This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite emanates from Peoria, Illinois! Swerve Strickland and Willow Nightingale take on Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir. Toni Storm faces Penelope Ford. Cope and Claudio Castagnoli battle in the main event and more.
We break it all down in this week’s AEW Dynamite recap!
Mixed Tornado Tag: Swerve Strickland & Willow Nightingale vs. Death Riders (Jon Moxley & Marina Shafir)
Strickland and Moxley brawling, while Nightingale and Shafir trade strikes as well. Strickland and Nightingale manage to send Moxley and Shafir crashing into the barricades. Shafir responds with a suplex to Nightingale on the floor. Moxley lifts Strickland onto the announce desk. Meanwhile, Shafir continues to beat down Nightingale in the ring. Nightingale chops Shafir in the corner. Strickland sends Moxley crashing into the ring steps. Strickland dropkicks him, then follows up with a backbreaker. Nightingale hits a missile dropkick on him as well.
Strickland drops an elbow onto Moxley’s back. Shafir chops Nightingale, then knees her the back of her neck. Shafir sends Nightingale crashing through the table.
Back from break, Shafir and Moxley set up for a double suplex on Strickland. Nightingale intervenes, pulling Shafir and Moxley off the ropes. She lays them on top of each other in the corner before nailing them with a splash. Strickland follows up with a jumping knee on Moxley, while Nightingale delivers a spinebuster to Shafir. Moxley locks in the Bulldog Choke on Strickland. Nightingale slams Shafir onto the two men to break the hold. She and Shafir trade strikes on the outside.
Strickland looks to hit a House Call on Moxley, but inadvertently hits Shafir instead. Nightingale then sends Moxley crashing through a table outside the ring. She lands a Doctor Bomb on Shafir for the win.
Winners: Swerve Strickland & Willow Nightingale
Post-match, Moxley rocks Nightingale with a Paradigm Shift before retreating through the crowd.
Backstage, Dax Harwood apologies for putting his hands on a referee and Cash Wheeler last weekend. He asserts that he, Wheeler, and Cope will become the AEW Trios Champions at AEW Dynasty.
Toni Storm vs. Penelope Ford
Storm whips Ford into the side of the apron, then follows up with a backbreaker. Storm suplexes Ford across the ring. She charges in for a hip attack, but Ford dodges it. Ford connects with a pair of knees on the apron. Storm fires off elbow strikes. Ford rocks her with a knee.
Back from break, Storm rains down with right hands. Ford lands a moonsault off the apron, then follows up with a gutbuster for a near fall. Storm suplexes Ford. Ford looks for a stunner, but Storm blocks it and lands a Storm Zero for the win.
Winner: Toni Storm
After the match, Storm stares down with Megan Bayne while holding up her AEW Women’s Championship.
Backstage, Strickland calls Nightingale brave for stepping up to the Death Riders. He says he will not rest until he has his hands on Moxley tonight.
We Hear From Bobby Lashley, MVP, & MJF
Lashley and MVP come out to the ring, without Shelton Benjamin (he was unable to make it due to weather). MJF’s music plays. He meets them in the ring. MJF says Lashley kind of disrespected him last week, but it might be because he doesn’t know MJF too much. MJF shouts out Benjamin, whom he claims to love. He turns his attention back to Lashley. He references Lashley’s prior work, but says AEW was the place that MJF helped build. MJF says he can help Lashley and Benjamin keep possession of the AEW Tag Team Championships. MJF adds that they can help him get the AEW World Championship back in turn. MJF says him working with The Hurt Syndicate is just good business.
MJF says Lashley might not want him, but he needs him. Lashley says out of respect for MVP, he won’t leave him laying right now. Lashley asserts that he doesn’t like nor trust MJF. He also says The Hurt Syndicate doesn’t need him, so Lashley implores him to leave the ring. MJF heads to the back as MVP and Lashley converse.
Big Bill and Bryan Keith emerge on the stage, then head to the ring for their tag match. On the way, they stare down with Lashley and MVP.
Bryan Keith & Big Bill vs. Local Talents
Keith kicks one of the opponents out of the ring, while Bill tosses the other across the ring. Bill then launches the same man to the outside, toward Lashley. Back in the ring, Keith knocks down the other with a knee. Bill finishes him off with a chokeslam.
Winners: Bryan Keith & Big Bill
After the match, Bill says he and Keith will whoop Lashley and Benjamin’s ass because they want an AEW Tag Team Championship match. MVP raises his mic to speak, but Lashley snatches it from his hand before he can.
Backstage, Mercedes Mone says Julia Hart is mysterious and unpredictable, but she isn’t the greatest TBS Champion. Renee Paquette reveals that Mone and Harley Cameron will team up against Hart and Athena on AEW Collision. Mone tells Cameron to stay out of her way.
Will Ospreay & Kevin Knight vs. Blake Christian & Lee Johnson
Christian and Ospreay lock up, with the former kicking down the latter. Christian follows up with a shoulder tackle. Ospreay responds with a hurricanrana. Knight tags in and knocks down Christian with a splash. Johnson sends Ospreay to the outside, then dropkicks Knight. Ospreay and Knight rocks their opponents with dropkicks. They then lay them out with dives through the ropes.
Back from break, Ospreay rocks Christian with a Pele Kick. Christian sends Ospreay up and over the ropes. Johnson drags Ospreay to the floor. Christian dives onto him. Christian follows up with a 450 stomp. Ospreay with a Stun Dog Millionaire on Johnson. Knight tags in. Knight dropkicks Johnson. Ospreay leaps onto Christian on the outside. Knight lands a springboard lariat on Johnson for the win.
Winners: Will Ospreay & Kevin Knight
After the match, Tony Schiavone confirms Ospreay and Knight will face off at Dynasty. They shake hands.
Backstage, Samoa Joe says they will be watching and seeing all at AEW Dynasty. He warns the locker not to catch them lacking.
Brody King vs. Lance Archer (w/ Don Callis)
Archer and King exchanging blows, with Archer landing a clothesline that sends King over the top rope to the outside. King sits Archer in a chair and charges in with a crossbody into the barricade. Archer distracted the referee, allowing Callis to grab his ankle. Archer nails him with a big boot.
Back from break, King chops Archer, then flattens him with a crossbody. King slams Archer to the mat. He delivers a senton for a near fall as well. Archer responds with a crossbody of his own. King boots Archer. Archer bounces back with a spinning slam. Archer chokeslams King for a near fall. King nails Archer with a short arm lariat and a cannonball in the corner.
Winner: Brody King
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Cope
Claudio charges at Cope, then stomps away in the corner. Claudio whips Cope into the barricade, then rocks him with an uppercut. Cope knocks Claudio off the apron and into the barricade. Cope slams him against the steel steps, then into the barricade. Cope fires off right hands. Claudio uppercuts him again. Cope backslides into a two-count pinfall. Claudio and Cope exchange short-arm lariats. Cope drives Claudio to the mat, back-first. He follows up with a spear through the ropes. Claudio rocks Cope with another uppercut.
Back from break, Cope sends Claudio crashing into the mat with a top-rope bulldog. Claudio thumbs Cope in the eye, then delivers a double stomp. Claudio swings Cope around in the ring. Cope plants Claudio into the mat. Claudio locks Cope in a Sharpshooter. Cope responds with a crossface. Claudio powerslams Cope on the apron, then sends him over the barricade and into the crowd.
When Cope returns to the ring, Claudio connects with a lariat. Claudio uppercuts Cope again, then follows up with the Neutralizer. Claudio grabs a pair of chairs and places one under Cope’s head. The referee takes the other chair from his hands. Cope low blows Claudio while the referee’s back is turned. Cope spears Claudio for the win.
Winner: Cope
Backstage, Swerve Strickland says he’s looking for Jon Moxley. Adam Page emerges from behind him and says Strickland is wasting his time. AEW security separate them as they continue to argue. Page eventually walks away, only for the Death Riders to attack Strickland. They drag Strickland to the ring and continue beating him down. Moxley slaps Strickland. Wheeler Yuta dumps out shards of glass. Claudio slams Strickland onto the glass.