All Elite Wrestling returns tonight with their annual AEW Dynasty pay-per-view, which gets started with the hour-long ‘Zero Hour’ pre-show at 7/6c, leading into the main card at 8/7c.
The opening video airs to get AEW Dynasty: Zero Hour officially off-and-running. We then settle inside Rogers Arena, where Renee Paquette, RJ City, Jeff Jarrett and Paul Wight welcome us to the pre-show. They run down the lineup for tonight as the official match graphics flash on the screen.
We settle into the first video package looking at the story leading up to a featured match later this evening, which in this case is Cope & Cage vs. FTR for the AEW World Tag-Team Championships.
Kamille Returns, Attacks Willow Nightingale
In a digital exclusive released just before the start of tonight’s AEW Dynasty: Zero Hour pre-show, which they air now, Willow Nightingale was shown being interviewed after arriving to Rogers Arena, only to be attacked by the returning Kamille. “I’m back, baby,” Kamille says. Paquette says Kamille will make her in-ring return on Zero Hour.
Now a video package airs to tell the story leading up to another featured match scheduled for later this evening, which in this case is the world title main event pitting MJF one-on-one against Kenny Omega.
Alex Windsor vs. Marina Shafir
We head to ringside, where Excalibur welcomes us and gets us ready for our first pre-show match of the evening. The Death Riders accompany Marina Shafir as she makes her way out through the crowd for women’s singles action. Alex Windsor, the NJPW Strong Women’s Champion, makes her way out next. The bell sounds and off we go.
Shafir dominates the offense for the most part for a few minutes. Windsor begins ‘Hulk’ing Up,’ no-selling the offense from The Death Riders member, before delivering some headbutts and a spin-slam for a victory in a very basic opener.
Winner: Alex Windsor
Kamille vs. Big Anne
We learn from the commentary that as a result of the attack from Kamille earlier, Willow Nightingale is not cleared to compete as scheduled tonight. Out comes Kamille for her return. In the ring is her opponent, Big Anne. The bell sounds, and a minute or two and change later, it rings again. Kamille wins an easy squash match.
After the match, we see medical staff trying to hold Nightingale back on the stage. Her shoulders are taped up as a result of the attack earlier from Kamille. She makes it to the ring, but Kamille attacks her again, ultimately leaving her laying with a big pump-kick.
Winner: Kamille
AEW National Championship
“Jungle” Jack Perry (c) vs. Mark Davis
Now it’s time for our first championship contest of the evening. After a brief video package, we return live, where Mark Davis makes his way out. He settles in the ring. “Tarzan Boy” plays, the crowd comes to life, and out comes “Jungle” Jack Perry for an AEW National Championship defense.
The bell sounds to get things started. Davis over-powers Perry early on, but Perry begins fighting back and getting in some offense of his own. He looks for a piledriver on the big man, but Davis defends and sends Perry out to the floor. He then hits a vicious suplex while dropping down to the floor, slamming Perry ribs-first on the apron.
Davis mauls Perry upon getting him back in the ring. He hoists Perry up, but Perry counters in mid-air with a DDT. He is then able to successfully hoist the big man up, hitting Davis with a piledriver for a close two-count. The crowd was shocked at the kick-out. Perry hits a hurricanrana into a pin to retain.
Winner and STILL AEW National Champion: “Jungle” Jack Perry
AEW Women’s World Tag-Team Championships
Divine Dominion (c) vs. Maya & Hyan World
From one championship contest directly into another we go, as up next is Divine Dominion defending their AEW Women’s World Tag-Team Championships against Maya and Hyan World. The challengers make their way out first. Then with over-the-top fire pyro, the reigning champs Megan Bayne and Lena Kross, head to the ring.
At the bell, things get started quickly, with Kross and Hyan kicking things off for their respective teams at the onset. We see a lot of quick tags and competitive back-and-forth action early on, but it isn’t long before Divine Dominion begin dominating en route to a pin and victory to retain their titles.
Winners and STILL AEW Women’s World Tag-Team Champions: Divine Dominion
The Young Bucks vs. Konosuke Takeshita & Kazuchika Okada
The commentators wrap things up on the Zero Hour pre-show, and we make the transition into the pay-per-view portion of tonight’s event. The opening video plays to get things started, and then we return inside Rogers Arena for our opening contest.
The theme for Konosuke Takeshita hits and out he comes. The coin drops and out comes his partner for tonight, and opponent at AEW Double Or Nothing, Kazuchika Okada. Don Callis joins the gang on special guest commentary. The Young Bucks make their way out and this match gets underway.
Nick and Takeshita start the match. Nick applies a side-headlock, but Takeshita eventually drops him with a shoulder tackle. Takeshita follows with a leaping shoulder tackle, and then Okada tags in. Okada and Takeshita drop Nick with a double shoulder tackle, and then they shake hands.
Okada connects with a senton and tags Takeshita back in, but Nick takes them down and tags in Matt. The Bucks double-team Okada, and then do the same to Takeshita. The Bucks clothesline Takeshita to the outside, and then Nick drops him and Okada with a springboard moonsault.
The Bucks fake out Okada in the ring and send Takeshita back to the floor with a dropkick. Okada comes back and sends the Bucks into each other before slamming Nick into the barricade and the steps. Takeshita gets Matt in a rear choke in the ring, and then drops him with a boot to the face.
Okada tags in, but Takeshita brings Matt to the commentary table, where Callis gouges his eyes. Okada gets Matt back into the ring and drops him with a DDT for a two count. Takeshita tags in, but Matt fights back with elbow strikes. Matt sends them to the floor and drops Takeshita with a cutter.
Matt goes for the tag, but Okada pulls Nick to the floor. Okada slams Nick on the floor and puts on the Bucks’ gear to mock them. Matt drops him with a superkick, but Takeshita delivers an exploder suplex to Matt for a two count. Matt fights back and delivers a double bulldog before tagging Nick in.
Nick delivers right hands and causes them to headbutt before connecting with quick kicks. Nick stomps on Okada’s back, and then delivers a backstabber to Takeshita. Nick drops Okada with a cutter and goes for the cover, but Takeshita breaks it up at two.
Matt comes back in, and the Bucks apply Sharpshooters. Okada goes to tap, but Takeshita stops him. They slap each other in the face to fire up, and then make it to the ropes. Matt tags back in and the Bucks double-team Takeshita for a bit. Okada comes back in and the match breaks down.
Okada gets sent bck out, and then Takeshita gets dropped with a hurricanrana. The Bucks deliver superkicks to Okada, and then they drop an elbow and connect with a senton for a two count. The Bucks go for the Meltzer Driver, but Okada makes the save and he and Takeshita deliver piledrivers.
Okada goes for the cover, but Matt kicks out at two. Takeshita puts Matt up top and Okada tries to join, but Matt elbows him back down. Takeshita drops Matt with a superplex, and then delivers knee strikes to Matt. Nick shoves Okada into the cover to break it up.
As things continue, we see more back-and-forth with Takeshita and Okada accidentally hitting each other multiple times. This leads to the finish, which has Takeshita stopping Jackson as he is ready to finish a Khan Driver. He decides to let him go, allowing him to hit the move and pin Okada. Takeshita flips Okada off afterwards.
Winners: The Young Bucks
Chris Jericho vs. Ricochet
The pre-match video package airs now to set the stage for our second PPV bout of the evening, which features the returning Chris Jericho going one-on-one against Ricochet. Back live, Ricochet makes his way out with The Gates of Agony. He settles in the ring and his music dies down.
