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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
AUGUST 2, 2023
TAMPA, FLA. AT YUENGLING CENTER
AIRED ON TBS
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
[HOUR ONE]
-Excalibur introduced the show as pyro blasted and they showed cheering fans in the audience. He touted this being the 200th episode.
(1) CHRIS JERICHO & KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (w/Don Callis) vs. SAMMY GUEVARA & DANNY GARCIA
Chris Jericho and Takeshita made their ring entrance first. The bell rang four minutes into the hour. Guevara and Jericho exchanged chops early. Guevara landed a high knee to take control. He tagged in Garcia. Guevara spun around and struck a post. Garcia kneeled and posed with him, but this time not with his head between his legs. Garcia and Jericho then exchanged chops. Garcia did strange gyrations to get into the heads of Jericho and Takeshita. Takeshita took over and mocked his dancing while standing over him. Fans chanted, “You can’t dance!” Callis tripped up Garcia as he ran the ropes. Jericho took advantage of that to take over. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
Back from the break, Guevara dove through the ropes and landed on Jericho. He then ran to the other side of the ring and dove onto Takeshita. Back in the ring, he landed a top rope frog splash on Takeshita for a near fall, broken up by Jericho. Jericho shoved Guevara. Garcia tackled Jericho in response. Takeshita gave a distracted Guevara a Blue Thunder Bomb. He then applied the Walls of Takeshita. Guevara gave a charging Jericho a Spanish Fly for a near fall. Jericho swept Guevara and set up a Walls of Jericho, but Guevara blocked it and small packaged Jericho for a near fall.
Garcia tagged in and charged at Jericho, but Jericho caught him with a Code Breaker. Fans chanted “Garcia! Garcia!” Garcia landed a Shooting Star Press off the top rope onto Takeshita at ringside. Garcia rolled up Jericho in the ring for a two count. Garcia applied his Dragon Slayer submission. Callis jabbed him in the head with a bat as the ref was distracted. Jericho saw it and seemed not to approve of it, but after staring down Callis, he covered Garcia for the three count. The announcers noted that Jericho didn’t seem pleased with the way things went at the end, but he made a choice.
WINNERS: Jericho & Takeshita in 12:00.
-Backstage, Tony Khan thanked viewers for supporting them for 200 episodes. He said All In on Aug. 27 in London, England at Wembley Stadium will be their biggest event yet. He wanted to thank their staff. A video package showing scenes of Dynamite from over the 200 episodes including Mike Tyson, a bloodied Britt Baker, Sting’s arrival, the memorial of Jon Huber, Blood & Guts, Shaq, the arrival of Bryan Danielson, the memorial of Jay Briscoe, and more.
(Keller’s Analysis: It’s so rare we see clips of the early years of Dynamite, it was fun seeing some of the wrestlers back then. They did shy away from showing Cody entirely, but there wasn’t much of him mixed in there. That’s understandable. C.M. Punk wasn’t heavily featured compared to Cody.) [c]
-As Renee Paquette was about to interview Jericho backstage, Matt Menard walked up to him and said they were having a mandatory Jericho Appreciation Society meeting and he better be there. Jericho stared at him, then hung his head in what might’ve been a sense of shame.
-Tony Schiavone introduced Jack Perry. Perry yanked the mic from Schiavone and then told Jerry Lynn to come to the ring “and take your ass-kicking like a man.” Lynn walked out and called Perry “Jungle.” He said he doesn’t run the show. He said he’d like to go to the ring, but he won’t “because that’d be nothing more than child abuse.” He said with plates and screws in his neck, there’s not a doctor who would approve him to get back into the ring. He said he called a friend who just so happened to wrestle in ECW and he also happens to still be active. Fans chanted “RVD! RVD!”
Rob Van Dam walked out. Excalibur said he cannot believe his eyes. The “RVD!” chants intensified. Perry got in RVD’s face, but then rolled out of the ring when RVD didn’t break his stare at him. Perry retreated to the back. RVD and Lynn high-fived each other. Perry returned with a chair. RVD ducked his swing and went for a jump spin wheel kick. Perry ducked and rolled out of the ring and leaped into the front row and nearly sat on a little girl who got wide-eyed as she cowered with a smile next to her mom. Perry retreated through the crowd as RVD saluted the crowd.
(Keller’s Analysis: It was fun seeing Lynn and RVD together again. Perry was good as the cocky heel turned coward.)
-Excalibur threw to a video package hyping the AEW Women’s Title match, noting it’ll be the main event. Toni Storm talked about Shida being the best during the pandemic, but she’s at another level now.
(2) PENTA EL ZERO MIEDO vs. JON MOXLEY vs. TRENT BERETTA
The bell rang 33 minutes into the hour. Penta bashed Trent with the trash can lid a minute into the brawl. He charged at Mox next, but Mox gave him a leaping cutter. Mox then pulled a barbed wire wrapped board out from under the ring. He grinded it into Trent’s head. Trent slammed Mox onto the barbed wire board a minute later. Penta chopped Trent at ringside and then set up two tables. Trent was bleeding from his head at this point. Mox knocked Penta off the top rope. Trent superplexed Mox off the top rope through the two tables. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
Back from the break, there was a table set up in the ring and another one leaning against the corner. Trent and Penta stereo superkicked Mox. Penta then beat up Trent and placed him on the table. Penta gave Trent a Destroyer off the top rope through the table. Mox poured thumb tacks onto the mat and then yanked off Penta’s shirt and went for a Paradigm Shift. Penta fought free, but Mox then piledrove him onto the tacks. Mox then slammed Penta on the tacks. A dozen or so stuck in his skin. He then gave Trent a face-first cutter onto the tacks. Trent gave Mox a Crunchy onto the tacks for a near fall, broken up by Penta with a chairshot. Fans chanted “Fight forever!”
Mox took Trent down with a King Kong Lariat, then turned and exchanged strikes with Penta. Mox gave Penta a Paradigm Shift. Trent kicked Mox into the tacks and then stole the pin on Penta.
WINNER: Trent in 13:00.
-Afterward, Mox put Trent in a sleeper. Claudio and Wheeler Yuta marched to the ring, but they were cut off by Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor. Mox and Trent joined in the fight. Chuck threw a chair into Claudio’s head. Cassidy gave Mox an Orange Punch, sending Mox to ringside. Chuck said, “Well, it looks like this didn’t accomplish a god damned thing.” He challenged them to go to Daily’s Place in Jacksonville for Friday’s Rampage and have a parking lot brawl.
-A clip aired of the MJF & Adam Cole match against FTR on Collision on Saturday. Excalibur said MJF “did the right thing twice in one night.” He said MJF would speak next and said “he’s seemingly had a change of heart.” [c]
-Renee interviewed RVD backstage. She asked what brought him to Dynamite. He said he heard Perry running his mouth. He challenged him for his FTW Title next week. He said after he wins, he’ll have inflated the title. He said he’ll retire it like he’s done with so many other titles – but he’ll see how he feels.
-MJF made his ring entrance. He looked like he was crying. He smiled and gave the crowd thumbs up. Fans chanted “MJF!” He said it sounded like there were some Devil Worshipers in the crowd. He said he was a little emotional. He talked about having ADD and also Rejection Sensitive Disorder. He said his brain is structured differently and he cannot regulate rejection-based emotions or behaviors, making life difficult. He said life would’ve been difficult for him without RSD. He said there’s a lot about his past they don’t know. He said he’s been bullied, cheated on, battered, abused, and beaten up. He said he blacked out for a lot of it. He said there was one day when kids threw handfuls of quarters and told him, “Pick it up, Jew Boy, pick it up.”
He said he still wakes up in a cold sweat and can feel the sensation of the quarters hitting his skin. He said he felt like everyone on the planet was an evil scumbag, and in order to survive, he had to stab everyone in the back before they stab him. “But I’m beginning to realize, that’s no way to live,” he said. He said while he was protecting himself, he became a scumbag himself. “It’s true,” he said. “And to be honest, being a scumbag is easy.” He said getting fans to boo him is easy, but what’s hard is being vulnerable and open. He said that’s hard. He said he knew with his disorder that if he opened himself up and was Max and fans booed him, it’d bring him back to being that “Jew Boy with quarters thrown at him.” He declared, “You know what? I’m not scared anymore!” He said it’s because of each and every single fan. Fans cheered.
He said the fans taught him that they care about him. Fans chanted, “Max! Max!” He said they have sympathy for the Devil. He said he won’t change overnight because he’s still a scumbag, “but I’m ready to be your scumbag!” Fans cheered and then chanted, “He’s a scumbag!”
[HOUR TWO]
He called Adam Cole one of the best human beings in the world and his best friend and said he’s more responsible than anyone. He asked Cole to walk out. Cole came out without music. Fans chanted “Adam Cole!”
Cole said Max continues to impress him every day. “I’m pretty impressive, aren’t I, Tampa?” MJF said. Cole said he’s one of the best pro wrestlers in the world at such a young age. He said he’s also impressed by the man he’s becoming. He said he’s not alone. Cole said for years he was a jerk, not only because he felt he had to be in order to succeed, but also because he was scared and didn’t understand what being a man meant. He said Max is becoming the man he’s meant to be. He said the fans love and adore him and want to cheer him. He said they know deep down in his heart and soul, there’s a good guy in there. Cole said he’s incredible proud of him, as are the fans.
MJF said as much as he understands him “performing verbal fellatio on him,” and as much as he appreciates him wearing their latest new shirt, that’s not why he called him out there. He said he made him a promise that he’d give him a shot at the Triple B, the AEW World Title. “And I’ve come to the conclusion that you don’t deserve a match.” Cole looked confused. MJF reached to ringside and was handed a folder. MJF said what he meant to say is Cole doesn’t deserve just any match, but rather thee match in front of most historic crowd in the history of pro wrestling on the most historic night in pro wrestling history in the main event of All In. “There is no one I want to make history with more than you, so please sign it,” he said. Cole looked around and asked for a “Sign it!” chant. Cole smiled and signed it, then placed it on the mat.
Cole said, “Max, I love you man.” MJF said he does too. They hugged. MJF told him off mic, “I’ll be honest, I’m obviously going to win.” They both smiled and posed on the second rope. A graphic appeared on the big screens advertising the match.
-They cut backstage to Roderick Strong having a bizarrely intense tantrum. He was red-faced and yelling. In walked Matt Taven and Mike Bennett who said Cole is always forgetting about his real friends.
-Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks, accompanied by Brandon Cutler, made their ring entrance. Excalibur said there’d be no AEW without The Elite.
(3) KENNY OMEGA & THE YOUNG BUCKS vs. JEFF JARRETT & JAY LETHAL & SATNUM SINGH (w/Karen Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt)
The bell rang ten minutes into the hour. Jarrett battled Omega at the start. (I would not have predicted those two would be wrestling each other on Dynamite 200 back when the show first launched.) Singh and Matt tagged in. They played up their height difference. Singh leaped onto both Matt and Nick. Jarrett and Lethal struck poses next to Singh. They cut to a split-screen break at 2:00. [c/ss]
Back form the break, Nick superkicked Jarrett, but both were slow to get up. A minute later Singh interfered when Omega climbed to the top rope. Lethal then took control until the Bucks landed stereo superkicks. The Bucks knocked Singh to his knees and superkicked him. Omega landed a V-Trigger on Singh next. The Bucks leaped over the top rope onto Lethal and Jarrett. Karen distracted the ref as Dutt hit Omega from behind. Omega no-sold it, though. Dutt bailed out of the ring. Lethal gave Omega a Lethal Combination. Cutler sprayed Karen with the cold spray. Dutt punched Cutler. Matt & Jeff Hardy ran out and beat up Dutt.
Back in the ring, Jarrett held up his guitar and swung at Omega. Hangman Page gave him a Buckshot Lariat. “Where the hell did he come from?” asked Taz. Omega mock-played Jarrett’s guitar and then gave Lethal a One-Winged Angel for the win.
WINNERS: Omega & The Bucks in 9:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: A mix of a typical Jarrett match with all the shenanigans plus the signature Elite spots.)
-Afterward, Omega said they have some important news. He asked Hangman to tell them. Hangman said there was a big announcement today that The Elite have re-signed with AEW. Fans cheered. He said tonight at Dynamite 200, they are so happy to be there, “so here’s to the next 200.” He said whether it’s Dynamite, ROH, Rampage, “or heck, Collision,” you haven’t seen the last of us.
-A promo aired with The Mogul Embassy explaining why A.R. Fox turned on Darby. Fox said Darby should have called him when he first signed with AEW, but he didn’t say anything to him for five years. He said he’s taking everything from him. They threw to a clip of Swerve and Fox arriving at Nick Wayne’s garage where he was in the ring practicing with another guy. Wayne asked what they were doing there. Swerve and Fox attacked the other guy working out with Wayne, and then went after Wayne. They broke a glass framed photo over his head. Then he held up the photo of Nick and his dad. Nick was bleeding form his forehead and reached for his phone. Swerve made him unlock his phone and told him to call Darby. Darby answered. Swerve told Darby to listen or something worse will happen. He asked Darby why he didn’t call and thank Fox when he first signed with AEW. He said they’re going to haunt him. They broke the garage window as Wayne continued to bleed enough to form a puddle.
-Aussie Open made their ring entrance. [c]
(4) AUSSIE OPEN (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) vs. KOMANDER & EL HIJO DEL VIKINGO
The bell rang 31 minutes into the hour. Excalibur talked up the ROH brand a bit. At 2:00 they cut to a break with Aussie Open celebrating after some offense at ringside. [c/ss]
Vikingo and Komander took over after the break, walked the top rope together, and springboarded onto Aussie Open at ringside. The announcers marveled as fans briefly chanted “Holy shit!” They landed a stereo 450 splash off the top rope onto Davis for a near fall, but Fletcher broke up the cover. Aussie Open finished Komander a minute later with their double-team finisher.
WINNERS: Aussie Open in 10:00 to retain the ROH Tag Team Titles.
-A video package aired on the C.M. Punk-Ricky Starks angle on Collision including Punk pulling an AEW Title belt out of the red bag and painting a black X on it. [c]
(5) TONI STORM (w/Ruby Soho, Saraya) vs. HIKARU SHIDA – AEW Women’s Title match
The bell rang 48 minutes into the hour. Schiavone said Shida being AEW Champion during the pandemic doesn’t take anything away from her reign just because fans weren’t there. Shida got in early offense, so Storm bailed out to regroup with Saraya and Ruby Soho. Excalibur hyped Rampage: Anna Jay vs. Skye Blue, Strickland & Fox in a match, Keith Lee & The Hardys vs. Butcher & Blade & Kip Sabian, and the Parking Lot Brawl. They cut to a split-screen break at 5:00. [c/ss]
Shida rallied after the break and mounted Storm in the corner with a barrage of punches. Shida landed a Meteora onto Storm and scored a two count. Excalibur hyped Collision: FTR vs. Big Bill & Brian Cage, Kris Statlander vs. Mercedez Martinez, The Acclaimed speak, and Punk vs. Starks. Storm gave Shida a hip attack in the corner followed by a DDT for a near fall. Excalibur announced RVD challenging Perry for the FTW Title was now official for next week’s Dynamite.
Shida and Storm traded strikes. Schiavone said they’d stay with the match as long as it takes. Shida landed a Falcon Arrow for a near fall at 11:00. Saraya slid a kendo stick into the ring. Shida grabbed it. Saraya told her to use it because she’d be DQ’d. Shida hit Saraya with it. Storm then spray painted Shida in the eyes as the ref was getting rid of the stick. Storm landed Storm Zero for a near fall. Storm looked shocked at the kickout. Shida reversed a high-stack cover and scored a three count.
WINNER: Shida in 12:00 to win the AEW Women’s Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: I’m not shocked they did a title change considering it’s Dynamite 200 and this match was in the main event slot. It’s good to get Shida back into the top mix like this, even though giving Storm a longer title reign to really establish her wasn’t a bad option either.)
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