This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite emanates from Detroit, Michigan! AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm takes on three opponents in an eliminator match. Samoe Joe takes on Claudio Castagnoli. Jamie Hayter sits down with Renee Paquette, and more.
Let’s break it all down in this week’s AEW Dynamite recap!
We Hear From Adam Page
Page wonders why after all he’s done, the people still cheer for him. Page says it means a lot though. He reflects on the last two years, which he says have been hell. Page recalls wanting justice after Swerve Strickland invaded his home, which prompted him to burn down Strickland’s childhood house and take away Strickland’s dreams. Page says that after their cage match, he stood on the ramp expecting to feel some kind of joy, but instead, he felt nothing. Page says he had to make a decision. Page says he will never forget what Strickland did to him, and probably will never forgive him either, but he will somehow put it behind him.
Page looks ahead to the finals of the Owen Hart Foundation tournament finals, where he will face Will Ospreay, whom he considers one of the best. Ospreay’s music hits. Ospreay says he understands how much their match means to Page. Ospreay says Page showed AEW leadership and what it meant to be a cowboy. Ospreay also recalls Page’s reign as AEW World Champion. He says everything changed for Page once he lost it. Ospreay says the people saw Page smile last week, something we haven’t seen in a while. Ospreay says that while people want Page to reclaim his spot as the main character, Ospreay has a problem with that. Ospreay asserts that he will not lose at AEW Double or Nothing. Ospreay calls out Page for tearing people down, including Jeff Jarrett, Christopher Daniels, and Strickland.
Meanwhile, Ospreay says he has been doing all the meet and greets and medias. Ospreay claims it is too late for Page’s redemption because it’s time for Ospreay’s ascension. Ospreay and Page stare off. The Don Callis Family appear on the stage. Callis calls Ospreay stupid. Callis asks Ospreay if he knows what is standing in the ring with him. Callis calls Page a pyschopath. Page looks to confront Callis, but Ospreay stops him. Callis then offers to put two of the Family members against Ospreay and Page next week if Page doesn’t crack first. Page and Ospreay intensely stare off.
Stokely Hathaway appears at the commentary desk with FTR. Stokely asks the commentary team if they have an issue with FTR because they keep saying negative things about them. Stokely recalls being called a “snake in the grass.” In return, Stokely calls Tony Schiavone a pale and pasty POS. Cash Wheeler says Daniel Garcia gave them no choice but to turn on him. Dax Harwood tells Tony to tell Nigel McGuinness that they’ll see him tomorrow on Collision.
Women’s Eliminator: Toni Storm vs . Anna Jay vs. Penelope Ford vs. Thunder Rosa
Jay fires off stomps on Ford, which sends her to the outside. She then throws Ford into the barricade. Storm and Rosa lock up in the ring. Rosa drops Storm with a hurricanrana and a dropkick. Ford breaks up Rosa’s pinfall attempt on Storm. Rosa delivers a scoop slam to Ford next. Ford dodges a splash from Rosa and lands a dropkick to her back.
Back from break, Storm connects with a hip attack to Ford. Storm then assists Rosa is landing her own. Megan Bayne comes down to the ring and wipes out Storm and Rosa. She turns to Jay. Jay fires off an elbow strike. Ford momentarily distracts her, allowing Bayne to powerbomb her. Harley Cameron comes to the ring with a steel pipe. She strikes Bayne with it as the two trail to the backstage area. Back in the ring. Ford cinches in a submission on Jay. Storm breaks it up and locks in her own chickenwing submission. Ford taps.
Winner: Toni Storm
After the match, Storm raises Rosa’s hand. They embrace.
We Hear From The Hurt Syndicate
MVP asks where all the top tag teams are in AEW. This prompts Top Flight to appear on the stage. Darius Martin says the Hurt Syndicate is looking at a team that just won’t die. Dante says they’ve gotten in the ring and proven that they can be a championship caliber team. MJF runs up from behind and knocks both Darius and Dante down. He fires off right hands on Darius, then sends him crashing into the ring post. He hits Dante, then returns to Darius and bites him. MJF then sends Dante crashing back-first onto the apron.
MJF gets in the ring. MVP hands him a microphone. MJF proclaims that he hurts people. Bobby Lashley smiles and says he’ll give MJF an answer next week on if he’ll be allowed into the Hurt Syndicate.
Backstage are Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, and Kazuchika Okada. Ricochet joins in as well. He points out that he has Swerve Strickland’s number, so he promises to lead The Elite and him to victory tonight. Matt and Nick then enter what looks like a meeting with The Death Riders.
ROH TV Title: Nick Wayne (c) (w/ The Patriarchy) vs. Rhino
Christian Cage gives Nick a ringside pep talk. Rhino takes him down with a shoulder tackle. Nick connects with a dropkick. He then fires off stomps on the bigger man in the corner. Nick applies a headlock. Rhino escapes, only to be dropped to the mat by Nick. Nick looks for a standing moonsault, but Rhino dodges it. Rhino then drops him with a clothesline. Rhino lays out Nick with a spinebuster for a near fall. Nick bounces back with a Killswitch for the win.
Winner: Nick Wayne
After the match, Christian drops the ROH title to the mat as Nick looks on. Mama Wayne comforts her son.
Mark Briscoe, Mike Bailey, & Swerve Strickland vs. The Young Bucks & Ricochet
Strickland drops Ricochet onto the turnbuckle, then rocks him with a boot to the face. Bailey lays out Ricochet with a hurricanrana. Bailey is momentarily distracted by the Bucks, opening the door for Ricochet to hit him in the back of the head. Nick and Matt double team Briscoe. Ricochet and The Young Bucks land sentons on their three opponents. Matt and Nick leave Ricochet to get kicked by Bailey. Bailey wipes out Ricochet with a dive. Briscoe and Strickland do the same on Nick and Matt.
Bailey and Briscoe take turns striking Ricochet. Matt drives Strickland into the mat. Ricochet lands a German suplex. Nick and Matt land a stomp-powerbomb combo on Bailey. Ricochet follows up with a 450 Splash.
Back from break, Briscoe rocks Ricochet with an enziguri, then tags in Bailey. Bailey levels Matt with a kick and a running Shooting Star Press. Bailey goes up top. He takes down both Nick and Matt on his descent. Bailey goes back up top and misses a Shooting Star Press on Matt, but he turns it around into a slam. Strickland and Ricochet catch each other’s kicks. Briscoe tosses Nick and Ricochet across the ring. The men take turns laying in their signature moves. Bailey dodges superkicks from Matt and Nick.
Strickland tags in and connects with an uppercut to Nick in the corner. He tosses Ricochet out of the ring. Matt then meets a hip toss. Strickland suplexes Matt and Nick. Strickland slams Ricochet to the mat. Matt looks for a superkick, but Strickland reverses into a backbreaker. Briscoe follows up with a Death Valley Driver. Bailey lands a standing moonsault leg drop. Briscoe hits a frog splash. Strickland covers Matt for a near fall. Briscoe wipes out Nick at ringside. Bailey does the same to Ricochet. Matt rolls up Strickland for the win.
Winners: The Young Bucks & Ricochet
Backstage, MJF says he’ll take the AEW World Championship off Will Ospreay in the future. Ospreay, however, says he’ll just dump MJF on his head again. MJF hopes they wrestle again because no man is on the same level as MJF. Ospreay says MJF is wrong.
Jamie Hayter Sits Down With Renee Paquette
Jamie Hayter says she’ll be damned if Owen Hart’s legacy is represented by Mercedes Mone. Hayter says she wants to get to know the real Mone, the human behind the hype. Paquette tells Hayter that Mone said she reminds her of “The CEO.” Hayter says they are nothing alike. Hayter says she doesn’t have Mone’s resume, but what she does have is integrity and grit. Hayter says this is about showing that Mone isn’t untouchable. Hayter says her past back injury is irrelevant because she’s fine now. Mone attacks Hayter from behind.
The action spills into the crowd. Hayter looks for a lariat, but Mone dodges it. Mone then strikes Hayter from behind and locks her in the Statement Maker.
Backstage, Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander come face to face. Nightingale knows Statlander is sorry for her previous actions, but their conversation is over. As Statlander goes to leave, Nightingale offers her a match for AEW Collision. Statlander agrees.
Eliminator Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kevin Knight
As Knight makes his entrance, Rush attacks him from behind. Rush then rams Knight into the steel steps and barricade. Security try to separate them, but Rush is unfazed. Mike Bailey runs down to help Knight, which prompts Rush to retreat. Though hurt, Knight rolls into the ring to face Okada.
Okada kicks Knight in the gut, then spikes him on the mat. Knight rolls up Okada for a two count. Okada lands an elbow strike. Okada toys with Knight in the corner. Knight fires off elbow strikes. Okada dropkicks Knight off the turnbuckle, sending him crashing to the floor.
Back from break, Okada delivers a neckbreaker, then descends off the top with an elbow drop. Knight rolls up Okada for a near fall. Knight rocks Okada with a back flip kick. Okada gets his knees up when Knight dives off the top. He follows up with an elbow strike. Knight dropkicks Okada. Okada connects with the Rainmaker for the win.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada
After the match, Bailey saves Knight from another attack, this time at the hands of Okada.
Samoe Joe vs. Claudio Castagnoli
Claudio and Joe lock up. Claudio fires off upper cuts in the corner. Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch, but Claudio reaches for a rope break. Joe sends him crashing into the barricade, then follows up with chops. Claudio drops Joe onto the top of the barricade. He then connects with another uppercut. Joe spikes him on the floor and boots him in return. Joe rolls Claudio back into the ring. Back in the ring, Claudio lays in chops. Joe looks for a Muscle Buster, but Claudio gouges his eyes instead.
Back from break, Joe powerslams Claudio, then boots him in the face. Claudio pushes Joe into the referee, then rakes his eyes again. Claudio takes him with a lariat and a flying uppercut. Claudio looks to swing Joe around, but Joe counters into the Coquina Clutch. Claudio immediately taps.
Winner: Samoa Joe
Post-match, Wheeler Yuta, Marina Shafir, and Jon Moxley jump the guardrail. Powerhouse Hobbs has a steel chair to even the odds for Joe. Hobbs slams the chair into Claudio’s back. Moxley looks on. Joe then drops Claudio onto the chair ribs-first. He and Hobbs stand tall.