s theme music hits. Out comes Max Caster doing his freestyle rap gimmick as he and Anthony Bowens head to the ring carrying Billy Gunn’s boots in honor of his retirement.
They settle into the ring for scheduled tag-team action, but then the lights go out. When they come back on, we see The House of Black standing behind them. The brawl is on and we see Malakai Black, Brody King and Buddy Matthews beat down Caster and Bowens and leave them laying. Julia Hart stands over them holding Billy Gunn’s boots in a sign of disrespect. We head to another commercial break.
The Young Bucks vs. The Gunns
It’s main event time!
With that said, we return from the break and the lights inside Bridgestone Arena go out. The theme for The Gunns plays and when the lights come back on, we see Austin and Colten Gunn doing their twirling in the spotlight ring entrance routine as the fans boo.
Before they can begin their walk down to the ring, they are blasted by stereo super kicks from The Young Bucks. Nick and Matt Jackson then take the spotlight space to do their double biceps pose for a big pop.
The Young Bucks continue beating The Gunns down to the ring as the fans cheer them on. They fight down to the ringside area where Austin and Colten take over. They bring one of the Jackson’s into the ring and ask for the bell to be rung. The bell rings and this one is officially off-and-running now.
We hear the fans chant “Ass boys! Ass boys!” as The Gunns work over Jackson. The other Jackson hits the ring and The Young Bucks double-team their way back into the offensive driver’s seats as the crowd comes unglued in Nashville. Nick and Matt knock Austin and Colten out to the floor and then play to the crowd before hitting high spots over the ropes to the floor.
Back in the ring, we see The Gunns take back over and as they do, Excalibur talks us into our final mid-match commercial break of the evening as our AEW Dynamite: Fight For The Fallen 2023 main event continues.
As we settle back in from the break, we see Nick Jackson go on an insane offensive run, hitting every super kick and face-buster you can think of, while throwing out little insults and comments as he connects with each shot/move. He finishes that off with a big dive to the floor and then is joined by Matt in the ring.
The two go for a BTE Trigger, but Gunn hits the ring to save his brother just in time. The Gunns start to take it to The Young Bucks as the fans boo. The Gunns hit a big double team spot and go for the pin, but Jackson hits the ring just in time to make the save. Gunn hits a Fame-Asser and then mocks Kenny Omega for a V-Trigger.
Jackson avoids it. Gunn tries a roll-up, but when he goes to hold his brother’s hand at ringside to cheat, his brother is hit with a super kick on the floor. The Young Bucks then hold hands for added leverage to steal the pin.
Winners: The Young Bucks
FTR Helps The Young Bucks With Bullet Club Gold
After the match, Jay White and Juice Robinson of The Bullet Club Gold come out to beat down The Young Bucks. The commentators remind us Kenny Omega is in the hospital and Hangman Page is with him. They grab some steel chairs and look to do damage to the already injured arm of Matt Jackson. They put his arm in the chair and then get ready to stomp on it, but then we hear the sounds of FTR’s theme music.
Out comes AEW World Tag-Team Champions Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler through the crowd. They surprise The Bullet Club Gold from behind in the ring and a big brawl breaks out. FTR and The Young Bucks run off Bullet Club Gold and then the two teams have a staredown as FTR raise their titles high in the air.
Excalibur plugs their showdown for the titles at AEW ALL IN 2023 inside Wembley Stadium. He plugs Rampage and Collision for the other Fight For The Fallen shows this week and that’s how we go off the air. Thanks for joining us!
