This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite emanates from Ontario, California! We break it all down in this week’s Dynamite recap.
We Hear From Swerve Strickland & Kenny Omega
Strickland, Prince Nana, and Omega join Tony Schiavone in the ring. Strickland says he has some stuff to get off his chest. He recalls Omega being on top of the industry five years ago with the AEW World Championship. Strickland says everyone was scratching and clawing to try and face Omega, including himself. Strickland says he became a world champion two years after arriving to AEW. Meanwhile, Omega was nowhere to be seen at the time. Strickland says Omega popped up every once in a while, but Omega was mainly in a hospital bed or suspended. Strickland says during Omega’s absence, people starting look for a prophet to follow, which kind of became Strickland himself. Strickland says Omega conveniently marched back in to insert himself into the world title picture. Strickland suggests that Omega is using his EVP power to give himself a boost. Strickland says if Omega uses his power to step in front of him, he will put Omega down.
Omega claims that he never called himself the god of pro wrestling; the fans called him that. The fans also cheered him on of their own will. Omega says the people believe in him as he aims to reach the top of the mountain again. Omega suggests that the lights at Strickland’s house may be on, but no one is home. Omega says he doesn’t need his EVP status to get a title shot, he was racking up wins…until Strickland cost him one last week. Omega asks Strickland for a fight. Strickland claims that Omega is scared that his generation is lapping him. Omega claps back by saying the most dangerous man in AEW is Brody King. Strickland suggests that he’ll put Omega back in a hospital bed and he won’t get out of it. Omega slaps Strickland. Strickland fires off right hands in return. Omega and Strickland begin brawling at ringside. Strickland rams Omega into the barricade. Omega sends Strickland over it and into the crowd. He grabs a chair and slams it against Strickland. Their brawl travels through the crowd to the stage. Omega rocks Strickland with a V-Trigger. Strickland spears Omega off the stage and through a table.
Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Pac, & Claudio Castagnoli) vs. Don Callis Family (Josh Alexander, Konosuke Takeshita, & Mark Davis)
Davis and Pac lock up, with the former shoving the latter to the mat. Moxley tags in and locks up with Davis next. Moxley fires off chops in the corner. Davis returns with one of his own. Claudio locks up with Davis as well. Davis and Claudio trade strikes. Claudio drops Davis with a vertical suplex. Takeshita tags in and exchanges blows with Claudio. Takeshita knocks Moxley off the apron. An all out brawl ensues at ringside. Claudio delivers a backbreaker to Takeshita. Pac follows with a standing moonsault press. Takeshita drags Pac to the floor, allowing Josh to land a splash across Pac’s back.
Back from break, Moxley cinches in a choke on Takeshita. Moxley releases it. Takeshita and Josh connect with strikes in the corner. Davis German suplexes Moxley across the ring. Takeshita and Josh do the same. Josh and Takeshita blast Moxley with elbows. Davis runs over Moxley with a lariat. Pac breaks up the pin attempt that follows. DCF fire off stomps on Moxley. Claudio blasts Takeshita with an uppercut, then sends himself and Takeshita to the outside. Pac wipes out Davis with a dive to the outside. In the ring, Moxley drops Josh with a Death Rider for the win.
Winners: Death Riders
TNT Title: Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Kyle Fletcher
Ciampa and Fletcher trade strikes. Fletcher runs him over with a boot. Ciampa answers with a basement dropkick. Ciampa spikes Fletcher with a DDT. Fletcher responds with a superkick. He then drops Ciampa onto the apron. Fletcher continues with a pair a backbreakers and a side slam. Ciampa delivers a clothesline and a high boot. Ciampa slams Fletcher into the barricade on the outside. He follows with a running knee.
Back from break, Fletcher launches Ciampa into the turnbuckle. He follows with a kick to the back of Ciampa’s neck. Ciampa answers with a knee and a brainbuster for a near fall. Fletcher bounces back to hit a lariat and a brainbuster of his own for the win.
Winner (And New): Kyle Fletcher
After the match, Fletcher celebrates the fact he will come back to Australia with the TNT Championship this weekend. Fletcher reveals he will defend the title against anyone from anywhere at Grand Slam Australia. Mark Briscoe comes to the stage. Briscoe congratulates Fletcher. He adds that Fletcher has a big mouth. Briscoe says he’ll gladly answer Fletcher’s challenge. Fletcher says he’s sick of Briscoe, but he accepts under the condition that it will be a ladder match.
Daniel Garcia & Clark Connors vs. Orange Cassidy & Roderick Strong
Strong fires off chops on Connors in the corner. Connors answers with a shoulder tackle. Strong delivers a dropkick. Garcia tags in and chokes Strong with his boot. Garcia follows with chops. Strong drops him with a backbreaker. Cassidy connects with one punch in the corner. He follows with a Stun Dog Millionaire. Garcia cinches in a sleeper. Cassidy escapes, only to take a backdrop suplex.
Back from break, Connors spears Cassidy through the ropes. Connors and Garcia whip Cassidy into the barricade. Garcia follows with a thrust kick. Darby Allin attacks Connors and drags him through the crowd. Cassidy wipes out Garcia with a dive through the ropes. Back in the ring, Cassidy rolls up Garcia for the win.
Winners: Orange Cassidy & Roderick Strong
After the match, Toni Storm appears from a balcony. Storm says if Marina Shafir knocks her out cold at Grand Slam, then she deserves to shave Storm’s head. Storm promises to transform into a beautiful bald being though. Shafir appears on the stage with Mina Shirakawa trapped in Mother’s Milk. Wheeler Yuta cuts off a strand of Shirakawa’s hair. Garcia fires off right hands on Cassidy in the ring.
AEW Tag Team Title #1 Contendership: The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) vs. The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier & Myron Reed) vs. Private Party (Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy)
Reed deliver a leg drop to Kassidy. Quen answers with an Atomic Drop. Kassidy follows with a step-up enziguiri. Quen and Kassidy hit Xavier with a double flapjack. Quen and Kassidy catch Matt and Nick’s superkick attempt. The four of them then trade strikes. Matt wipes out Kassidy with a leap to the outside. Matt and Nick execute a sunset flip-German suplex combo on Quen. Matt and Nick then knock Xavier and Reed off the apron. Matt and Nick drop Kassidy with a facebuster.
Back from break, Xavier levels Matt with a back elbow. Nick rocks Xavier with a superkick. Matt and Nick follow with another pair of them. Kassidy pulls Nick off the apron, then kicks him. Xavier delivers a reverse hurricanrana to Matt. Reed wipes out Kassidy, Quen, and Nick on the outside. Back in the ring, Xavier nails Matt with a corkscrew splash. Reed follows up with a 450 Splash for a near fall. Nick thrust kicks Reed. Matt and Nick blast Reed, then Xavier with a pair of superkicks. Quen eats a BTE Trigger. Matt and Nick drive Reed into the mat for the win.
Winners: The Young Bucks
After the match, FTR come down to the ring with Stokely. Dax Harwood points out that they have 18 world championships between both teams. Harwood claims that The Young Bucks are the second best tag team ever after FTR. Harwood gives Matt the microphone to talk, then yanks it away. Matt and Nick knock down Harwood and Cash Wheeler with superkicks.
AEW Women’s World Title Strap Match: Kris Statlander (c) vs. Thekla
Statlander yanks Thekla close to her with the strap. Thekla rolls to the outside, only to get dragged back inside the ring. Statlander drives Thekla into the turnbuckles. She runs Thekla over with a clothesline next. Statlander continues to drag Thekla around the ring. The action spills to the outside, with Thekla using the strap as a whip. Statlander launches Thekla into the ring post. Statlander follows with a pump kick. She then whips Thekla into the barricade.
Back from break, Statlander whips Thekla with the strap again. She then wraps it around Thekla and drops her with a piledriver. Skye Blue hops to the apron, while Julia Hart enters the ring. Statlander lashes Hart with the strap. She does the same to Blue. Thekla spears Statlander, then ties up Statlander’s hands. Thekla delivers a stomp for the win.
Winner (And New): Thekla
After the match, the Triangle of Madness triple team Statlander. Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor run down to even the odds. Triangle of Madness retreat.