This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite emanates from the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio! Private Party challenge The Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Championships. Kamille faces Kris Statlander. Swerve Strickland battles Shelton Benjamin. The Blackpool Combat Club continue their reign of terror. Adam Cole returns to in-ring action, and more.
We break it all down in this week’s AEW Dynamite recap!
We Hear From Orange Cassidy
Orange Cassidy says he is no leader, but after last week, he wanted to step up to guide the future of AEW. Cassidy says they have no idea how dangerous Jon Moxley is. Cassidy says Moxley never needed AEW, but he does. Cassidy says he needs to cut the head off the snake and make sure no one else gets hurt, alone.
Cassidy challenges Moxley to an AEW World Championship match. Cassidy says he’ll take the symbol of AEW out of Moxley’s bag, and put it into his backpack. Cassidy says Moxley will know where to find him to give him an answer. Cassidy signs off by saying he is the next AEW World Champion, and doesn’t need a catchphrase.
Backstage, Mercedes Mone tells Renee Paquette that although Kris Statlander is a powerhouse in the women’s division, she doesn’t hold a candle to “The Brickhouse” Kamille.
Adam Cole vs. Buddy Matthews
Matthews and Cole shake hands. Matthews and Cole lock up, with the former pushing the latter into the corner and then against the ropes. Cole pushes back, but Matthews pushes him into the corner again. Matthews wipes Cole off his feet with a shoulder tackle. Cole takes down Matthews with a side headlock. Cole then looks for a superkick but Matthews dodges it.
Cole and Matthews jockey for positioning. Cole jumps over the top rope and lands on the apron. Matthews goes to hit him, but Cole’s recently repaired ankle tweaks. He jumps off the apron in pain. Matthews connects with a knee to Cole’s face.
Back from break, Cole lands a neckbreaker. He and Matthews exchange strikes on the apron, until Cole capitalizes with a DDT. Both men are down on the outside as the referee begins to count. Cole breaks it, then kicks Matthews into the barricade. Cole spikes Matthews into the mat for a near fall. Cole looks for a Panama Sunrise but Matthews catches him. Matthews targets Cole’s ankle by repeatedly stomping on it.
The doctor checks on Cole’s ankle, and begins walking him to the back. Matthews grabs a microphone and calls the new Adam Cole a “bitch.” Cole limps back to the ring and goes right after him. Matthews stomps on Cole’s ankle again. Cole rocks Matthews with a pair of superkicks. Cole goes for a knee but loses his balance. Matthews connects with a knee of his own, then follows up with a stomp for a near fall.
Matthews invites Cole to throw in the towel. Cole throws it at Matthews’ head and rocks him with a series of kicks in response. Cole hits a running knee for a near fall. Cole goes for another Panama Sunrise, but Matthews sees it coming and reverses. Matthews lands a stomp, which Cole powers out of. Cole hits another superkick and finally hits the Panama Sunrise. Matthews lands on the outside. Cole hits another Panama Sunrise then connects with The Boom to the back of Matthews’s head for the win.
Winner: Adam Cole
Post-match, Cole thanks Matthews for reminding him who the real Adam Cole is. Cole goes to shake hands with Matthews, but the lights go out. As they flicker back on, Malakai Black is standing in Matthews’ place, shaking the hand of Cole. Black signals himself as Cole’s next opponent.
Backstage, Adam Cole says unlike MJF, he cares about the AEW locker room and its fans. Cole then vows to get his or better yet The Undisputed Kingdom’s, hands on MJF at AEW Full Gear and teach MJF another lesson.
Kyle Fletcher (w/ Don Dallis) Comes Face-To-Face With An Old Friend
Don Callis introduces Kyle Fletcher. Fletcher says he is here to call out Will Ospreay. Fletcher points to the tunnel in anticipation of Ospreay coming out of it. Ospreay doesn’t, but Mark Davis does. Fletcher goes to hug Davis, but Davis denies him. Davis says Fletcher knows Opsreay is still at home and injured. Davis says Fletcher has changed now. Fletcher says he’s seen the truth, and says Ospreay never cared about him or Davis. Fletcher claims Ospreay kept them in his back pocket to further his own career.
Fletcher says Ospreay forgot about Davis, but he didn’t. Fletcher notes that he reserved a spot in The Family. Davis says they had a United Empire, but Fletcher destroyed it. Fletcher tells Davis that he will have to make a decision soon. Fletcher reiterates that he has no problem cutting the past loose.
Backstage, Adam Page points out that he knocked out Jay White in the second round of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. Page takes credit for putting White on the shelf. Page says there is no such thing as redemption; there are only wins, losses, and the consequences that will follow. Page foresees White targeting his leg at AEW Full Gear. White, however, doesn’t know the strategy that Page will bring. Page says one thing is for certain, though. He will leave White behind.
Blackpool Combat Club Speaks (And Brawls, Again)
Jon Moxley says he doesn’t expect anyone to appreciate what his group is going right now, but one day they will understand. Moxley says Orange Cassidy didn’t challenge him; Moxley challenged him when he cut some “dead weight” out of his life, such as Chuck Taylor. Moxley says the AEW locker room pointed toward Cassidy as a leader. Moxley says he’s pushed and pushed Cassidy. Moxley agrees to fight Cassidy for the AEW World Championship, but warns that they’ll be fighting in the valley.
Moxley says Cassidy thinks he’s pulling the strings. Marina Shafir and PAC then grab Wheeler Yuta’s arms. Claudio Castagnoli grabs a chair and puts it around Yuta. Cassidy runs down to try and save Yuta, but meets a beatdown from the BCC instead. The Dark Order run down to try and fight off BCC, but BCC get the upper hand.
Pac wraps a chair around Cassidy’s neck on the outside. Out nowhere, Darby Allin descends from the rafters and attacks Castagnoli. Castagnoli throws Allin over the announce table. Allin then throws Castagnoli into the barricade. Private Party and Daniel Garcia rush down as well. Cassidy lands an Orange Punch on Moxley. The brawl continues into the stands, while The Young Bucks make their way to the ring.
AEW Tag Team Championships: Young Bucks (c) vs. Private Party (if Private Party lose, they must split up
Isiah Kassidy and Nick Jackson kick off the action. Kassidy takes down Nick with an arm drag. Nick and Kassidy trade quick pinfall attempts. Matt Jackson tags himself in. Nick connects with a dropkick. Matt isolates Kassidy in his corner. Kassidy takes down Matt and Nick with a double arm drag. Marq Quen connects with a hurricanrana. Kassidy wipes out Matt and Nick with a dive to the outside. Kassidy sends Matt over the barricade. Matt reaches his feet and trips Kassidy. Matt looks to hit Kassidy with the ring bell, but Kassidy ducks. Quen takes the bell from Matt and accidently hits Kassidy with it. Nick lands a big kick on Quen.
Back in the ring, Nick rains down with right hands. Meanwhile, Matt rams Kassidy into the steel steps. Matt tags in Nick. Matt and Nick double team Quen. The Young Bucks land a superplex and Falcon Arrow on Quen and Kassidy, respectively.
In the match’s closing moments, Nick and Matt hit Risky Business on Kassidy. Quen breaks up the subsequent pinfall. Quen sends Matt over the rope and lands a springboard moonsault. Quen then wipes out both Matt and Nick with a pair of dives. Nick delivers a knee strike and a big kick to Quen. Nick and Matt drag Quen to the entrance ramp. With the referee distracted, Kazuchika Okada hits a Tombstone Piledriver on Quen. Back in the ring, Matt and Nick execute a hurricanrana-cutter combo on Kassidy. Kassidy surprisingly kicks out. Nick and Matt connect with a series of superkicks. Kassidy kicks out again.
Matt and Nick look for an EVP-Trigger, but Kassidy ducks, causing Matt and Nick to knee themselves. Kassidy briefly fights them off, but Matt and Nick land an EVP-Trigger. Kassidy kicks out once more then pulls himself to his feet. Nick delivers a V-Trigger. Matt follows up with a One-Winged Angel. Marq Quen breaks up the fall on Kassidy. Quen and Kassidy wipe out The Young Bucks, finally hitting Gin and Juice on Nick for the win.
Winners (And New): Private Party
After the match, Nick and Matt Jackson hand Private Party the AEW Tag Team Championships. Quen and Kassidy celebrate their title win in the crowd.
Backstage, Jamie Hayter and Penelope Ford stand face-to-face before their singles match next week.
Chris Jericho Promises To Elevate Ring of Honor
Chris Jericho recalls his win over Mark Briscoe last week. Jericho says he couldn’t have done this without his branches and his fans. Jericho says AEW became a powerhouse because of him. Now, he’ll do the same with Ring of Honor. Jericho says if people understand him, then they’re overestimating their knowledge of the pro wrestling business. Jericho promises to take Ring of Honor to places we’ve never been before.
Backstage, Daniel Garcia confronts Jack Perry. Garcia says he’s sick of entitled people walking around here. Perry reminds Garcia that he used to dance for him too. Garcia storms off. Perry opens the door to The Elite’s locker room. Matt Jackson says they have to talk before Perry closes the door.
Kamille (w/ Mercedes Mone) vs. Kris Statlander
Statlander and Kamille lock up. Kamille tries to shoulder tackle Statlander, but Statlander stays on her feet. Statlander bounces off the ropes, and Kamille then hits a shoulder tackle. Kamille flings Statlander’s neck off the top rope, then connects with a lariat.
Back from break, Statlander connects with a powerslam then drives Kamille to the mat again. Statlander looks for a 450 Splash but Kamille dodges it. Kamille delivers a Torture Rack powerbomb. Statlander kicks out of the subsequent pinfall attempt, and nails a Saturday Night Fever for the win.
Winner: Kris Statlander
After the match, Mone hits Statlander in the head from behind. Mone demands that Kamille get to the back, then says when you want something done right, you do it yourself.
Backstage, Christian Cage invites Hook to meet The Patriarchy in the ring next week so Cage can explain his recent actions.
Backstage, Mark Briscoe challenges The Learning Tree to a fight without honor on next week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
Also backstage, The Young Bucks are seen leaving the building. Matt Jackson tells Chrisopher Daniels he’s working from home from now on. Meanwhile, The Blackpool Combat Club smash Brandon Cutler’s hand with a hammer, while Jon Moxley holds Christopher Daniels’ back.
Swerve Strickland (w/ Prince Nana) vs. Shelton Benjamin (w/ MVP)
Benjamin charges at Strickland, but Strickland reverses and chops him. Strickland lays in with some elbows, but Benjamin cinches in a waistlock. Strickland escapes and takes down Benjamin with a hurricanrana. Benjamin throws Strickland to the outside with a Belly-To-Belly. He tries to drive Strickland into the ring post, but Strickland escapes and wraps Benjamin’s arm around it in a submission. Strickland looks for a kick on the apron, but Benjamin wipes him off his feet. Back in the ring, Benjamin tosses Strickland onto his back. Strickland connects with a kick to the midsection of Benjamin, to which Benjamin responds with a big knee.
Back from break, Strickland looks for a half-crab, but Benjamin blocks it. Strickland rocks him with a roundhouse kick. Strickland follows up with an uppercut to the back of Benjamin’s neck. Benjamin rolls to the outside, only to meet a big kick from Strickland. Strickland continues his offense with a missile dropkick for a near-fall. Benjamin traps Strickland in a submission, but Strickland breaks free. Benjamin drives Strickland into the mat for another near fall.
Strickland connects with a House Call, then follows up with a 450 Splash. Benjamin responds with a German Suplex and a big knee strike. Strickland ascends the top rope, but Benjamin sees it and meets him there. Strickland delivers Liger Bomb and a stomp for the win.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
After the match, MVP is seen making a phone call at ringside as Strickland celebrates. The lights briefly flick off and on. Bobby Lashley appears on the entrance stage and walks down to hug MVP. He and MVP get in the ring to stare down Strickland and Prince Nana. As Benjamin reaches his feet, Strickland lunges at him, paving the way for Lashley and crew to wipe out Strickland and then Prince Nana. Lashley applies a Full Nelson on Strickland. Security rush down to try and break up, to no success. MVP grabs a microphone and declares that he, Lashley, and Benjamin are back in business.