This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite emanates from Cleveland, Ohio! Mark Briscoe takes on MJF in the main event. The AEW Tag Team Championship tournament continues. Skye Blue, Queen Aminata, Alex Windsor, and Billie Starkz meet in a four=way with Forbidden Door implications and more.
Let’s break it all down in this week’s AEW Dynamite recap!
Jon Moxley (w/ Marina Shafir & Wheeler Yuta) vs. Mike Bailey (w/ Kevin Knight)
Bailey lays in kicks on Moxley in the corner. He follows up with right hands. Moxley returns the favor with right hands in another corner. Bailey chops Moxley, who in turn chokes Bailey with his boot. Moxley slams Bailey to the mat. Bailey chops Moxley. Moxley fires back with elbows. Bailey dropkicks Moxley to the outside, then boots him off the apron. Moxley thumps Bailey in the eye. Yuta distracts the referee, allowing Shafir to sweep Bailey off his feet. Knight and Shafir trade words.
Moxley rolls Bailey back into the ring, then trades words with Knight too. Bailey wipes him out with a moonsault. Bailey follows up with elbow strikes. He then lands flying knees on Moxley along the apron.
Back from break, Bailey and Moxley trade strikes. Bailey dropkicks Moxley, then lands a standing shooting star press. He follows up with a swinging neckbreaker. A shooting star press off the top comes next. Bailey locks in a triangle submission, then an armbar. Moxley and Bailey trade pinfall attempts. Yuta grabs Bailey’s leg. Moxley sweeps Bailey off his feet then slams him into the mat. Darby Allin drags Yuta into the crowd. As Moxley is distracted, Bailey rolls him up for a two count. Bailey follows up with a pair of kicks and an armbar. Moxley escapes and spikes Bailey for the spin.
Winner: Jon Moxley
Backstage, Alex Windsor says her opponents better hit her hard enough tonight because the only name they’ll hear tonight is hers. Toni Storm says tonight is Windsor’s moment, then it’s on to Forbidden Door.
Out in the parking lot, Shafir and Moxley find Yuta inside a white body bag. Shafir drags him to safety before Allin can run him over with a car.
Forbidden Door Qualifier: Alex Windsor (w/ Toni Storm) vs. Billie Starkz (w/ Athena) vs. Queen Aminata vs. Skye Blue
Windsor and Aminata take turns striking Blue. Blue goes down from a double chop. Windsor knocks Starkz off the apron. Aminata kicks Windsor in the back, then connects with leg slams into her rear. Blue sends Aminata crashing into the steel ring steps. Starkz sends Windsor into the corner. Blue and Starkz take turns hitting Windsor next. Windsor DDTs Starkz as she eats a kick from Blue. Blue hits a hurricanrana on Windsor. Blue connects with a knee against the ropes. Aminata sends her off the apron. Blue then sweeps Aminata off her feet and spikes her on the floor. Windsor lands a senton on Blue. Starkz dives onto all three of them.
Back from break, Starkz superkicks Windsor. Windsor responds with a powerbomb and a leg lock on Starkz. Aminata breaks things up and slaps Windsor. She and Windsor trade elbows. Blue and Starkz exchange kicks. Aminata and Windsor German suplex Starkz and Blue. They then trade headbutts. Windsor whips Blue into the corner, then follows up with a big boot and a leaping headbutt. Windsor and Blue go up top. Blue lands a sunset flip. Aminata spikes Blue into the mat. Starkz jumps in with a senton. Aminata hits a swinging neckbreaker on Starkz for a near fall.
Blue grabs a chair and whacks Aminata. Aminata slams Blue onto the chair face first next. Back in the ring, Starkz boots Windsor in the corner. She rocks her with a lariat next. Storm pulls Athena to the outside when she tries to interfere. Storm then clocks her. Windsor rolls up Starkz for the win.
Winner: Alex Windsor
After the match, Mercedes Mone comes down to the ring with all her championships. Mone stares off with Windsor. Storm enters the ring as well. Athena hits an O-Face on her. Mone then hits a backstabber on Windsor. Mone and Athena stare off.
Backstage, Matt and Nick Jackson demand respect from Renee Paquette and production. Matt then gives a card for Justin Roberts to read during their entrance.
We Hear From Kyle Fletcher
Out in the ring, Renee Paquette introduces Don Callis and Kyle Fletcher. Callis says with championship gold comes power and destiny. Callis says ever since Kazuchika Okada aligned himself with the Don Callis Family, he now has three title belts. Callis then points to Fletcher, the new TNT Champion. Fletcher says Dustin Rhodes got what he deserved for stealing his moment at All In. Fletcher says a 60 years old man does not deserve to be in the same ring as him. Fletcher points out that we may not see Adam Cole again either and that’s all thanks to him.
Fletcher says this is only the beginning of his legacy. Fletcher adds that anyone who tries to take his title will suffer the same fate. He says he will become the greatest of all time. Callis says he knows he will be the greatest too and then people will memorialize him with art. Callis reveals that he’s been working on an art piece for Fletcher. He then unveils it, showing himself and Fletcher with abs. Fletcher calls it beautiful. Fletcher says he owes all of his success to Callis. Fletcher says he wants to be a fighting champion for the Don Callis Family and himself. Fletcher confirms he will defend the TNT Title on Collision. Fletcher says it doesn’t matter who steps up because he will have his hand raised.
Backstage, Adam Copeland says Christian Cage has learned nothing and calls him an assh*le. Copeland says he has his hands full with FTR and Stokely Hathaway. Copeland announces himself vs. Stokely next wekk.
AEW Tag Title Eliminator Semi Final: The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) vs. Brodido (Bandido & Brody King)
Bandido takes down Nick with a shoulder tackle. Bandido then dodges a superkick. Matt comes into the ring and shoves Bandido. King does flying off the apron. Bandido wipes out both Matt and Nick with a crossbody. King tags in and delivers a double clothesline. Matt and Nick roll to the outside, where they take a springboard moonsault from Bandido. King then chops them before flattening them with a crossbody against the barricade.
Back from break, King chops Matt. Nick catches King with an enziguiri. He then shoves Bandido off the apron. Matt and Nick hits Risky Business on King for a near fall. Nick chokes King against the ropes with his boot. Matt leaps off the top with an axe handle. King chops them both in response. Matt and Nick double team King with a slam and a scissor kick. Matt gets King on his shoulders, but King’s weight causes him to collapse to his knees. King rocks Nick with an elbow. Bandido tags in. Matt superkicks King. Nick kicks King and drives Bandido into the mat with a facebuster. Nick then wipes out King with a moonsault. Nick leaps off the top with a senton on Bandido. King breaks up the pinfall attempt. Nick turns Bandido inside out with a superkick. Matt stuns King on the floor. Nick dives to the outside, landing on Bandido.
Back from another break, Matt and Nick call for a Young Bucks Trigger, but before they can hit it, Bandido ducks. They collide knees. King tags in and levels both Nick and Matt. He crushes them both in the corner. He follows up with a cannonball to Matt. King then hits a senton on both of them on the outside. Bandido launches himself onto both of them next. King wipes out Nick with a clothesline. Matt spikes Bandido. King meets Matt on the turnbuckle and descends with a superplex. Nick hits a Canadian Destroyer on Bandido. Nick and Matt superkick King. They follow up with a stomp to Bandido and a TK Driver. King breaks up their pinfall attempt.
Matt spikes Bandido on the apron with a DDT. Matt tries to do the same to King, but he blocks it and spikes Matt instead. Nick sends King with flying with a tornado DDT on the outside. Bandido tosses Nick over the barricade. They balance on top of the barricade, with Bandido tossing Nick into Matt. They return to the ring, where Bandido drops Matt with a knee to the face. Bandido follows up with a suplex. Nick breaks up his pinfall attempt on Matt. King wipes out Nick with a dive through the ropes. Bandido lands a brainbuster off the top on Matt for a near fall.
King lands a senton on Matt. Bandido then comes crashing into Matt for the win.
Winners: Brody King & Bandido
Backstage, MVP says King and Bandido are magnificent, but he promises to hurt whoever wins the tag tournament. MJF approaches MVP. MVP says they hurt people as a unit. Meanwhile, MJF has been all about himself. MVP gives MJF a thumbs down, but still promises to leave MJF in one healthy piece to pursue his AEW World Championship.
Elsewhere, Dax Harwood says they see right through Adam Copeland. Cash Wheeler says Stokely insisted on facing Copeland next week and FTR can’t be responsible for what Stokely does to him. Stokely calls Copeland a bully. Stokely says the fight continues next week and he’ll have a smile on his face when he pins Copeland.
We Hear From Swerve Strickland
Strickland says he’s not concerned about the Don Callis Family at Forbidden Door given the Unified Championship rules. Strickland recalls Prince Nana knocking down Callis the last time they saw each other. Strickland says while Kazuchika Okada is a generational wrestler, he is something that’s never been seen before. Strickland also says there will never be another one of him after too. Strickland says he saw nothing in Okada’s eyes recently; meanwhile, Okada saw death. Strickland says this is a big match for Okada because he’s facing the most dangerous man in AEW. Strickland says this is about his redemption because he lost two big matches back to back in London. Strickland will continue his legacy by defeating the Japanese legend and standing over his body at Forbidden Door while the people chant for him.
Backstage, Mark Briscoe says the time for words is behind them, so he will do his talking with his fists tonight. Briscoe says MJF will pay for his sins tonight. Adam Page enters the chat and says he admired the Briscoes. Page says if Briscoe wins tonight, he hopes he is the next to challenge for the AEW World Championship. Page wishes Briscoe good luck.
Elsewhere, Willow Nightingale says she’s here to straighten out anyone who gets in the way of her smiling and winning matches. She says when Kris Statlander is ready to take that seriously, then she can talk to her. Statlander storms off.
Mark Briscoe vs. MJF
Briscoe fires off right hands. MJF escapes a Jay Driller, then bites Briscoe. Briscoe goes up top for the froggy bow. MJF rolls out of the line of fire and out of the ring. Briscoe follows him into the crowd. Briscoe rains down with more hands. They head back to the ringside area, with Briscoe uppercutting MJF over the barricade. Briscoe leaps over the barricade and lands a neckbreaker. He pulls a table out from under the ring and sets it up. MJF strikes him from behind. Briscoe sends MJF into the steel ring post. MJF evades another froggy bow, then rakes Briscoe’s eyes. MJF launches Briscoe into the corner. MJF lands a cutter on Briscoe, then chokes him against the ropes. MJF drops Briscoe on the top rope next.
Back from break, Briscoe hits a sling blade, then crushes MJF in the corner. Briscoe suplexes MJF across the ring. He follows with a high boot in the corner. Briscoe goes up top. MJF rolls to the outside. Briscoe lands an elbow drop. Briscoe goes up top again. MJF rolls out again as well, prompting Briscoe to wipe him out with a dive through the ropes. Briscoe sets MJF up on the table. Briscoe scales the turnbuckle again. MJF rolls off the table before he can leap off of it. MJF slams Briscoe, then cinches in a Boston Crab. Briscoe escapes and throws MJF. MJF sweeps Briscoe off his feet. They meet up top, with Briscoe biting MJF. Briscoe then rocks MJF with an uppercut and a froggy bow for a near fall.
The action spills the outside, with Briscoe setting MJF up on the table once more. Briscoe misses the froggy bow and goes crashing through the table. MJF rolls back into the ring. The referee begins counting. Briscoe returns to the ring before the count of ten. MJF greets him with a knee and spikes him into the mat. Briscoe gets his foot on the rope, but the referee doesn’t see it, so MJF gets the pinfall.
Winner: MJF
After the match, MJF strikes Briscoe with his diamond ring. Adam Page comes down to the ring and begins brawling with MJF. AEW security hold Page back as MJF retreats through the crowd. Page checks on a bloody Briscoe. Page chases after MJF and lays in more strikes. AEW officials try to separate them, but fail. Page rolls MJF into the ring. MJF rolls out before Page can hit a Buckshot Lariat.