AEW Dynamite Review – May 15, 2024
Tag Team Match
Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson & Jon Moxley) vs. United Empire (Kyle Fletcher & Jeff Cobb)
Jon Moxley is making his way to the ring he gets attacked by United Empire before the match can start.
Bryan Danielson’s music hits as he runs out and takes out Fletcher against the barricade.
As his music is still playing Blackpool Combat Club continue to attack United Empire on the outside. Eventually Danielson & Jeff Cobb enter the ring as the match officially starts.
Blackpool Combat Club stay in control over Cobb before Fletcher is able to land some rabbit punches to Moxley in their corner to break up the flow.
As Fletcher tries to chop away at Moxley as he just eats them all up before cornering Fletcher with attacks back.
Moxley stays on top of Fletcher and applies an armbreaker that Cobb is quick to break up.
Danielson tags in and hits a knee drop off the ropes to Fletcher as we go to picture in picture.
After the break Cobb is in control over Moxley but he comes right back with a snap suplex as the crowd cheers him on to make the tag to Danielson.
He enters with a missile dropkick to Cobb before knocking Fletcher off the apron.
Danielson sends Cobb to the outside where Danielson hits a tope suicida to Fletcher as he pushes Cobb out of the way.
Cobb starts mocking Danielson but misses a standing moonsault before countering Danielson as he was trying to hit Busaiku Knee.
Moxley & Fletcher start going at it with Moxley taking out Fletcher with a lariat before taking out Cobb with a Diamond Cutter.
Cobb & Fletcher start double teaming Moxley as Fletcher hits a Tombstone getting a two.
All 4 start going at it until Moxley hits Fletcher with Death Rider to get the win.
Winners: Blackpool Combat Club
After the match Konosuke Takeshita runs in and takes out Moxley in the corner with a German suplex as United Empire join in on the attack. Claudio Castagnoli runs out with a giant crowbar and chases away Cobb, Fletcher & Takeshita.
We get a video on AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland with comments and highlights from him doing media rounds as he talks about this is what a champion does before transitioning into clips of his feud with Christian Cage as we have a countdown on the top right that shows his match with Brian Cage will take place at the top of the hour.
As TNT Champion Adam Copeland was on his way to the ring to get Malakai Black’s answer for his Double Or Nothing challenge he got attacked by Brody King & Buddy Matthews. They take him to the ring as Black makes his way down while holding Copeland’s TNT Title. Black gets on the mic as the crowd starts chanting for him to shut the f*ck up before telling Matthews to take Copeland’s wedding ring which he does and gives to Black. They set Copeland in the corner with 2 chairs next to him but before King can hit the cannonball in the corner Kyle O’Reilly runs out and takes out Black & Matthews before entering the ring and gets taken out by King then tosses him back outside where Black takes him out with The End. Back to Copeland in the corner, they hit the cannonball/running kick triple combo with the chairs involved.
They talk about Eddie Kingston possibly suffering a serious injury at NJPW Resurgence before showing highlights of his attack from Jack Perry & Young Bucks including The Elite’s comments from after the show where they said Kingston is about to lose everything.
We then go to The Elite backstage at Dynamite where AEW World Tag Team Champion Matthew Jackson said Kingston might have been bitten by the injury bug and ask their opponents if they want to forfeit since it’s now 4 on 3. They talk about taking out Tony Khan & Kenny Omega and now adding Kingston to that list before Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada says to Dax Harwood that Tonight, I will destroy you b*tch.
After the break We see an ad for the new Young Bucks’ Reebok Pumps.
Backstage Renee Paquette is with FTR. Cash Wheeler says they won’t be forfeiting and they think they found a 4th person for Anarchy In The Arena as Dax Harwood says Okada looks like he’s The Elite’s b*tch.
Non Title Match
AEW World Tag Team Champions Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) vs. Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal
If Daniels & Sydal wins they get a AEW World Tag Team Titles Match.
Nicholas Jackson & Matt Sydal start the match before Christopher Daniels tags in and takes out Young Bucks.
Matthew Jackson tags in and takes out Sydal with a double sledgehammer off the ropes as we go to picture in picture.
After the break Sydal fight off Young Bucks and make the hot tag to Daniels.
He takes out Nicholas with a Death Valley Driver but Matthew is there to break up Angel’s Wings attempt.
Matthew & Sydal start fighting on the outside where Sydal gets sent over the barricade.
Daniels puts Nicholas on the top rope but Matthew is there to make sure Daniels crashes down by holding the rope. They follow with the Tony Khan Driver to score the win.
Winners: AEW World Tag Team Champions Young Bucks (Since Daniels & Sydal lost they don’t get a AEW World Tag Team Titles match)
After the match Matthew gets on the mic and says to Daniels that last week he spoke down to them and put his hands on him and as an executive he should know better. They continue talking about cleaning up the locker room from toxicity but Daniels is trying to screw things up so unfortunately they are the bearer of bad news tonight and say they have to let Daniels go and he’s fired. They aren’t evil so they will take care of his family with a severance package for the next 30 days and they even get a security escort for him to kick him out of the building immediately. They thank him for 5 years of work and call him a rockstar before plugging the rest of the show and trying to get an AEW chant. Jack Perry raises a toast with a Woo Energy Drink before pouring it all over Tony Schiavone. Excalibur asks for a mop or a towel or something.
Backstage Renee Paquette is with Women’s Champion Toni Storm, Luther & Mariah May where she reveals to them that May, Luther & Saraya are banned from Storm’s match tonight with Harley Cameron. Storm says she will take Cameron’s womb to the woodshed tonight before talking about Serena Deeb ending up at Double Or Nothing flat on her back with Storm’s ass on her face asking where her dignity went.
We see Malakai Black in the back looking at Adam Copeland’s wedding ring saying this held him back. Black talks about everything Copeland cherishes before bringing up the Barbed Wire Cage Match for Double Or Nothing and says of course he accepts it but when he beats him Copeland will have to bend the knee to the House Of Black.
Hook vs. Sebastian Wolfe
Hook grabs Sebastian Wolfe and sends him down with a t bone suplex before dropping crossfaces on Wolfe and putting on Red Rum as Wolfe immediately taps out.
Winner By Submission: Hook
After the match Hook grabs the mic and says he isn’t here for this, but for Chris Jericho and his FTW Title and calls out Jericho & he comes out with Big Bill. Jericho says hello to the crowd before saying it’s so nice to see Hook and hopes he learned his lesson after getting hit in the face with a bat. Jericho says he’s happy to be back on Dynamite even if it means sharing the spotlight with Hook. Hook says he doesn’t want to share it as it should all be on Jericho as he will beat his ass tonight. Jericho says unfortunately this isn’t a fighting moment but a teaching moment being that the world doesn’t revolve around Hook. Jericho tells Hook to be less selfish like him and to think of others.
The crowd starts chanting for Jericho to retire which Jericho says when he will, he will be inducted in every Hall Of Fame in the world but he’s not ready for that yet. Jericho says it’s the For The World Title not the For The Hook Title and says it’s his name on it not Hook’s. Jericho says Hook has to work his way back up again so this Saturday on Collision, Hook and a few others will have a qualification match and if Hook wins it maybe he’ll get a chance to face Jericho again. Hook says it sounds great as does this in which he smacks the mic over Jericho’s head. Bill goes after Hook as Jericho joins in on the 2 on 1 beatdown before Katsuyori Shibata’s music hits as he runs into the ring and takes out Bill with a boot. Jericho shows that he is bleeding from the mic shot to the head from Hook.
We go to Swerve Strickland in the back who says to the state of Washington, he brought home the AEW World Title. Strickland continues about ending Mogul Embassy and his focus is on Christian Cage at Double Or Nothing. He talks about being put in the coffin but he will put Cage in the grave. Strickland calls Brian Cage to the final nail in the coffin before welcoming everybody to Swerve’s House.
Non Title Match
AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland vs. Brian Cage
If Cage wins he gets a AEW World Title Match.
Swerve Strickland goes after Brian Cage in the corner with knees before taking Cage to the outside where he tries a dive just for Cage to catch him in a suplex position.
Strickland escapes and hits a kick from the apron.
Cage mounts a comeback before Strickland strops him and hits a rolling flatliner for a one count.
Cage slows down Strickland’s momentum by keeping him in the corners with offense before press slamming Strickland right into a corner as we go to picture in picture.
After the break Cage hitting a suplex to Strickland from the apron to the ring before going for a powerbomb that Strickland is able to get out of and sends Cage face first into the corner before hitting him with a running boot.
A bit of back & forth with Strickland coming out on top and starting to play up to the crowd. Strickland is able to catch Cage off the ropes and hit him with a brainbuster for two.
Cage stops Strickland with a knee and tries to hit Weapon X but Swerve escapes and puts on an arm scissor. Cage powers out with a buckle bomb and hits F5 for a two count.
Strickland escapes out of Drill Claw and sends Cage to the apron with a headbutt before stomping a draping Cage to the outside.
Strickland follows with a 450 Splash on the inside but only gets a two count.
Cage hits 2 back 2 back powerbombs but only gets two.
Strickland counters a Drill Claw before they trade kicks back & forth.
Strickland hits Swerve Stomp on Cage before snapping back Cage’s arm.
Strickland follows with House Call to get the win.
Winner: AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland (Since Cage lost he doesn’t get a AEW World Title Match)
After the match Strickland continues to attack Brian Cage with chairs as Christian Cage’s music hits as he comes out with Mother Wayne. Strickland continues to go to attack Brian Cage but gets taken out from behind with a low blow from Nick Wayne. Killswitch joins in on the attack as Wayne has a picture of Strickland and his family that he smashes over Strickland’s head. We see the glass has cut Strickland as he squirted blood from above his eye. Christian gets on the mic and says he embarrassed Nick Wayne when he attacked him at his home here last year and now he’s forced to embarrass Strickland. Christian takes the photo and says maybe they should ask Strickland’s daughter if she’s proud of her absentee father before covering the picture with Strickland’s blood. Christian says tonight he took his blood and at Double Or Nothing he takes his AEW World Title.
Renee Paquette is in the back with Hook & Katsuyori Shibata and asks if the numbers game is feeling stacked against him. Hook says whoever he has to beat to get to Chris Jericho he will beat before Shibata asks even him as he wants another shot at Jericho also. Hook says that if push comes to shove Hook vs. Shibata to get to Jericho is fine by him. Samoa Joe walks in and asks Hook who this is and says he thought he was something special until he fell into the same trap over and over, and Jericho has Hook & Shibata going against each other and if they took each other seriously maybe they’d be a threat. Hook starts screaming at Joe that he’ll fight him too as Shibata says Joe is too large to wear a floral pattern.
Non Title Match
Women’s Champion Toni Storm vs. Harley Cameron
Toni Storm holds Harley Cameron down with a side headlock before taking out Cameron with a Thez Press and sending Cameron to the outside with a hip attack.
Serena Deeb shows up on the ramp and catches Storm’s attention as Cameron sends Storm head first into the steel steps.
She keeps attacking her against the apron as we head to picture in picture.
After the break Storm stops Cameron in the corner and hits a backstabber followed by a DDT and a fisherman’s suplex then a cover but Cameron kicks out at two.
Cameron stays in control by hitting Sole Food followed by a running knee for two herself.
Storm comes back with Sky High before they counter pin attempts back & forth that ends with Storm Zero for the win.
Winner: Women’s Champion Toni Storm
Arkady Aura is in the back with Will Ospreay & Undisputed Kingdom as she asks Ospreay how this title match feels different. Ospreay says they left a sour taste in his mouth and says Roderick Strong feels too comfortable with his International Title and it could be because of his backup or maybe him retiring the Tiger Driver 91. Ospreay says Strong knows how to feel to be dropped on his head and he’s done it on people he loves and respects but he doesn’t respect Strong. Ospreay says in PWG, ROH, Progress and even Southside Wrestling that Strong has never respected him to which Strong agrees. Strong says Ospreay is talented in the ring but an idiot outside of it and calls Ospreay the little child that he was and will always be. Strong says he didn’t quit after his neck injury and everything he has he works for and he knows Ospreay is a fraud, a coward and a child and at Double Or Nothing he will end it. Ospreay says he will take the one thing that makes Strong important with his title and show everybody why he’s on another level.
Renee Paquette is in the ring for the contract signing between TBS Champion Willow Nightingale & Mercedes Mone before introducing Mercedes & Nightingale to the ring & Nightingale goes to sign the contract but before says she respects Mone but asks if Mercedes respects the TBS Title. A championship that celebrates the legacy of professional wrestling that dates back 50 years on this very channel. A legacy built on fighting, hard work, dedication, defending and making a name for yourself in the face of obstacles, something everybody who’s held this title has represented like her friend Kris Statlander. Now she’s the face of TBS and no matter what she looks for something to smile for and this title is what matters to her. She’s not going to let Mone walk into AEW and take it away before she signs the contract.
Mone gets on the mic but starts getting booed as she tells them to say hello to their CEO. Mercedes brings up legacy and brings up dedication as she has broken down the doors and kicked down glass ceilings. She talks about the difference between being great and being the greatest of all time and says they should all be looking at the face of TBS as she steps up and talks about all the things she’s done and that’s what a CEO does. Mercedes talks about her legacy being all about winning Nightingale says last time they fought she walked out as champion while Mercedes didn’t walk out at all. Mone goes to attack Nightingale but Nightingale stops her and puts her through the table with Babe With The Powerbomb.
Continental Title Match
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Dax Harwood
Match starts with Kazuchika Okada & Dax Harwood testing each other out before Harwood knocks Okada down with a shoulder block.
He attempts a Sharpshooter but Okada is able to escape to the outside.
Back inside Harwood starts landing some chops on Okada but Okada fights back and sends Harwood shoulder first into the ring post as we head to picture in picture.
After the break Okada & Harwood fighting on the outside with Okada attacking Harwood up against the barricade before hitting him a draping DDT off of one.
Harwood sells this move and just barely beats the count coming back inside the ring.
Okada goes to pick up Harwood for Rainmaker but he collapses back down.
He gets him up where Harwood dodges the clothesline and hits two back 2 back suplexes.
They trade headbutts and punches before Harwood hits a release dragon suplex.
Harwood stops a dropkick attempt from Okada and goes for the Sharpshooter but Okada sends him back headfirst into the corner. Okada follows with a neckbreaker and gets a two.
They head to the top rope where Harwood hits a superplex.
After some back & forth and reversing each other’s moves including a slingshot powerbomb and another Sharpshooter then Harwood hits a Tombstone on Okada for a two count.
Harwood goes for a top rope headbutt but misses it before ducking a Rainmaker and putting on the Sharpshooter finally just for Okada to reach the bottom rope.
Okada goes to grab the Continental Title but as the referee goes to take it away.
he kicks the rope from under Harwood and hits Rainmaker for the win.
Winner & Still Continental Champion: Kazuchika Okada (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
After the match The Elite run out to attack Harwood before Bryan Danielson & Cash Wheeler join in, but are still outnumbered until Darby Allin makes a shocking return and joins in on the fight to close out Dynamite.
Saturday’s Collision
Will Ospreay vs. Shane Taylor
Serena Deeb vs. Anna Jay
Saturday’s Rampage
Rush vs. TBD
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Robyn Renegade
Updated Double Or Nothing Card (May 26th)
TBS Title Match
Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Mercedes Mone
International Title Match
Roderick Strong (c) vs. Will Ospreay
AEW World Title Match
Swerve Strickland (c) vs. Christian Cage
Women’s Title Match
Toni Storm (c) vs. Serena Deeb
8 Man Tag Team Anarchy In The Arena Match
The Elite (AEW World Tag Team Champions Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson, Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada & Jack Perry) vs. Team AEW (Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler, Bryan Danielson & Darby Allin
TNT Title Barbed Wire Steel Cage Match
Adam Copeland (c) vs. Malakai Black (If Copeland loses he must bend a knee to House Of Black)
