This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite emanates from Chicago, Illinois! Adam Page takes on Wheeler Yuta. Mark Briscoe faces Claudio Castagnoli in the main event. Will Ospreay provides an update on his health. Toni Storm battles Billie Starkz, and more.
Let’s break it all down in this week’s AEW Dynamite recap!
Backstage, MJF approaches “Hangman” Adam Page with his title match contract. He vows to beat Page without the title contract. Page says if MJF wants a world title match, he will either earn it or use his contract. Page says MJF has the guts to do neither because he is a coward.
Adam Page vs. Wheeler Yuta
As Page makes his entrance, Yuta attacks Page from behind. He then levels him with a suicide dive. The action moves to the ring, with Yuta leaping off the top with a crossbody. Page responds with right hands. He then launches Yuta into the barricades on the outside. Page connects with a knee in the corner. He follows up with a pair of chops. Yuta hits a back elbow. Page bounces back with a Death Valley Driver. Page looks for a Dead Eye. Yuta hangs onto the rope to prevent Page from hitting it. Page nails Yuta with a Buckshot Lariat for the win.
Winner: Adam Page
After the match, Page strikes Yuta with a fist full of steel chain. With Yuta busted open, Page then wraps the chain around his neck. He warns that no one is coming to save Yuta.
Backstage, Billie Starkz hypes up Athena and calls Toni Storm a musty hoe who can’t touch Athena. Athena warns that Starkz will beat down Storm tonight. She adds that Storm’s movie will be over soon too.5
AEW Tag Titles Tourney: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) (w/ Stokely Hathaway) vs. Kevin Knight & Mike Bailey
Knight dropkicks Wheeler. Bailey and Knight hit a superkick-German suplex combo on Harwood. Bailey and Knight dive onto Harwood and Wheeler on the outside. Back in the ring, Harwood connects with a loud chop to Bailey. He follows up with an uppercut in the corner. Bailey fires back with elbows. Harwood chops him in return. He then runs over Bailey with a shoulder. On the outside, Bailey drops Harwood on the ramp. He does the same to Wheeler.
Back from break, Bailey sends Wheeler across the ring with a hurricanrana. Knight hits a pendulum DDT on Harwood. Knights leaps off the top with splash on Harwood in the ring, while Bailey wipes on Wheeler with a moonsault to the outside. Harwood hits a dragonscrew on Knight, then wraps his legs around the ring post. He slams Knight’s knee against it next. Harwood locks in a leg submission on Knight around the ring post. Bailey fires off kicks on Harwood. Wheeler levels Bailey on the outside.
Harwood sits Knight on the top rope. Harwood descends with superplex. Bailey follows with a shooting star press to Harwood. Wheeler breaks up the subsequent pinfall attempt.
Back from another break, Bailey boots Wheeler on the apron. Bailey then wipes out both Harwood and Wheeler with a springboard moonsault to the outside. Harwood dodges a shooting star press from him, but Bailey still connects with a standing shooting star knee drop. Bailey follows up with an enziguiri, then tags in Knight. As Bailey hoists Harwood on his shoulders, Knight dropkicks Harwood. Bailey sends Wheeler over the barricade. Bailey leaps over it and onto Wheeler. Harwood boots Knight on his descent from the top. He rolls up Knight for a two count.
Harwood connects with a right hand to Knight. Harwood hits a slingshot bomb on Bailey. Knight rolls up Harwood for a near fall. Harwood then rolls up Knight with extra leverage from Stokely for the win.
Winner: FTR
After the match, Stokely says Adam Copeland belongs in prison. Stokely adds that Copeland had no business putting his hands on Stokely last week. Stokely says Copeland is a cancer to AEW as well. Copeland’s music hits. Stokely calls for the music to be cut. Stokely says Copeland is not allowed to get in the vicinity of FTR. Copeland says he secured a business deal to take care of what he can’t do. Copeland reveals The Hurt Syndicate as his new allies. Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin appear with MVP. Lashley and Benjamin brawl with FTR at ringside. Lashley sends Wheeler crashing into the barricade. Benjamin fires off punches on Harwood. AEW officials eventually separate them. This leaves Copeland in the ring with Stokely. Stokely rolls out of the ring as Copeland spears a security guard.
We Hear From Will Ospreay
Ospreay says he’s been struggling with his neck for about 10 months. Ospreay admits that he’s kept that to himself in order to get himself over the finish line. Ospreay says he made a lot of promises, including getting the AEW World Championship back for the people. Ospreay says after his match at All In, he got an MRI which revealed two herniated discs. He says despite how it may seem, it is treatable, so hopes to back in time for Forbidden Door. Ospreay thanks Swerve Strickland for fighting by his side. He then tells Adam Page he will be wanting a rematch. Ospreay warns the Death Riders that he is coming for them as well when he gets cleared. Strickland joins Ospreay on the stage as he waves to the fans.
Backstage, Willow Nightingale contemplates what might be next for her. She says she feels a scent of renewal in the air. Nightingale recalls almost pinning Thekla last week. She tells Thekla she can find her in the ring.
Elsewhere, MJF confronts the Hurt Syndicate about their business agreement with Adam Copeland. Bobby Lashley corners MJF against a locker. He says they are not MJF’s lackeys. Lashley says he wants MJF out of the group. Shelton Benjmain and MVP shake their head at MJF.
Athena sits in the opera box watching the next match.
Toni Storm vs. Billie Starkz
Starkz fires off elbows on Storm against the ropes. Storm rolls up Starkz for a two count. Storm connects with a basement dropkick and a monkey flip. Starkz chops Storm in the corner. She follows up with a kick through the ropes. Starkz wipes out Storm with a suicide dive. Starkz then lands a senton across Storm’s back. Back in the ring, Starkz suplex Storm for a near fall.
Back from break, Storm rains down with right hands on Starkz. Storm follows up with a sitout slam. Starkz connects with a high kick and a neckbreaker. Starkz fires off elbows. Storm hits a fisherman’s suplex. Starkz responds with a pump kick. Storm and Starkz trade pinfall attempts. Storm German suplexes Starkz across the ring. She follows up with a hip attack in the corner. Starkz hooks Storm’s leg for a two count. She rocks Storm with an enziguiri. Storm blocks her senton off the top with her knees. Storm locks in her chickening submission. Starkz taps.
Winner: Toni Storm
After the match, Starkz strikes Storm with the AEW Women’s Championship, Athena strikes Storm with her title match contract too. Athena rams Storm into the steel steps next, then dumps her back into the ring. Athena smacks Storm with the contract again. As Athena looks to cash in her title match, Alex Windsor runs down and lays in punches on her. Windsor then headbutts and clotheslines Starkz.
Hechicero (w/ Don Callis) vs. Swerve Strickland (w/ Prince Nana)
Hechicero tries to apply a sleeper hold, but Strickland escapes. Hechicero and Strickland lock up. Strickland arm drags Hechicero across the ring. Hechicero locks in an arm bar. Strickland breaks out of it and applies an abdominal stretch. Hechicero reaches the bottom rope to break the hold. Hechicero kicks Strickland, then slaps him. Strickland responds with chops. Hechicero applies a hammer lock and swings Strickland around the ring. Hechicero drives his shoulder into Strickland’s midsection in the corner. Strickland hits a backbreaker. He follows up with a vertical suplex.
Back from break, Hechicero slams Strickland to the mat. Strickland boots Hechicero in the head. Strickland lands an uppercut from off the top. Strickland follows up with a roundhouse kick and a 450 Splash for a near fall. Hechicero locks in another sleeper hold, then transitions to an armbar. Hechicero rolls up Strickland for a one count. Strickland drives Hechicero into the mat. He then goes up top. Lance Archer knocks him off of it. The referee calls for the bell.
Winner (via DQ): Swerve Strickland
After the match, Bandido and Brody King run down to even the odds for Strickland. Bandido brawls with Hechicero as King strikes Archer. Kazuchika Okada appears behind Strickland and hits him with a chair. Okada looks for a piledriver next, but Strickland counters with a headbutt. Strickland wraps the chair around Okada’s neck. Strickland lines up for a stomp. Okada rolls out of the ring.
Backstage, Ricochet recalls he and Gates of Agony winning back to back last week. Ricochet says he is now $200,000 richer with his new allies, which they will invest into their quest for gold. Ricochet says everyone will now respect or fear them.
We Hear From MJF
MJF says he doesn’t need Bobby Lashley to get back his AEW World Championship. He also calls Adam Page a coward and promises to beat Page fair and square. Mark Briscoe comes out to the stage. Briscoe says MJF stole the win from him in the Casino Gauntlet at All In. Briscoe now wants MJF in a match one-on-one next week. MJF says if Briscoe was supposed to win, he would have. MJF says when the pressure is on for Briscoe, he loses, whereas MJF wins. MJF calls himself the most complete professional wrestler today.
MJF says he knows the world loves Briscoe because he makes the people feel warm and fuzzy. MJF says not even his biggest fans think he’s a top guy, though. MJF calls Briscoe a joke. He also claims the people don’t respect him. MJF says there’s another guy from Delaware who the people did respect, referring to Jay Briscoe. Briscoe charges to the ring, prompting MJF to retreat.
Mark Briscoe vs. Claudio Castagnoli
Claudio chops Briscoe. They then lock up and trade chops. Claudio connects with a series of uppercut. Briscoe stomps away at him in the corner. Claudio clotheslines Briscoe in another corner, then fires off stomps of his own. Claudio whips Briscoe across the ring. They exchange more chops. Briscoe drags Claudio to the outside. Briscoe lays in a series of punches, then dumps Claudio over the top rope. Claudio catches Briscoe mid-dive and slams him into the barricade.
Back from break, Claudio rocks Briscoe with an uppercut. He then turns to see Darby Allin in the crowd. This allows Briscoe to connect with a sling blade. Briscoe follows up with an enziguiri and an side slam. Briscoe wipes out Claudio with a suicide dive through the ropes. Briscoe levels him with a senton. Back in the ring, Briscoe lands the Froggy Bow off the top for a near fall. Claudio blocks a Jay Driller and backs up Briscoe into the corner. Briscoe slaps Claudio. They meet atop the turnbuckle, where lands an avalanche bodyslam. Briscoe backs up Claudio into the corner. Claudio thumbs Briscoe in the eye and uppercuts him for another near fall. Briscoe rolls up Claudio for the win.
Winner: Mark Briscoe
After the match, Claudio and Marina Shafir attack Briscoe. Jon Moxley grabs a mic and says he wants to make sure no one gets too comfortable around AEW. Page comes out to the ring. He promises to prove that he can handle the responsibility of carrying AEW. Page says he will face Moxley next week for the AEW World Championship, but this time Moxley is the challenger. Page says everyone but a referee is banned from ringside. He says he’ll see Moxley next week.