This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite emanates from Kent, Washington! Adam Page takes on The Beat Mortos in the main event. The battle for the number one spots in the Men’s and Women’s Casino Gauntlets. Kota Ibushi is in action. Ricochet tries to find a new ally, and more.
Let’s break it all down in this week’s AEW Dynamite recap!
Mercedes Mone Attacks Toni Storm
Toni Storm is seen walking backstage until Mercedes Mone ambushes her. Mone rams her into crates then leads her out to the stage. Mone continues her attack by stomping Storm. She then grabs a microphone and tells Storm it’s time to play. Mone locks in a crossface. AEW officials trying breaking them up. Mina Shirakawa runs out, prompting Mone to finally back off. While Shirakawa checks on Storm, Mone says let the games begin.
Backstage, The Young Bucks confirm that Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland’s tag match has been moved up to now.
Will Ospreay & Swerve Strickland (w/ Prince Nana) vs. Blake Christian & Lee Johnson
Strickland and Johnson lock up, Johnson dodges a suplex and tags in Christian. Strickland tags in Ospreay. Ospreay chops Christian. Christian sends Ospreay flying with a hurricanrana, then lands a right hand to Ospreay’s jaw. Ospreay delivers an inverted atomic drop. He and Strickland send Johnson bouncing off the top rope. Ospreay hits a standing sky twister press on Christian. Ospreay follows up with a jumping kick.
The Young Bucks’ music plays, which distracts Ospreay. Christian dropkicks Ospreay off the apron, then stomps Strickland in the back. Christian dives onto Ospreay on the outside. The Young Bucks clap from the stage.
Back from break, Christian hits a rolling senton on Ospreay, then a 450 Splash off the top. Ospreay boots Johnson off the apron. He follows up with an enziguri to Christian. Strickland tags in and chops Christian. He then sends Johnson crashing into Christian. Stickland hits an uppercut on Christian as well as a flatliner. Strickland hip tosses Christian. Ospreay kicks Christian as Strickland then drops him with a brainbuster. Strickland follows up with the House Call for the win.
Winners: Will Ospreay & Swerve Strickland
After the match, Strickland and Ospreay look to attack the Young Bucks, but a row of security stand between them. Strickland suggests he and Ospreay do something about The Young Bucks. Strickland then challenges them to a match at AEW All In. Ospreay wants to up the stakes. He says the people are the reason AEW exists, not them as EVPs. Ospreay suggests The Young Bucks put their EVP titles on the line at All In. Strickland then wipes out the security and chases off the Young Bucks.
Backstage, Matt Jackson suspends Swerve Strickland for a week. Kazuchika Okada then introduces the Bucks to the Don Callis Family, his new allies. Trent Beretta tells them to watch what he does to Kota Ibushi. Konosuke Takeshita reminds Okada that their alliance is temporary.
Trent Beretta (w/ Rocky Romero) vs. Kota Ibushi
Beretta and Ibushi lock up, then trade holds. Ibushi rolls up Beretta for a two count, then takes him down with a dropkick. Rocky Romero distracts Ibushi, allowing Beretta to clothesline Ibushi. Beretta kicks Ibushi through the ropes. Romero kicks Ibushi on the outside as Beretta distracts the referee. Ibushi powerslams Beretta, then takes him down with more kicks. Ibushi follows up with a standing moonsault. Beretta lands an arm drag and a thrust kick. Beretta connects with a running knee strike and a piledriver for a near fall.
Beretta slaps Ibushi, which Ibushi returns. Beretta rolls through a suplex, then responds with one of his own. Beretta and Ibushi trade pinfall attempts. Beretta rocks Ibushi with a lariat. Ibushi stomps his chest in response, then lands a jumping knee. He finishes off Beretta with another one.
Winner: Kota Ibushi
After the match, Kazuchika Okada comes to the ring and stares down Ibushi.
Backstage, Ricochet interrupts an interview with AR Fox. Ricochet says he’s been looking for allies in the AEW locker room. Ricochet thinks Fox has everything he’s looking for, then suggests that they team up tonight. Before Fox officially answers, Ricochet shakes his hand.
Ricochet & AR Fox vs. Mike Bailey & Keving Knight
Knight fires off strikes on Ricochet. Bailey then sends Fox through the ropes and to the outside. Ricochet is caught between Knight and Bailey. Ricochet ducks a strike from Knight, then tags in Fox. Fox meets a double hip toss, but manages to send Bailey and Knight to the outside. Fox stomps Knight on the apron, then leaps onto Bailey with a senton. Fox lands a twisting suplex on Knight, then clotheslines him. Ricochet looks on, impressed. Knight elbows Fox, then dumps Ricochet over the top rope. Bailey then sends Fox over the top. Bailey and Knight dive onto Ricochet and Fox on the outside.
Back from break, Ricochet and Fox appear to be on different pages. Knight sends Ricochet to the outside. Bailey tags in and delivers a series of kicks to Fox. He follows up with a running Shooting Star Press. Ricochet prevents him from making a pin on Fox. Bailey and Knight double dropkick Ricochet. Knight lands a lariat on Fox. Fox dives on Bailey through the ropes. Bailey tags in Knight, but as Fox goes to tag Ricochet, Ricochet leaps off the apron. Knight slams Fox to the mat. Knight follows up with a splash for the win.
Winners: Mike Bailey & Kevin Knight
Post-match, Bailey says the AEW Tag Team Championships have been held hostage, so it’s time for someone to come to the rescue. Knight says it’s time for the titles to come to them next. Bailey and Knight say they’re coming for the Hurt Syndicate. Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin attack them from behind. MVP and MJF follow. Lashley launches Knight into the barricade. Benjamin then slams Knight onto the barricade, while Lashley drops Bailey onto the apron. Benjamin suplexes both Bailey and Knight on the floor. Benjamin places Knight onto a table. Lashley sends Bailey crashing through the table, on top of Knight.
MVP calls for a microphone and asks the production truck to hit their music. They all head to the ring and pose. MVP says he has an announcement. He then begs someone to stand up to the Hurt Syndicate. MVP says if Bailey and Knight can stand up, he will give them a chance to face Benjamin and Lashley at AEW All In. MVP hands the microphone to MJF. MJF confirms that he will enter a qualifying match for the Men’s Casino Gauntlet at All In. MJF says it will bring him one step closer to the AEW World Championship.
Mark Briscoe’s music hits. Briscoe says the producer told him MJF was taking too long. Briscoe asks The Hurt Syndicate to leave the ring so he can take care of business. MJF says they can take up as much time as they want because they’re stars. MJF says the people like Briscoe because they can relate to them. MJF then advises Briscoe to leave or else he’ll lose again. Briscoe says he sees right through MJF. Briscoe says all of MJF’s comments come from hurt, so the word of the day is empathy. Briscoe says MJF’s comments also come from a place of insufficiency, particularly due to his “kosher pickle” in his pants. MVP says The Hurt Syndicate will go in the back and watch Briscoe lose now.
Men’s Casino Gauntlet #1 Spot: Bandido vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mark Briscoe vs. Roderick Strong
Takeshita and Bandido trade strikes, while Strong and Briscoe do the same in another corner. Takeshita delivers a high boot to Bandido. Bandido responds with a dropkick, then sends Takeshita to the outside. Takeshita crashes into the barricade. Strong connects with a punch to Briscoe’s midsection. Briscoe catches Takeshita with a scissor kick. He then levels Bandido with a neckbreaker on the outside. Strong dropkicks Briscoe through the ropes.
Back from break, Strong sends Takeshita and Briscoe to the outside. Strong and Bandido trade clotheslines, then forearm strikes. Bandido lands a pop-up cutter. He goes up top, only for Takeshita to push him off the turnbuckle. Briscoe then pushes Takeshita to the floor. Briscoe leaps off the top. Strong counters into a roll-up. Briscoe kicks out. He and Strong exchange more blows. Strong lands a pair of elbows to Strong. Takeshita kicks Strong, then descends off the top with a superplex. Briscoe and Bandido leap off the turnbuckles with splashes. Briscoe covers Strong for a two count. Briscoe rocks Bandido with an uppercut. Takeshita suplexes both Bandido and Briscoe.
Takeshita lands a Blue Thunder Bomb on Strong. Bandido connects with a knee to Takeshita’s back. Bandido launches Takeshita across the ring with a suplex. Strong charges in with a leaping knee and a backbreaker. Briscoe hits the Froggy Bow on Strong for the win.
Winner: Mark Briscoe
Women’s Casino Gauntlet #1 Spot: Athena (w/ Billie Starkz) vs. Kris Statlander vs. Thunder Rosa vs. Willow Nightingale
Athena hides behind Statlander, only to meet a kick from Rosa and a back drop from Statlander. Nightingale follows up with a senton on the outside. Rosa sends Statlander across the ring with an arm drag. Nightingale breaks up her subsequent pinfall attempt. Athena counters a hurricanrana from Nightingale. Athena then levels Statlander with one of her own. Athena elbows Nightingale in the corner. Rosa, Athena, and Statlander go up top. Nightingale sends them all crashing to the mat.
Back from break, Rosa takes down Athena with clotheslines and a dropkick. Athena catches her mid-crossbody, then slams her. Rosa rolls up Athena for a two count. Nightingale and Statlander drive Athena and Rosa into the mat. Nightingale and Statlander counter each other’s moves. Nightingale and Statlander suplex Athena. Rosa rocks them both with a missile dropkick. Rosa stomps on Nightingale. Athena rocks Rosa with an elbow. Statlander drives Rosa into the mat. Nightingale then spikes Athena. Rosa comes in with another dropkick. She follows up with a drop-toe hold and dropkick on Statlander. Athena drags Rosa to the outside. She tells Starkz to get her ROH Title. Rosa sends Athena crashing into the steel steps. Athena suplexes Rosa off the steps in return.
Marina Shafir comes out to the ring, as does Wheeler Yuta. Nightingale runs the ropes and shoves Yuta out of the way. Statlander spikes Nightingale with a piledriver for the win.
Winner: Kris Statlander
Backstage, Stokely Hathaway invites The Outrunners to meet him and FTR in the ring on AEW Collision.
Adam Page vs. The Beast Mortos
Mortos and Page lock up. Mortos dodges a sliding lariat and sends Page flying with a hurricanrana. Mortos headbutts Page, then clotheslines him in the corner. Page responds with one of his own. Page knocks Mortos off the apron, then rolls him back into the ring. Page launches Mortos into the corner with a fallaway slam.
Back from break, Page connects with a lariat. Page plants Mortos with a sit-out powerbomb. Mortos dodges a moonsault and dives onto Page through the ropes. Mortos follows up with a back drop in the ring. Mortos land a lungblower. Mortos rolls up Page for a near fall. Page bounces back with a poisonrana and a lariat. Page finishes him off with a Buckshot Lariat for the win.
Winner: Adam Page
After the match, the lights go out. When they turn on, Matt and Nick Jackson nail Page with an EVP Trigger. The Death Riders then head out to the ring. Moxley chokes Page with a steel chain as the Young Bucks and Death Riders look on. The Opps run down to the ring to even the odds. Matt and Nick kick away Powerhouse Hobbs and Katsuyori Shibata. Samoa Joe has a chair. Will Ospreay rushes down next, helping The Opps to gain the advantage The Death Riders and Young Bucks retreat.