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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
JULY 5, 2023
EDMONTON, ALB. AT ROGER’S PLACE
AIRED ON TBS
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone
[HOUR ONE]
-The Dynamite opening aired.
-They cut to the arena and showed a nice wide shot of the crowd of over 6,000. Excalibur introduced the show and threw to an interview with Darby Alinn and Keith Lee from moments earlier.
-Renee Pacquette interviewed Darby and Lee. She said Darby asked for the time. Darby told Lee he knows he doesn’t want to team with Swerve, but then do something about it. He told him “pull your head out of your ass and take this seriously” even if that means wrestling one-on-two without Swerve. He said his alternative is to pout on the ring apron. “I’ll see which Keith Lee shows up tonight,” Darby said before walking away. Lee looked at Renee and said: “Ballsy. Stupid, but ballsy.” He shook his head, chuckled, and walked away.
(1) ORANGE CASSIDY & DARBY ALLIN vs. KEITH LEE & SWERVE STRICKLAND – Eliminator Tag Team Tournament match
As Orange Cassidy made his ring entrance, Excalibur said Darby should be careful what he asks for. Taz said Darby just drove a wedge between his partners. Tony Schiavone told Taz that’s a good way look at it. Darby then came out. As Swerve came out with Embassy members, they showed clips from earlier of angles with Lee and Swerve. Lee then came out and walked between two rows of Embassy members. They showed Lee teaming with Cassidy and Vikingo last week on Dynamite and scoring a pin after a powerslam on Matt Menard. Lee let out a big yell in the ring right in the ear of Swerve, who then shot him a look.
The bell rang six minutes into the hour. Darby opened against Lee. Darby slapped him. Lee shoved him into the corner and then Beell threw him across the ring. Cassidy tagged in next. Fans chanted “Freshly squeezed.” As Cassidy slo-mo chopped Lee, fans roared each time and then sarcastically chanted “Holy shit!” Lee chopped Cassidy in the chest with two palms and knocked Cassidy down hard.
Swerve and Darby tagged in at 4:00. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
Back from the break, Lee had Cassidy in a bear hug as Swerve beat up Darby at ringside and put the ringside steps on top of his chest. Cassidy put Lee in a sleeper at ringside. Lee walked up the steps with Cassidy on his back, crushing Darby underneath as he walked up the steps.
In the ring, Lee set up a DDT. Cassidy countered into a Stun Dog Millionaire. Darby then leaped over Lee’s shoulders and sunset bombed him. Cassidy covered Lee. Swerve leaped off the top rope to 450 splash Cassidy, but Cassidy moved, so Swerve landed on Lee. Swerve sat up and laughed at what happened. Fans chanted, “You f—ed up!” Swerve leaped to roundkick Cassidy, but Cassidy ducked and he kicked Lee instead. (What’re the odds of that?!) Cassidy leaped off the top rope and tornado DDT’d Swerve. He dove through the ropes and DDT’d Swerve at ringside. Darby then leveraged Swerve’s shoulders down for a three count.
Excalibur said he thinks the wedge between Lee and Swerve got deeper. Darby and Cassidy fist-bumped Lee at ringside afterward, so Lee took the loss in stride and seemed happy for Darby and Cassidy winning given all that happened.
WINNERS: Darby & Cassidy in 12:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: It sure didn’t seem like Swerve and Lee were committed to getting along enough to win the match, yet most of the issues between them in the match were the result of what was presented as accidents.)
-A vignette aired with Darby talking about training with Nick Wayne at the Buddy Wayne Academy. Darby talked about getting the news that Buddy’s heart stopped and he died. Darby said after he composed himself, his next thought was what will Nick Wayne, Buddy’s son, do. He vowed to look over Nick Wayne from then on. A clip aired from Defy Wrestling of Darby and Nick Wayne. Darby said he pitched Tony Khan sign him at age 16. He said Nick just turned 18 and he thinks he’s ready and it’s time for him to show the world now. Then the screen said, “To be continued…”
(Keller’s Analysis: That was a nice introductory vignette. Darby is getting so comfortable talking on camera.)
-Clips aired of the angle last week with Jack Perry running from Hook.
-They went backstage to Schiavone who said security alerted them that Perry’s vehicle was arriving. Perry got out of an SUV and said he’s not some thug from New York and what happened last week was unacceptable. He said he was about to demand an FTW Title match from TK. (How can TK authorize a title match for a belt that isn’t recognized by AEW?) Hook showed up and attacked Perry. Perry escaped back into the SUV which then sped off.
-Excalibur plugged that Cole & MJF would face Butcher & Menard later, plus Britt Baker vs. Ruby Soho, Kenny Omega vs. Wheeler Yuta. [c]
-They showed the exterior of Rogers Place with the AEW logo above the entrance on a big screen.
-A clip aired of Cole nearly beating MJF as the bell rang to signal a time limit draw and then Cole and MJF reacting to the news that they’d be teaming in the Blind Eliminator Tournament. Then a video aired of Cole and MJF training together at a gym. MJF did bench presses as Cole stood by as a spotter. Cole was looking at his phone and not paying attention. MJF made fun of an overweight guy working out. Cole said he can’t say stuff like that anymore. MJF said he was sorry. Cole then got a devious smile and said the guy reminds him of someone. They both said “Tony Schiavone” at the same time and laughed. MJF was impressed by Cole’s ability to bench what MJF did without struggling. “What the!?” he said as the skit ended.
(Keller’s Analysis: They did the silly thing that NXT overdoes too where there’s all these camera angles they cut to but you can never see any of the cameras so it just seems all post-produced in a more fake way than an on-site remote filming of a workout should be. Also, nobody believes Cole can bench more than MJF. All in all, I’m still on board with the entertainment aspect of this relationship. I hope they don’t get too slapstick zany in the way the late-era DX stuff did, though, and that in the end Cole still has integrity after seemingly getting along with MJF for a while.)
(2) THE ACCLAIMED (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) & “DADDY ASS” BILLY GUNN vs. THE BOLLYWOOD BOYS (Gurv & Harv Shihra) & THE BLADE
The Acclaimed came out. Max Caster rapped about bringing more smoke than the Canadian wildfires and making fun of their opponents. The bell rang 32 minute into the hour. At 2:00, after a flurry of offense that cleared the ring, Caster, Bowens, and Gunn did a mid-ring scissoring session. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
Back live, Caster was on the attack against Blade. Gunn tagged in and beat up Gurv. Caster landed a top rope elbowdrop for the three count.
WINNERS: Acclaimed & Gunn in 7:00.
-As the Acclaimed and Billy celebrated by doing more scissoring, Holly Cameron appeared on the big screen and said she deserves a chance to prove she’s the most talented musician on the roster. She said soon she will prove it and they’ll be “peanut butter and jealous.” Back in the ring, Billy said, “I’ve got two works for her. Suck it!”
-Excalibur noted that Eddie Kingston beat Kenta earlier in the day in Japan to win the New Japan Strong Openweight Title.
-A video package aired with Moxley talking about his history with Kingston back in 2009. Vintage footage aired of them. Mox asked why Kingston is walking around all mad. He said the past is the past and it’s all about making every day count. He said Kingston complains about the younger wrestlers not showing proper respect, but they should be leading the way. Mox told Kingston to answer his phone.
-Excalibur hyped the July 19 Dynamite in Boston, Mass. at TD Garden with “Blood & Guts” as the main event.
-Renee stood backstage with Matt Hardy and R.J. City. R.J. spun the tumbler and revealed Matt Hardy’s partner on Rampage on Friday would be Jeff Jarrett. [c]
-A video package aired with soundbites by Wheeler Yuta who claimed he is the favorite going into the match because Kenny Omega is battered and bruised. Yuta said this isn’t about beating Omega, it’s about ending him before “Blood & Guts.”
(Keller’s Analysis: That was Yuta’s best mic work to date. Just big talk in a heelish way.)
-Chris Jericho made his ring entrance. Fans sang his song and chanted “Jericho! Jericho!” He said tonight is a bitter sweet night for him. He said over the last few months he’s had a lot of big losses and things haven’t gone the way he wanted to, “so maybe it’s time for me to reevaluate a few things and make some changes.” He said Alberta is the perfect place to be reinvigorated. He said he started his pro wrestling career there. He said it seems like only yesterday down the road he started his training with Stu Hart. Fans booed. Jericho said, “You’re seriously booing Stu Hart.” He talked more about his history in various small towns in the area. He said now is the time to become the best version of Chris Jericho ever. Don Callis interrupted.
Callis swaggered to the ring with a mic in hand. Fans jeered him and chanted “F— you, Callis!” Callis said he’s hearing Jericho say he needs a change. Callis said six years ago, July 5, 2017, he called him from a hotel in Tokyo and he asked if he’d like to main event the Tokyo Dome against Omega. He said in 34 years of friendship, he surprised him and said “Oh yeah.” He said they changed the course of wrestling history. He said Jericho wouldn’t be there today if it weren’t for his idea. Fans booed throughout Callis’s speech.
Jericho said it was eight years ago in 2015 when Callis was outside of pro wrestling and he knew he was miserable. He said he helped him get back into pro wrestling and he helped him get into AEW. He said he’s bigger and more powerful than he has ever been, because of him. Callis told Jericho that, as with most thing in their 34 year friendship, they are in agreement. Fans booed loudly as he talked. Callis said when they get together, they make history. He said he was recently betrayed by “a coward punk named Kenny Omega.” He said he has to build a new family, which will be based on trust. Callis said when he thinks of trust, he thinks of Jericho. Callis asked Jericho if he’s ready to change history one more time. “Will you join the Don Callis family?” Callis asked.
Jericho looked around and then asked if he’s seriously asking him that. “Chris Jericho doesn’t join factions,” Jericho said. “Chris Jericho creates them.” Jericho then said, “Maybe.” Taz said he didn’t expect that. Excalibur said this could be the change Jericho was talking about needing to make. Jericho walked away and shrugged his shoulders. Callis smiled at the possibility being open.
-A promo video aired on the C.M. Punk vs. Samoa Joe match scheduled for Collision this Saturday night with soundbites by Joe and Punk. Joe said Punk has never been better than him. Punk said he’ll beat him for the first time ever on Saturday. He said after that, whatever is left in him will go on to win the tournament. He closed with: “Tell me when I’m telling lies.”
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[HOUR TWO]
-A brief promo aired for Ricky Starks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs in the Owen Tournament. Excalibur plugged Collision as the tournament brackets were shown on the screen. Then they showed footage from Collision of Roderick Strong being slammed onto a chair by Joe after their match and being stretchered out.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good series of brief segments to hype Collision on Saturday.)
-Renee interviewed Roderick Strong and the AEW trainer in a locker room. Strong had a neck brace on. The doc said they need to take proper time to let him heal. Strong said he feels amazing. Cole walked in and asked how he’s feeling and told him to take all the time he needs. Strong asked what’s going on with him and MJF. Cole told him not worry about him and assured him he has everything under control and he told MJF he has boundaries. Cole said MJF just texted him asking if he’s ready to hit the double clothesline later. Cole told Strong he loves him and he had to get to the ring.
(3) MJF & ADAM COLE vs. BUTCHER & MATT MENARD – Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament match
As MJF came out, he told them to stop his music. He then smiled and pointed at the entrance as Cole’s music played. When Cole came out, MJF was more enthusiastic than Cole cared for. They posed together after entering the ring. Again, Cole signaled that MJF was “a little too much.”
The ref called for the bell four minutes into the hour as Cole and MJF were talking strategy. Butcher and Menard attacked them. MJF wore the “Better Than You, Bay Bay” t-shirt. He poked Menard in the eyes a minute in and played to the crowd. An “MJF!” chant started. He applied an abdominal stretch. After cajoling by MJF, Cole helped add illegal leverage by holding MJF’s hand. They cut to a split-screen break at at 3:00. [c/ss]
Back from the break, Menard had MJF in an abdominal stretch. MJF cried out to Cole, “Help me! Help me!” Cole stayed in his corner. MJF escaped and tossed Menard off of him. MJF finally leaped and hot-tagged in Cole. Cole finished Menard with the Boom.
WINNERS: Cole & MJF in 9:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: No surprise that Cole and MJF advanced given their storyline and their opponents.)
-Afterward, a jubilant MJF celebrated with Cole. He asked the crowd if there were any Devil worshipers. Many cheered and chanted “MJF!” He asked how many are fans of “a certain individual with a super cool, over name.” He told Cole to do his thing. Cole then did his routine and fans chanted, “Adam Cole, bay bay!” MJF said they’d have done better if they hit that double-clothesline earlier. Cole reminded him of “boundaries.” MJF asked Cole to hang out and have another “bro session.” MJF asked fans what they think. They chanted “Yes! Yes!” Cole said, “Sure, Max, why not.” As Cole was about to leave the ring, MJF said he had one more thing to tell him. “Happy birthday!” he said. Streamers dropped from above. A parade of men walked out with balloons, party hats, and a birthday cake. Excalibur called it “a modest birthday cake.”
MJF put the hat on Cole. Cole said, “This is a lot.” MJF put a kazoo in his mouth and said this is all about him. MJF then sang “Happy Birthday to you” to Cole. He got really into it like an “American Idol” audition. Cole said he gets it, he’s a good singer. Taz said under his breath, “Really?” (Funny.) Cole said MJF has done more than enough. MJF said it’s time for Cole to make a wish. Fans chanted, “Make a wish!” The one candle on the cake was lit. Cole blew it out after presumably making a wish. MJF smiled and told the camera softly he was going to shove Cole’s face in the cake. When he tried, Cole avoided him and shoved MJF into it. MJF said, “You got me.” Cole licked some frosting off his finger that he wiped off of MJF’s face. Fans chanted “Eat the cake.” MJF ate some. Cole thanked MJF for doing all of that for his birthday and said, “Max, thank you, my friend.” Cole’s music played and he left the ring.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was fun, playing off of the history of birthday cakes in pro wrestling rings. The balance they have to strike going forward is for Cole to seem like he’s not easily manipulated into thinking MJF is a trustworthy, sincere person and that he’s been leading on MJF and is smart enough to not let his guard down.)
-Renee interviewed Baker backstage. She accused Ruby Soho of lying last week when she said she took everything from here that she cares about. She said she cannot take her pride. “I will always be the face of this division,” she said. She also produced the Owen Hart Tournament belt and said she will always be the winner of that first tournament. She said she’ll beat her on her way to winning it again. [c]
-Renee interviewed Jericho backstage. Daniel Garcia and Sammy Guevara were standing with them. Garcia took issue with Jericho saying “maybe” to Callis’s proposition. He said, “We need you.” Jericho said it doesn’t mean yes or no, but he said they can’t be under his wing forever and they have to branch out on their own. Renee said they’ve been doing draws all night and Garcia & Guevara are teaming together. (What’re the odds?!) Jericho told them to show them that they can be leaders without him. Garcia offered Guevara a fist-bump and said they should finish what they started.
(4) RUBY SOHO (w/Saraya, Toni Storm) vs. BRITT BAKER – Owen Hart Tournament quarterfinals match
Baker made her ring entrance first. The bell rang 28 minutes into the hour. Baker took Soho down early with a shoulder block. Excalibur plugged the 100th episode of Rampage on Friday. Baker took Soho down with a sling blade and then an awkward DDT/suplex spot that didn’t seem to go as planned as they were on different pages. Soho rolled to the floor and then yanked Baker out of the ring by her legs. Storm and Soho got in Baker’s face. Soho leg swept her to the mat. They cut to a split-screen break at 2:00. [c/ss]
Soho rolled up Baker for a two count at 7:00. Storm grabbed Baker’s boot as she ran the ropes. Soho then scored a near fall. Baker avoided a top rope Soho move and then superkicked her. She followed with a backslide for a two count. Baker shifted into an attempted Lock Jaw mid-ring. Saraya distracted the ref as Storm held up the belt on the other side of the ring. Soho rammed Baker’s head into it and then landed her No Future finisher for a believable near fall. Soho looked shocked.
Soho applied an STF seconds later. Baker reached the bottom rope and she kicked off and into the Lock Jaw. Storm and Saraya yanked Soho by her boots to the floor to safely. “This is too much,” said Schiavone. Baker threw Soho back into the ring. Storm yanked on Baker’s leg, slowing her re-entrance into the ring. Soho landed a victory roll on Baker and then grabbed Storm’s hand for extra leverage to steal a win.
WINNER: Soho in 10:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Clunky match at times, pretty good at other times.)
-Soho celebrated on the stage. Skye Blue walked out and confronted her, previewing their match next week on Dynamite. [c]
(5) WHEELER YUTA vs. KENNY OMEGA
Yuta came out first. Then Omega to big cheers. “What an ovation,” exclaimed Schiavone. Yuta attacked Omega from behind before the bell, and the ref (ridiculously) rewarded the attack by calling for the bell. (That’s so dumb.) Taz said Yuta saw an opportunity and attacked. Schiavone said, “You are right, that’s exactly what you need to do.” (What?! How is a heel supposed to get any heat if the announcers are all agreeing you’d be stupid not to jump your opponent from behind before the bell to get an unfair advantage? Schiavone should tell Taz his justification is ridiculous and Yuta should have enough pride to try to win without cheating.) The bell rang 44 minutes into the hour.
Omega made a comeback a minute in. A couple minutes later, Yuta took over and dove through the ropes and shoulder tackled Omega into the ringside barricade. He swung Omega into the ringside barricade and then hit a neckbreaker. They cut to a split-screen break with Yuta in control. [c/ss]
Omega made a comeback during the break. Excalibur hyped upcoming matches on future TV shows with graphics in the corner. Next week’s Dynamite include Nick Wayne vs. Swerve and Kommander vs. Jericho. Callis came out and was blocked by security. Takeshita then attacked Omega and then Yuta scored a near fall. Omega then finished Yuta with a One-Winged Angel for the win.
WINNER: Omega in 12:00.
-Takeshita and Claudio attacked Omega afterward. Hangman Page and the Young Bucks ran out for the save. Hangman was about to hit Claudio with a chair when Dark Order stopped him as the show abruptly ended
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