This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite emanates from the Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania! Orange Cassidy looks to take out Wheeler Yuta. A massive eight-man tag match pits the Don Callis Family against Will Ospreay and crew. Kris Statlander battles former AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida. Claudio Castagnoli faces Darby Allin, and much more!
We break it all down in this week’s AEW Dynamite recap!
Mark Davis, Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricochet & Will Ospreay vs. The Don Callis Family (Brian Cage, Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher & Lance Archer)
All eight men begin brawling on the ramp before trickling to the area around the ring. Hobbs and Archer trade blows the ramp. Takeshita and Davis finally kick off the action in the ring, with Davis delivering a back body drop and a senton. Davis tags in Ricochet, who dives onto Takeshita on the outside. Cage comes in and levels Davis before throwing Ricochet into the ring post. Ospreay takes down Cage with a kick before Fletcher sends him to the floor. Fletcher tries to beat down Hobbs, but it’s no match for Hobbs’ strength. Archer drags Hobbs off the top turnbuckle and traps his knee between the ring post and steel steps. Cage pushes Ospreay into those same ring steps.
Archer meets Ricochet in the ring, as Hobbs limps to the back. Ricochet reverses a chokeslam with a hurricanrana, but Archer regains his footing. Archer wipes out Davis and Ospreay, then catches Ricochet mid-air. He then chokeslams him into his partners on the outside.
Back from break, Ricochet tags in Ospreay, while Takeshita tags in Fletcher. Fletcher charges in with big strikes, but Ospreay takes him off his feet. Fletcher tags in Takeshita. Ospreay fires off with right hands on him, but Takeshita rakes his eyes. Ospreay and Davis double team Takeshita with a cutter for a near fall. Archer and Cage level Davis and Ospreay. Takeshita executes a Blue Thunder Bomb on Ospreay. Fletcher tags himself in while Ospreay is down, and taunts him. Fletcher aggressively stomps him in the corner, then sees Hobbs limping back down the ramp. Hobbs wipes out Fletcher. Ospreay then tags him in.
Hobbs wipes out all of his opponents, including Cage and Archer with a clothesline. Hobbs hits a turnbuckle world tour, then powerslams Archer to the mat. Davis is tagged in, with Takeshita going after him. Takeshita looks for a knee strike, but Davis catches it and hits him with an enziguri and a piledriver. Fletcher begins arguing with Davis. Davis drops him, only for Takeshita to drop him. All eight men trade moves until Fletcher and Ospreay stand as the last two.
Fletcher and Ospreay counter each other until Ospreay hits a standing Spanish Fly. Ospreay accidently hits Davis with a Hidden Blade. Takeshita drops his knee pad and charges in with a knee strike on Davis for the win.
Winners: The Don Callis Fanily
Backstage, Jon Moxley vows to destroy Orange Cassidy at AEW Full Gear. Claudio Castagnoli then vows to destroy Darby Allin tonight. Allin doesn’t seem too fazed though, as he proclaims that today is Castagnoli’s day.
Backstage, MVP announces that Bobby Lashley will be in action later tonight. Swerve Strickland appears out of nowhere and strikes Lashley before retreating.
We Hear From Adam Cole
Adam Cole says it’s time for story time. Cole says he and Roderick Strong share the mutual desire to give MJF an ass whooping, and at Full Gear, MJF will get his from Strong. Kyle O’Reilly heads down to the ring with a mic.
O’Reilly says being associated with Cole has brought him both highs and lows. O’Reilly says his crusade with MJF needs to end before someone gets hurt. O’Reilly says he’s a friend of Cole’s, but he needs his friends to stop fighting his battles for him. O’Reilly warns that MJF is likely three steps ahead of Cole, and he doesn’t want to see his friends get burnt.
O’Reilly calls Cole a good friend and leader that doesn’t want his friends to get hurt. O’Reilly says MJF is an evil bastard, which Cole will never be. He drops the mic and heads to the back.
Backstage, Orange Cassidy promises to make an example of Wheeler Yuta by beating him alone. The Conglomeration approach him, with Mark Briscoe promising to have his back. Cassidy, however, wants him to stay away. Briscoe agrees.
Kris Statlander vs. Hikaru Shida
Statlander and Shida shake hands, then lock up. Statlander takes down Shida with a headlock. Shida fights out of it. Statlander slams Shida to the mat. Shida sends her flying across the ring with an arm drag. She begins punching her in the corner, but Statlander pushes her off and hits a standing moonsault. Statlander shoulder tackles her to the mat. Shida traps Statlander in a straight-jacket submission before landing a missile dropkick. As Statlander lay on the apron, Shida charges in with a big knee.
Back from break, Statlander lands a scoop slam, then follows up with an uppercut and a running knee in the corner. Statlander drives Shida to the mat for a near fall. Shida fires off on Statlander, and transitions into a cradle. Statlander reaches her feet and again slams Shida. Shida goes for a backslide, which Statlander kicks out of. Shida looks for another pinfall after hitting a Falcon Arrow. Shida again rocks Statlander with a big knee and a German Suplex. Shida goes for Katana, but Statlander ducks and delivers Saturday Night Fever for the win.
Winner: Kris Statlander
Post-match, Statlander and Shida shake hands. TBS Champion Mercedes Mone and Kamille appear on the stage. Mone mocks the Pennsylvania crowd. Mone says she was impressed by Statlander tonight, but points out she’s held the TBS Championship longer than Statlander did. Mone dubs herself as the greatest TBS Champion ever, while also vowing to beat Statlander at Full Gear. Mone orders an injured Kamille to take out Statlander and Shida.
Kamille enters the ring and tries to strike Statlander, but Shida and Statlander dump her to the outside. Mone looks to blindside Statlander with a backstabber, but Statlander holds the ropes to stop it. Statlander lands a piledriver and stands tall.
A video package hyping Jay White vs. “Hangman” Adam Page plays.
Bobby Lashley (w/ MVP & Shelton Benjamin) vs. Cheeseburger & Joe Keys
Lashley spears Cheeseburger in the corner, then flattens both of his opponents with double backdrop. Lashley sends Keys to the outside. Lashley turns Cheeseburger inside out with a clothesline, then slams him to the mat. Joe Keys breaks up the subsequent pinfall attempt. He fires off right hands on Lashley, then tries take him down. Lashley, however, catches him and slams him to the mat. Lashley charges in with another spear then makes Keys fade with The Hurt Lock.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
After the match, Prince Nana emerges on the stage with a chair in hand. Shelton Benjamin follows him. Swerve Strickland comes out from under the ring and blindsides Lashley. He rocks Lashley with a House Call and a big stomp off the top.
Backstage, Mariah May says in her division, you either hold the AEW Women’s Championship or you die. Mina Shirakawa promises to give May the celebration she deserves at Full Gear. The two dance.
Darby Allin vs. Claudio Castagnoli
Allin brings down Claudio with an arm drag. Claudio briefly retreats to the outside before returning the ring. Claudio slams Allin to the mat. Allin, however, fights back with a body press. Allin then looks for a Coffin Drop on the outside, but Claudio catches him. Claudio rocks him with a big uppercut that sends him flying over the barricade. Claudio walks Allin up the steps in vertical position, then throws him down with a suplex.
Back from break, Claudio whips Allin into the barricade before launching him back into the ring. Allin rolls out on the other side, then traps Claudio between the ring apron. Allin launches himself into Claudio with a pair of dives. Allin looks for another Coffin Drop, but Claudio sweeps him off his feet. Claudio sends Allin flying off the top with a gutwrench suplex for a near fall. Claudio calls for The Swing. Allin reverses it into a roll-up. Allin rocks Claudio with a Code Red.
Claudio responds with a series of uppercuts in the corner. Claudio then kicks him to the outside and swings him into the steel steps. Claudio throws him over the announce table. Allin is then thrown into a nearby table. As Allin stirs, the referee begins counting. Allin somehow makes it back into the ring before the count of ten, only to meet a big lariat from Claudio.
Winner: Claudio Castagnoli
In a new promo, MJF says he’s happy he’s facing Roderick Strong over Adam Cole at Full Gear, but also vows to send Roderick Strong back to the trailer park.
Backstage, Renee Paquette interviews the Costco Guys. AJ looks ahead to his in-ring return, where he says he’ll bring the boom. AJ and Big Justice confirm that the Rizzler will ring the bell when he wins at AEW Full Gear.
Undisputed Kingdom join Tony Schiavone on the stage. Roderick Strong says he’s heard people criticizing his childhood. Strong, however, says he feels sorry for MJF. Strong learned that to break the cycle, you have to earn it. In the meantime, MJF has been spoon fed everything and throws a tantrum until he gets what he wants. Strong says MJF will pay for all his sins at AEW Full Gear.
Elsewhere, Daniel Garcia has Jack Perry tied to a chair. Garcia says he has to take the power from Perry. He then says Perry has no idea what he’s had to go through. Garcia hits Perry’s bus with a crowbar then leaves.
Backstage, Renee Paquette keeps the peace in the ROH World Championship contract signing. Jericho says he needs to check with his legal team before he signs anything. Tomohiro Ishii follows Jericho throughout the backstage area, into the concessions, then the crowd. In the ring, Jericho tells Ishii he doesn’t have a pen. Ishii reveals a pen and hands it to Jericho. Jericho begrudgingly signs it. Bryan Keith and Big Bill attack Ishii from behind. Jericho looks to stab Ishii with the pen until The Conglomeration make the save.
Backstage, Jamie Hayter is again interrupted by a Julia Hart vignette.
Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta
Yuta unleashes a pair of chops in the corner, but Cassidy fights back with a backslide. Cassidy takes him down with an arm drag and another roll-up, but Yuta kicks out. Cassidy rocks Yuta with a stunner and a dive. Yuta hits a barricade brainbuster on Cassidy. Cassidy and Yuta struggle on the apron until Yuta plants him with a DDT.
Back from break, Cassidy drops Yuta with a brainbuster for a near fall. Yuta fires back with a running chop and a back body drop. Yuta then digs into Cassidy’s chest with a series of elbows. Cassidy catches his arm then contorts his fingers. Cassidy drives Yuta to the mat for another near fall.
Cassidy looks for Orange Punch, but Yuta sees it coming. Yuta plants Cassidy with a piledriver and again fires off elbow strikes. Yuta locks in the Cattle Mutilation, but Cassidy breaks it with his leg on the rope. Frustrated, Yuta grabs a chair from the outside, swings, and misses. Cassidy rolls him up for the win.
Winner: Orange Cassidy
After the match, PAC blindsides Cassidy with a pump kick. The rest of the Death Riders follow, with Marina Shafir bringing a roll of duct tape. Claudio and Pac then tape Cassidys hands to his midsection, with his hands in his pockets. The Death Riders kick Cassidy around. Moxley then connects with a punch and a big slap. Cassidy lightly kicks Moxley, only to meet another punch from him. Moxley stomps on Cassidy’s face. The Death Riders then leave through the crowd, with The Conglomeration finally attending to Cassidy. Cassidy reaches his feet and stares down The Death Riders with his hands free.