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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
FEBRUARY 8, 2023
EL PASO, TEX. AT COUNTY COLISEUM
AIRED LIVE ON TBS
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
[HOUR ONE]
-The AEW Dynamite opening aired.
-Excalibur introduced the show as “Championship Fight Night.” He said, “For the first time ever, all four world titles are in play tonight.”
(1) MJF vs. KENOSUKE TAKESHITA – Eliminator Challenge (whatever that means)
MJF made his ring entrance first with the belt around his waist. Takeshita made his entrance second. Taz said MJF is “the hood ornament of this company.” MJF scored a near fall early after a DDT. MJF bit Takeshita’s hand and then raked his back. Takeshita came back with an exploder suplex into the corner. MJF avoided a running boot and then rolled him up for a two count. Takeshita stayed on offense for a while including throwing MJF into the ringpost. Fans chanted, “You deserve it!” Takeshita threw him back into the ring. MJF knocked Takeshita off balance on the top rope. He pointed at his head to indicate how smart he was. He followed up with a top rope back suplex attempt, but Takeshita clotheslined him. MJF landed on his feet and brushed it off. That was quite a spot. Excalibur said as insufferable as MJF is, he’s so good bell to bell. He then hit Takeshita with a rolling elbow. Takeshita fired back with a lariat. Both were down and slow to get up. Fans stood and cheered, then chanted “AEW! AEW!” MJF bit Takeshita’s hand as he applied an armbar. Takeshita rolled him up for a near fall. He followed with a running flip dive, then played to the fans. Fans chanted “This is awesome!” Excalibur hyped the upcoming title matches.
MJF rolled to ringside to avoid a Takeshita running knee. Excalibur asked Taz if he wants someone who cheats to represent AEW as champion. Taz said it’s not his place to judge as he’s just a mere color commentator. MJF powerbombed Takeshita on his knee. MJF clutched his knee in pain. Takeshita landed a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall seconds later. Takeshita landed a running knee. MJF put his foot on the bottom rope to stop the ref’s count. MJF applied his signature armbar to get a tapout win.
WINNER: MJF in 14:00.
-After the match, he shoved the ref and hit Takeshita with his Dynamite Diamond Ring. As he mounted Takeshita to hit him more, Bryan Danielson’s music played and he ran out for the save. The medics checked on Takeshita who was bleeding from his forehead from the punch with the ring. There was a blood stain on the mat. He might have handed the referee his blade as the ref kneeled to check on him.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good match. MJF overall look with the cut physique and new haircut elevate his overall presentation as AEW World Champion.)
-A vignette aired with Samoa Joe bragging about regaining the TNT Title from Darby Allin last week. He said Darby was a worthy adversary, but Wardlow is not. He talked about how Wardlow is the type of competitor who is ambitious and who needed to be put down. He said Wardlow has many secrets and he will expose them and take everything from him.
(2) JAMIE HAYTER (w/Britt Baker, Rebel) vs. BUNNY (w/Penelope Ford) – Eliminator Challenge (whatever that means)
They locked up in a test of strength. Hayter took Bunny over into a side headlock. Bunny came back with a double leg choke while hanging over the top rope. Hayter suplexed Bunny back into the ring. Bunny snapped Hayter’s neck while leaping to the floor. Bunny suplexed Hayter at ringside, knocking her calf into the ringside steps. They cut to a split-screen break as Bunny extended her arms to gloat about her advantage. [c/ss]
Back from the break, they fought back into the ring. Hayter delivered two exploder suplexes, but Bunny took the second one awkwardly as if she was expecting something else. Hayter then delivered her Hayterade for the quick win. Bunny grabbed at her face. Taz said when you try to block an exploder, it can make the impact of the move worse which is what he thought happened there.
WINNER: Hayter in 7:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: I wonder if they went to the finish sooner than planned because of that awkward landing on the second exploder suplex. The match was decent until then.)
-Renee Paquette interviewed Toni Storm and Saraya backstage. Saraya interrupted Renee as she brought up Hayter winning. Saraya invited Leva Bates to join them. Storm then knocked her down and stomped on her. Saraya sprayed her white shirt green with an “L” for “loser.” Saraya said they’re not there to make friends.
(Keller’s Analysis: Saraya is a better heel than a babyface. The “baby girl” stuff becomes insufferable quickly.)
-They went to the announcers on camera who hyped the upcoming title matches and the Gauntlet match. [c]
-Lexi Nair stood outside of MJF’s locker room. She said she was trying to get a word with him. He called her into his locker room and called her “sweetheart” and asked her to sit next to him. He said everyone was talking about Takeshita like he was the next big thing, but he was no match for a generational talent like him. He said Danielson and the fans treat him like he’s some sort of scumbag. He said he’s not sure if they hate him because he’s twisted or if he became twisted because he is hated. He said he was fast in high school driving his blue Camero. He said he got speeding tickets and was one point away from getting his license taken away.
He talked about junior prom and a girl whom he thought was perfect. He said he took her for a ride while she gave him oral sex (he signaled it with his tongue in his cheek). He said he went to put his foot on the breaks, but he hit the accelerator. He said he hit a telephone pole. He said his hands were covered in blood and his girl’s head cracked the windshield. He said police sirens began to roar. He said at that moment, he found out what kind of man he is. He said he grabbed her lifeless body and switched seats with her so the cops thought she was driving. He yelled that the history books sees winners and losers and the history books don’t care how you get the job done. He said the world will learn that Danielson doesn’t have what it takes to get the job done. He said he will not earn a title match as he’ll come up short before that. He said he is a scumbag and he is damn proud of it.
-Excalibur said, “It’s official. MJF is the worst person in the world.”
(3a) RICKY STARKS vs. ANGELO PARKER – J.A.S. Gauntlet match
WINNER: Starks in a minute with a spear.
(3b) RICKY STARKS vs. MATT MENARD – J.A.S. Gauntlet match
WINNER: Starks in a few seconds with a sudden roll-up
(3c) RICKY STARKS vs. DANNY GARCIA – J.A.S. Gauntlet match
Garcia walked out as if he’d be the opponent. Sammy Guevara’s music then played. They both climbed onto the ring apron. Guevara distracted Starks by beginning to enter the ring, at which point Garcia attacked Starks from behind, revealing he was the official opponent. They cut to a split-screen break a minute in. [c/ss]
Back from the break, Starks landed a Northern Lights Bomb for a near fall. Fans chanted “Ricky!” Excalibur said there is a lot riding on this for not just Starks, but also Garcia in terms of how he’s seen by the rest of J.A.S. They stood and battled on the ring apron. Jericho, in the front row among fans disguised wearing a mask, landed a spinning elbow to Starks’s head. The announcers wondered if it was a fan. Garcia rolled Starks into the ring and scored the three count. Taz said it looked like a Judas Effect. Jericho entered the ring and unmasked. Garcia acted shocked and stood and hugged Jericho and Guevara.
WINNER: Garcia in 11:00 overall.
(Keller’s Analysis: There wasn’t a lot to that, but they got through it quickly and J.A.S. should get heat for how they stopped Starks.)
-Renee interviewed The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn. Billy said he’d stay in the back and let them handle things their way. Max Caster was cool with it. Anthony Bowens seemed less than sure, but managed to initiate the “scissors me daddy” hand shake. [c]
-Renee interviewed Danielson about his last obstacle before earning a 60 minute Iron Man match against MJF. Danielson was with Takeshita, who was recovering from his match. The locker room door ended up locked from the outside as Rush made his ring entrance. Taz said that’s a problem.
-Rush made his ring entrance. MJF walked out and said Danielson is scheduled for a match “right here and right now in shitty El Paso.” He said he’s not there. Schiavone said, “Yes he is here.” MJF told the ref to ring the bell right now as the bylaws require. They cut to a split screen of Danielson plowing through the door. Preston Vance tried to stop him, but Takeshita intervened. Danielson then ran to the ring. The ref, Aubry Edwards, counted slower than MJF wanted. Danielson got to the ring in time.
[HOUR TWO]
(4) BRYAN DANIELSON vs. RUSH
Taz said Danielson might have banged up his shoulder even more by checking his way through that door. MJF joined the announcers on commentary and complained about the ref’s slow count. Rush beat up Danielson at ringside a few minutes into the match. Danielson bled. Rush began to lick his blood off his finger. Rush headbutted Danielson at ringside and then threw him hard into the ringside barricade. MJF called Schiavone a “fat old prick.” Schiavone said MJF should be afraid of Danielson. Danielson’s forehead was covered in flowing blood. Rush tossed Danielson off the ring apron to the floor. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
Back from the break, Danielson took Rush down with a drop toe hold and then went for a LeBell Lock. Rush reached the bottom rope to force a break. Danielson leaped through the ropes and tackled Rush and then landed a running dropkick to Rush sitting on a chair against the barricade. Camera lenses were spotted with blood. Back in the ring, Danielson leaped off the top rope with a dropkick. He was slow to follow-up as his face was covered in blood. Fans chanted, “This is awesome!”
They both stood and exchanged chops. The crowd roared along with “Ci” chants (“Yes” in Spanish.) Danielson landed two running dropkicks, but Rush knocked him down in a third attempt. He delivered a straight jacket piledriver for a near fall. Danielson came back with a Psycho Knee for a near fall. They engaged in a wild headbutt battle and slap challenge. Rush dropped Danielson, which MJF was pleased with. Danielson came back with a Psycho Knee for the win. “Welcome to Revolution,” said Schiavone. MJF stood and held his head in dismay.
WINNER: Danielson in 15:00.
-MJF marched to the ring as Excalibur hyped the MJF vs. Danielson match becoming official for the next PPV. MJF waited for Danielson to stand and then punched him with his Dynamite Diamond Ring. [c]
-Schiavone interviewed two guys from a TBS show, “Impractical Jokers.” They stole Jericho’s baseball bat and challenged him to come get it or something like that.
(5) THE ELITE (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks w/Brandon Cutler, Michael Nakazawa) vs. TOP FLIGHT (Dante & Darius Martin) & A.R. FOX – Trios Title match
They cut to a split-screen break a few minutes in. [c/ss]
Darius scored a near fall on Nick, but Matt (sort of) broke up the cover and the ref stopped his count even though Darius was still covering Matt and Matt’s shoulders were still down. Fox landed a springboard dive onto a crowd at ringside. Top Flight gave Nick their Nose Dive. Fox then tagged in and landed a 450 splash on Nick. Nick kicked out as Omega lunged for a save. Fans chanted, “This is awesome!” Omega gave Fox a Snap Dragon Suplex. Dante cut off his momentum with a quick leaping clothesline. The Bucks and Omega eventually triple-teamed Fox, but Darius and Dante broke up the cover. Omega went for a V-Trigger, but Fox ducked and scored a near fall. Omega landed a gut-wrench Doctor Bomb for a near fall. He followed with a V-Trigger and One-Winged Angel attempt, but Fox rolled him up for a near fall. Omega scored a three second seconds later with a reversal of a crucifix.
WINNERS: The Elite in 15:00 to retain the Trios Titles.
(Keller’s Analysis: Wild start-to-finish athleticism and excitement. Not a lot of sustained selling, but that’s baked into The Elite’s style and fans ate it up.)
-A brief vignette aired on Hook.
-Lexi interviewed Stokely Hathaway about “cracks in The Firm.” He insisted The Firm is fine, but Hook is causing issues. Hook approached Stokely from behind. Stokley kissed up to Hook. Hook grabbed his arm and bent him over. Hook told him, “Be cautious with those words, sir.” Lexi asked if he was okay. Stokely said, “Get medical. Get medical!”
-Excalibur hyped Rampage: Mark Briscoe will speak, Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta vs. Butcher & The Blade & Sabian, Jack Perry in action, Ruby Soho vs. Marina Shafir. [c]
(6) THE ACCLAIMED (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) vs. COLTEN & AUSTIN GUNN – AEW Tag Team Title match
Caster rapped about the Gunns not being able to finish them like the border wall and taking them down like a Chinese weather balloon. Excalibur said Billy did the tough thing and removed himself from this match so the two teams could settle things. Schiavone said Billy is aligned with Acclaimed, but still has feelings for his sons. Taz said Billy is in a tough spot. They cut to an early split-screen break. [c/ss]
The Gunns controlled the action during the break. The ref got knocked down at ringside. Austin had Bowens down in the ring. He grabbed a tag belt from ringside. Billy Gunn ran out for the apparent save. Fans cheered. Austin swung the belt toward Bowens, but Billy shoved Bowens out of the path and then grabbed the belt. Colten then blindsided Billy with the other tag belt. Fans booed. Bowens recovered and stood. He was joined by Caster. They went after the Gunns. Caster landed a Mic Drop. Caster went to the floor to get the referee revived. He threw the ref into the ring.
Colten threw Caster into the ringside barricade. The ref began to count Bowens covering Austin, but Colten yanked Bowens off the cover. Colten then hit Bowens with the tag belt as Austin rolled him up for the win. They cut to fans who were looking on in shock and dismay. One fan mouthed, “What the f—?” Billy tended to Bowens as his sons retreated to the back with the belts. The music stopped for the Gunns and the fans began chanting “Bullshit! Bullshit!” Taz said El Paso is not happy. Excalibur said it’s not the end of the story for The Acclaimed and The Gunns. He then plugged Rampage as they began to play The Acclaimed music for some reason.
WINNERS: The Gunns in 10:00 to capture the AEW Tag Team Titles.
(Keller’s Analysis: The match was fine, but there wasn’t a ton to it until all of the chaos at the end. I assume this sets up The Acclaimed for a triumphant win at Revolution to become two-time champions.)
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