This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite emanates from the SAP Center in San Jose, California! Mercedes Mone defends the TBS Championship against Queen Aminata. Adam Cole calls out MJF. Jay White battles Christian Cage. The Blackpool Combat Club attack the locker room. FTR take on Big Bill and Bryan Keith, and more!
We break it all down in this week’s AEW Dynamite recap!
Adam Cole Returns To Dynamite
Adam Cole says he loves Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett, but tonight, he needs to do things alone. Cole says he’s going to talk about the worst human being he knows — MJF. Cole says sometimes you have to fight evil with evil. Cole circles trust as the foundation of a friendship. Cole also says anyone who trusts MJF is stupid. Cole says the current MJF that we see is the real MJF. Cole declares that MJF only cares about himself, and everything about him is fake, including his hair and his attitude. Cole says MJF may have a tough exterior but deep down, he’s a scared, insecure little boy.
Cole then pivots to the AEW locker room and says AEW has the best professional wrestlers in the world. Cole says the young guys in the back will carry AEW into the future. Meanwhile, the path that MJF is on is nothing but failure and loneliness. MJF thinks he’s special and the best, but Cole asserts that everyone hates him. Cole then calls MJF to the ring to show what kind of man he is.
As MJF’s music hits, Cole waits for him in the ring. MJF appears on the titanron and says he’s learned a lot in his career. MJF says he learned how to trust others, but later on, he learned that there is no such thing as trust, especially when one is on top of the company. MJF says after years of letting people in and being betrayed, he let his guard up for Cole. Cole, however, later turned on him. For that, MJF refuses to trust again.
MJF knows Cole wants revenge, but MJF says that will never happen; he will keep dangling the carrot of revenge in front of Cole. Cole says he knows MJF better than anyone. Cole warns MJF that he can run, but he can’t hide. Cole follows up by promising an ass-beating that MJF will never forget.
Backstage, Mark Briscoe responds to Chris Jericho’s claims that he cheated at AEW WrestleDream, and Jericho’s demand for a rematch. Briscoe says Jericho has been known to say a lot of dumb stuff, and he can let most of it go, but he can’t let his brother Jay’s name come out of Jericho’s mouth again. For that, Briscoe says Jericho will pay. Briscoe accepts his challenge for a rematch, which will specifically be in a ladder match for the ROH World Championship.
FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. Big Bill & Bryan Keith
Harwood and Keith lock up, with the latter taking down the former with a lariat. Keith chops Harwood in the corner, which Harwood reciprocates. Wheeler tags in and uppercuts Keith. Keith then slams him to the mat and delivers a knee to his face. Keith tags in Bill, who delivers big right hands to Wheeler. Bill chops Wheeler in the corner. Wheeler fights back with an uppercut and a dropkick. Wheeler tries to take Bill down again, but Bill counters with a big tornado slam.
Back from break, Wheeler drops Keith on his back. Keith tags in Bill, while Wheeler tags in Harwood. Harwood whips Keith into Bill, then hammers away on both men. Harwood connects with a short arm lariat on Keith, but Bill hits him with one of his own. Wheeler flies off the top and onto Bill. FTR look for a Shatter Machine, but Bill punches Wheeler out of the way and levels Harwood with a slam.
Bill tags in Keith. Keith connects with Diamond Dust. Bill then delivers a big boot to Harwood. Wheeler breaks up the subsequent pinfall attempt. Bill throws Wheeler to the outside, who then drags him to the outside as well. Wheeler lays out Bill with a swinging DDT. Wheeler returns to the ring, where he and Harwood nail Keith with a Shatter Machine for the win.
Winners: FTR
After the match, The Outrunners meet FTR in the ring while Rush, The Beast Mortos, and Dralistico look on from backstage. FTR and The Outrunners shake hands in the ring and make flex poses.
Backstage, The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn speak with Renne Paquette. Gunn says they’re going to hit the gym tonight. Max Caster says The Acclaimed want more. They are interrupted by MVP and Shelton Benjamin, the former of which gives them his business card. The Acclaimed assert that they don’t need anything from MVP.
TBS Championship: Mercedes Mone (c) (w/ Kamille) vs Queen Aminata
Mone takes down Aminata, but Aminata reverses into an arm hold. Aminata then lifts Mone onto her shoulders, but Mone counters into a roll-up. Aminata responds with a roll-up of her own. Aminata catches Mone during a mid-air crossbody, then sends her flying across the ring with a fallaway slam. Mone rolls to the outside towards Kamille. Aminata slaps Kamille, which allows Mone to drive her into the steel steps, then deliver a big knee while she lays against them.
Back from break, Mone clocks Aminata with an elbow then looks for an up-and over in the corner. Aminata, however, catches her, and drives her to the mat. Aminata connects with sunset flip and backslide for near falls. Aminata follows up with a spinning neckbreaker for another pinfall attempt. Aminata locks Mone in a body scissors submission, then rolls around to disorient Mone. With Mone dazed, Aminata connects with a suplex. She charges toward Mone but Mone dodges and kicks her. Mone lands a meteora and transitions into her Statement Maker submission. Aminata taps.
Winner (And Still): Mercedes Mone
Backstage, Private Party are with The Young Bucks. Isiah Kassidy says they were close to beating The Young Bucks at AEW WrestleDream. As such, Private Party wants a rematch. The Young Bucks says they were impressed by their showing, but ultimately decline their pitch for a rematch. Stokely Hathaway comes into frame and says Private Party could have had him in their corner at WrestleDream, but they said no.
Jack Perry says today is an important day in the history of AEW. It’s Kenny Omega’s birthday, Perry says he and The Elite wanted to get him a special gift, namely a cake. The Elite, however, then ruin the cake. Perry tells Omega to get well soon or die. Either way, he doesn’t care.
The Elite (Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) vs. The Conglomeration (Kyle O’Reilly, Orange Cassidy & Rocky Romero)
O’Reilly and Okada kick off the action with a lock-up. They then trade strikes. Okada rocks O’Reilly with a boot to the face and tags in Matt Jackson. Cassidy and O’Reilly double-team Matt, then Nick Jackson. Okada enters the ring and is leveled by Romero. O’Reilly takes down Nick with a knee to the outside. Cassidy wipes out Okada, while Romero then takes down Matt.
Back from break, Cassidy fends off both Matt and Nick. Okada tags in, while Cassidy tags in O’Reilly. O’Reilly kicks Okada then wipes him off his feet. O’Reilly locks in a Guillotine on Okada, but Matt comes down with an elbow strike to break it up. Okada delivers a neckbreaker to O’Reilly. Rocky Ramero breaks up the fall and takes out both Matt and Nick. Okada stops Romero’s momentum with a Tombstone Piledriver. Matt and Nick trade tags and double-team O’Reilly with a diving back elbow.
While Matt and Nick set up a superkick, O’Reilly tags in Cassidy. Cassidy takes them both with a Frankensteiner. Cassidy and O’Reilly work together to ground Okada. Cassidy hits a Tornado DDT on Matt, then prepares for an Orange Punch. Out of nowhere, Wheeler Yuta kicks him, causing the referee to call for the bell.
Winners (via Disqualification): The Conglomeration
After the match, Yuta, Jon Moxley, Pac, and Claudio Castagnoli further attack Cassidy. Action Andretti, and Dante and Darius Martin try to save Cassidy, but too fall victim to the new Blackpool Combat Club. As The Elite watch on from the entrance ramp, The Dark Order rush down to the ring. Marina Shafir chokes Alex Reynolds with a belt against the ring post. While Moxley warns the AEW locker room that they are under attack, Pac and Castagnoli drive steel steps into Reynold’s mid-section.
More members of the AEW locker room, including Daniel Garcia, Private Party, and Christopher Daniels, come down to the ring to tend to the fallen men in the ring. Backstage, Garcia and Private Party confront The Elite for being bystanders.
Lio Rush (w/ Leila Grey) vs. Shelton Benjamin (w/ MVP)
Benjamin pushes Rush to the corner. Benjamin whips him into the corner again, but Rush catches his boot. Rush delivers a pair of kicks to Benjamin. Benjamin rocks Rush with a knee strike, then sends him flying to the outside. Benjamin follows up with a Belly-to-Belly throw.
Back from break, Rush delivers a trio of right hands to Benjamin. Benjamin fights back with one of his own. Benjamin charges toward Rush in the corner but Rush escapes. Rush connects with a stunner. Rush looks for a hurricanrana but Benjamin blocks it. Rush twice dives onto Benjamin to the outside. Back in the ring, Rush lands a cutter, then ascends to the top. Rush looks for a frogsplash, but Benjamin rolls out of the way. Benjamin nails him with a boot. Rush kicks Benjamin in the jaw before following up with a Tornado DDT for a near fall. Rush again ascends the ropes.
Benjamin rocks Rush with a German Suplex. He looks for another one, which Rush momentarily blocks, but it isn’t enough to fully avoid it. Benjamin rocks Rush with a big kick. Benjamin slams Rush to the mat for the win.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin
Post-match, MVP says Benjamin made a statement tonight and calls out Swerve Strickland. MVP urges Strickland to finish the conversation they started at AEW WrestleDream.
Backstage, Swerve Strickland throws out a challenge to Shelton Benjamin for a match anytime, anywhere.
Don Callis Calls For A Press Conference
Don Callis says there are no real journalists in wrestling, so he’ll just ask and answer questions himself. Callis says The Don Callis Family will bring the AEW World Tag Team Championships to the hands of Lance Archer and Brian Cage. Callis then introduces Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher.
Callis says Takeshita will go all around the globe to defend the International Championship. Takeshita tells the locker room that if they want his belt, to come on and take it. Callis says Fletcher has a lot on his mind. Fletcher takes the mic and says he heard people questioning his betrayal of Will Ospreay. Fletcher says everyone wants to talk about Ospreay over The Don Callis, which is a problem. Fletcher, however, won’t give the people the full reasoning behind his betrayal. Callis asserts that The Don Callis is the strongest it’s ever been.
Backstage, Mariah May says she wants some new competition and will wrestle anyone from around the world. May asks if anyone in the AEW locker room wants to work before calling them out for their cowardice. Anna Jay confronts May and in doing so, inadvertently strikes Christopher Daniels.
Elsewhere backstage, Ricochet lays out an open challenge for AEW Collision.
The Blackpool Combat Club continues their assault on The Dark Order, Top Flight, and Action Andretti backstage before driving off in a pick-up truck. The Dark Order, Top Flight, and Andretti challenge BCC to show up at AEW Collision on Saturday.
Christian Cage vs. Jay White
Cage steps out of the ring and takes him time getting back in. When he and White finally lock up, White takes him down with a chop. White follows up with an uppercut then drives Cage into the turnbuckle. White rains down with right hands and whips Cage into the corner again. White traps him in a bridging leg submission, which Cage breaks by reaching the rope. Cage rolls to the outside.
Nick Wayne pulls out of chair, which is seized by Juice Robinson and Colten Gunn. Seeing this, the referee ejects Gunn and Robinson. Gunn ambushes Wayne as he and Robinson then drag him to the back with Mama Wayne following behind.
Back from break, Cage traps White between his legs. White fights out of it, but is sent to the outside by Cage. White whips Cage into the steel steps. Back in the ring, White and Cage trade strikes. White drops Cage onto his back then rains down with right hands in the corner. With Cage’s shirt over his head, White chops him. White follows up with a DDT for a near fall. Cage drops White onto his neck with a Killswitch on the apron. Cage looks for a spear, but is distracted by Kip Sabian. “Hangman” Adam Page appears at ringside as well.
White connects with a uranage for another near fall. Cage gouges White’s eyes and hits another Killswitch, but White kicks out. White plants Cage with a Flatliner before nailing him with an uppercut and a suplex into the ropes. White looks for a top rope suplex, but Cage fights him off and connects with a diving headbutt. Cage again looks for a spear, but Sabian jumps to the apron. With the referee distracted by Sabian, Page attacks White with a Buckshot Lariat, allowing Cage to capture the pinfall.
Winner: Christian Cage