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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
NOVEMBER 8, 2023
PORTLAND OR. AT MODA CENTER
AIRED ON TBS
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
[HOUR ONE]
-They opened with Tony Schiavone standing backstage who said tonight MJF would defend the AEW World Title against Daniel Garcia. MJF walked in, all smiles. He asked, “Tony Schiavone, how are you doing, you fat old prick?” Schiavone asked about him getting pinned by Jay White. MJF said all it takes is three seconds to end a title reign. MJF said White should savor that because it won’t happen again. Adam Cole texted him. MJF answered the phone and then linked his call to a monitor next to him. MJF looked at Cole on the screen.
Cole said he is worried about him. He told him if he wants to win the match, he really has to take Samoa Joe up on his offer. MJF said he doesn’t need him. He said he can defend their titles and also handle Daniel Garcia later. Garcia walked in with Angelo Parker and Matt Menard. MJF said he granted him his request for a title match because he believes in him. He said he wants to prove it’s talent over tenure. He asked if he’s getting the sports entertainer or the pro wrestler. Garcia stepped up to him and said tonight, he gets a professional wrestler. Parker and Menard seemed to not like that answer.
“Adam! Adam!” yelled Roderick Strong, who was wheeled in by Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. Strong told MJF that he’s a wrestling legend and he could easily give him some tips. MJF said he was a legend, but now he’s a jerk. MJF walked away. As Strong began talking to Cole, Cole disconnected his call with MJF. Strong turned to the camera and said it’s time for him to remind everyone exactly who he is.
(Keller’s Analysis: That opening three minutes is a big change from the early Dynamite format of aiming a camera at the entrance stage and beginning with a match. I like this change. It really set the stage well for the match, including MJF giving a reason he granted Garcia a title match pretty much out of nowhere. There are a lot of moving parts around MJF right now and it’s good to gather different players and set the stage for different aspects that can factor into whatever MJF does next.)
-The Dynamite opening aired.
(1) MJF vs. DANNY GARCIA (w/Angelo Parker, Matt Menard) – AEW World Hvt. Title match
Garcia did, unfortunately, a little bit of his dance as he made his way down the ramp. Otherwise, he had his game face on. Fans chanted “MJF” when the bell rang six minutes into the show. Excalibur hyped upcoming matches on the show. When Garcia had MJF against the ropes, Garcia spanked him and then went into a fighting stance. Menard and Parker got on the ring apron and told Garcia to stay on task and stay focused. They cut to a double-box break at 4:00 with MJF in control. [c/db]
Garcia rallied after the break. MJF came back and landed a hammerlock DDT. Garcia escaped a Heat Seeker attempt by MJF. MJF leaped off the second rope, but Garcia moved and kicked MJF’s legs. Garcia landed a leaping piledriver for a near fall at 10:00. Garcia then applied a Lion Tamer mid-ring. MJF escaped and applied a Salt of the Earth armbar. Garcia tapped.
WINNER: MJF in 11:00 to retain the AEW Title.
-Afterward, MJF offered a handshake to Garcia. Garcia stood and was about to shake hands when Parker and Menard intervened and pulled Garcia away. MJF yelled, “Are you going to keep following them?” Fans chanted “Danny! Danny!” Garcia tried to walk to MJF, but Parker and Menard pulled him away and escorted him out of the ring. MJF talked into the camera at ringside, but Excalibur talked over him and plugged the Jay White vs. Mark Briscoe match later.
-They went to the announcers. Excalibur threw to a sports gambling sponsor ad. [c]
-A vignette aired with Briscoe saying this is their first singles match. Clips aired of their tag team battles in ROH and early images of Jay White pre-facial-hair. He said he has his clowns doing his bidding, but he’s ready to defend himself from all angles.
(2) DARBY & STING vs. THE OUTRUNNERS (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd)
As Sting and Darby made their entrance, the graphic noted it’s Sting’s first match since he announced his retirement next February. Schiavone said Jim Valley told him that he believes this is the first time Sting has wrestled in Portland since 1989. Excalibur said it’s Sting’s second-ever match in Oregon. The bell rang 25 minutes into the hour. Excalibur announced that Lance Archer & The Righteous would face Sting & Darby Allin & Adam Copeland on Collision this Saturday. (That’s adding some needed star power to the show.) Taz said Darby’s AC is sprained thanks to his match against Archer last Saturday.
The Outrunners got in offense and knocked Darby down at ringside. When they showboated in the ring, Sting took over. Darby returned to the ring and helped Sting finish of one of the Outrunners with a Scorpion Death Lock.
WINNERS: Darby & Sting 3:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: There wasn’t time for much anyway, but Sting threw a clothesline and applied the Scorpion Death Lock, and that was it. That’s probably smart at this point, of course.)
-Schiavone conducted a sitdown interview with Toni Storm and Hikaru Shida. Schiavone asked Shida for her thoughts. Shida asked, “What happened to you, Toni Storm?” Storm said Shida keeps “happening” and getting in her way, but she said she won’t “happen” again. She signed the contract and said the belt belongs to her. Shida signed it next and said she’ll beat her at Full Gear. Storm stood and said, “There’s a saying in show business – chin up, tits out. and watch for the shoe.” She held up her shoe. Shida slapped the shoe out of her hands.”
(Keller’s Analysis: That was fun and helped build their match. Fans like Storm, though, and she should be aiming her delusional starlet salvos at heels soon.)
(3) PENTA EL ZERO MIEDO (w/Alex Abrahantes) vs. “SWERVE” STRICKLAND
Taz said Swerve crossed a line when he broke into “Hangman” Page’s home. (Ya’ think?) The bell rang 33 minutes into the hour. Swerve actually yanked on Penta’s tongue a few minutes into his methodical beating. Penta came right back with a back stabber. Penta dove through the ropes, but Swerve met him with a forearm mid-air and then dropped him over the ringside steps. Penta kicked Swerve at ringside two times and then landed a flip-dive onto Swerve. As Penta celebrated, they cut to a double-box break. [c/db]
Penta stayed on offense during the break. Penta landed a springboard Destroyer on the ring apron at 10:00. Both were down and slow to get up after that. Fans chanted “Holy shit!” Penta caught Swerve with a head scissors, but Swerve turned it into a powerbomb. Penta landed on the back of his head. Fans and announcers gasped. It led to a two count. Swerve hung Penta from the bottom rope and then landed a leaping stomp to his chest at ringside. Fans chanted “Holy shit!” Swerve leaped off the top rope with a 450 splash, but Penta moved so Swerve crashed onto the mat. Penta then snapped Swerve’s arm and followed with a package slam for a near fall.
Swerve avoided a Fear Factor, but Penta kicked him instead and then set up Fear Factor again. Swerve flipped out of it and landed a Death Valley Driver. He then stomped his arm behind his back to try to snap it. Swerve then landed a top rope stomp to his chest for the win.
WINNER: Swerve in 14:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: A heck of a match with a few spots that appeared dangerous. The crowd ate it up.)
-Hangman charged out with a chair after the match ended. He hit Swerve on his back on the ramp. Alex fled the scene. Hangman bashed Swerve again. Security ran out and Hangman bashed them with the chair. Taz said, “You can’t blame him.” Excalibur said he could be jeopardizing his scheduled match. Hangman lifted Swerve and leaped off the ramp onto a table below with a Dead Eye. Fans chanted “Holy shit!” Referees pulled Hangman back as he had a crazed look in his eyes.
-Alex Marvez interviewed Jay White with Juice Robinson and The Gunns backstage. White said he’s still got the belt. He said he watched Collision while on vacation and he laughed at MJF for bragging about how he’s more searched on Google than he is. White said that’s down there with his “long, drawn out analogy comparing me to tofu.” He said this is Max’s world, and he’ll indulge him. He said maybe MJF’s name comes up so high because he’s always searching himself. He said maybe one day he his insecurities will be relieved on search returns. He said he is truly elite and he’ll show it later against Briscoe.
(Keller’s Analysis: Man, White skewered MJF there, and he wasn’t wrong about the tofu thing and the Google search thing being two of MJF’s weaker promo topics.)
-A vignette aired on the Don Callis Family. It included video game street fight scenes interspersed. Omega also spoke, but as usual with AEW the sound mix was so unbalanced, the music muffled out Omega’s comments. [c]
-Renee Paquette interviewed Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega regarding teaming with Kota Ibushi and Paul Wight against the Don Callis Family. As Jericho began to talk, The Young Bucks barged in. Matt Jackson said they were hanging out in the “broom closet with the extras” since Jericho’s bags are so big. Matt said he and Jericho have a cool name – The Golden Jets. He said another cool name is The Elite. Jericho said they didn’t have his back when Will Hobbs was beating down Omega.
Jericho said it was the four of them who helped get the company off the ground. Matt said they started the revolution and Jericho strolled in and cashed another big check. Jericho said he and Omega are two of the greatest and they can beat the Bucks, one of the all-time great teams. The Bucks challenged them to a tag match at Full Gear in their home town of Los Angeles. Omega hedged but Jericho said he liked the idea. Jericho said if they win, they get the guaranteed tag title shot that the Bucks are sitting on.
Matt said they’ll take it further. He said if they win, Omega leaves Jericho and joins back with them. Omega said the Bucks are the greatest team and he doesn’t want to wrestle them. He said he has beaten them before, though. He said the attitude they’ve brought isn’t right and they’ll take them up on the match. He said when they beat them, they’ll maybe clean up their act and act like adults instead of “sissy, whiny, bitchy children.” Omega said, “See you in L.A.” Jericho said he has his own dressing room and walked away with a satisfied smile.
(Keller’s Analysis: For a long time, this is what I was hoping we’d see more of – Omega and the Bucks talking on TV and part of a storyline that advances show to show. It’s still kind of in the clubhouse realm where they’re staying in their comfort zone working with each other, but hopefully they continue to get talking time on TV after this feud and work with and elevate others.)
-Ring entrances took place for Keith Lee and then Samoa Joe.
[HOUR TWO]
(4) SAMOA JOE vs. KEITH LEE – ROH TV Title match
The bell rang at the start of the second hour. They locked up at the start, then collided mid-ring. Joe raked Lee’s face and then checked him to the mat. Lee ducked a Joe clothesline and then knocked him down. Schiavone said no one has ever run through Joe like that. Lee chopped Joe’s chest. Joe sold it and collapsed in pain.
Lee pressed Joe against the middle rope. Joe came back with chops of his own and then jabbed away at Lee in the corner until Lee collapsed. Joe headbutted Lee, then charged. Lee leapfrogged him and then ducked down and followed with crossbody. Joe rolled to the floor as they cut to a double-box break. [c/db]
Back from the break, Lee remained in control. Joe took over with a kneebreaker. Excalibur talked about Joe’s successful ROH TV Title defenses. He said Lee might be the toughest opponent yet. Joe took Lee down with a Dragon screw leg whip. Lee blocked a lariat attempt by Joe and then powerbombed Joe when he leaped at him. Both were down. Lee crawled over and draped his arm over Joe’s chest for a near fall. Lee began to lift Joe, but Joe slipped out and applied a sleeper and Lee faded. The ref called for the bell.
WINNER: Joe in 11:00 to retain the ROH TV Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: That’s what you’d hope for out of these two, and it’s a bit of a shame Jim Ross wasn’t able to call it. Lee came at Joe with a different set of threats given his similar size, so the win by Joe felt significant.)
-Afterward, Joe took the mic and said he is the greatest ROH TV Champion of all-time. He said he didn’t come there to “merely be your television champion.” He said hunger is what defines the great. He said he is officially hungry. He said he is vacating the ROH TV Title. Fans gasped. He laid the belt down and said the next gold that he will lay over his shoulder will be the AEW World Championship.
(Keller’s Analysis: That’s quite a dis to the belt he defended for over 500 days, but having him not lose it before a future AEW World Title match makes some sense. It’s great to see Joe getting this push. He’s earning it with the ring work but also his overall demeanor.)
-Orange Cassidy, with Hook, spoke backstage. He said Jon Moxley is the only person he’s been thinking about since he left him in a pool of his own blood in Chicago after beating him for the AEW International Title. He said holding the belt now doesn’t feel the same because he has to beat him in order to be the champion he knows he is. He said at Full Gear he will beat him.
(5) COLTEN & AUSTIN GUNN (w/Juice Robinson) vs. THE BOLLYWOOD BOYS
Juice held up the cardboard cutout of White at ringside. The Gunns won quickly with their finisher.
WINNERS: The Gunns in under 1:00.
-Afterward, Colten said MJF is a liar when he calls himself a generational talent. Colten compared himself and Austin Gunn to LeBron James. “We were made for TV,” he said. He said they rae the generational talents. Austin said MJF is an embarrassment as a champion. He said he’s only defended the ROH Tag Team Titles one time in three months. He said MJF’s only friends are in the crowd and he should pick one of them to be his partner. He was bleeped when describing the fans.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good mic work from the Gunns. This is a good usage of the squash match. I so strongly disagree with fans who complain about squash matches. This is a chance for a pushed team to show off their ring entrance, their personalities, their finishers, and sometimes cut a promo right afterward. That’s a great, efficient use of three minutes of TV time to add variety of the show and give pushed wrestlers dominant showcase wins.)
-Backstage, Moxley, with Wheeler Yuta, talked. Mox said he knew what Orange was doing when he stepped on his territory. He said this isn’t about a belt, it’s about the rules of nature. He said he wants to be a good example for Yuta by beating the ever-living piss out of Orange. He asked Orange what kind of example he’s setting for Hook by teaching him that he can say or do whatever he wants and it’ll be fine “and H.R. will step in and save him.” He said he doesn’t deserve to make it to Sunday. “If you can make it to Full Gear, good for you,” he said. He told Hook to take notes. Yuta said Hook crossed the wrong crew. “See you in Cali, pretty boy,” Yuta said.
(Keller’s Analysis: Mox continues to be the most serious, authentic badass character in wrestling. It’s a close call with Joe, though.) [c]
-A Wardlow vignette aired. He said he felt worthless because of one man, MJF. Wardlow said MJF’s reign is coming to an end.
(6) RED VELVET vs. JULIA HART
The bell rang 27 minutes into the hour. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00. [c/db]
At 7:00, Velvet yanked Julia off the top rope over her head by her arms and scored a near fall. Julia came back with a kick to the chin and then set up a corner splash. She stomped on Velvet’s ribs and then leaped off the top rope with a moonsault press for the clean win.
WINNER: Hart in 8:00.
-After the match, Julia applied her Hartless hold. Skye Blue marched out and rolled into the ring to confront her. Julia stared into Blue’s eyes or inspected for mist in her mouth. Blue just stared her down. Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale walked out. Willow checked on Velvet. Statlander stood next to Blue. Hart left the ring.
-Backstage, R.J. City announced that AEW has signed Mariah May. She walked in and said she’s excited to be in AEW. He asked about her goals. She said she’s wrestled all over the world and is happy to be in AEW. She told R.J. she’s a big fan of his work. May was excited when R.J. said he could introduce her to Toni Storm next week. She kissed his cheek. [c]
(7) JAY WHITE (w/Juice Robinson, The Gunns) vs. MARK BRISCOE
White made his entrance first. Briscoe came out second. The bell rang 43 minutes into the hour. Briscoe shoulder-checked White and sent him rolling to the floor to regroup. Briscoe stayed on offense with an aggressive, relentless attack. He slapped him off the top turnbuckle to the floor. Then he leaped off the ring apron and landed a flying elbowdrop to White’s chest. They cut to a double-box break at 4:00. [c/db]
White took control after the break. Briscoe made a comeback and landed his top rope Froggy Elbow drop for a near fall. White came back with a sudden uranage. White landed a Kiwi Krusher for a near fall. Briscoe fired back with a high stack exploder. He charged, but White lifted his elbow. Briscoe fired back with a lariat. He yelled, “Jay Driller!” He set it up, but White backdropped out of it. WHite landed a sleeper suplex and then a brainbuster suplex for a two count. Briscoe chopped out of a Jay Driller set-up, but White hit a sudden sleeper suplex and then a Blade Runner for the win.
WINNER: White in 14:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good match. There wasn’t any suspense over the finish given the stakes.)
-MJF’s music played after the match. White and his crew looked at the stage. MJF showed up behind them. He attacked the Gunns and Juice with the Dynamite Diamond Ring. White wound up with the belt. MJF lifted his fist with the ring. White rolled out of the ring and retreated. MJF said he hopes White has had fun playing dress up as a top guy because he has to get in the ring with a real generational talent, MJF.
MJF said when he won the title, he promised himself he’d go down as the greatest AEW Champion of all time or die trying. He said White will have to kill him to beat him. He said he’s fighting not just for himself, but for everyone who has been on this journey with him since Day 1. He said he is fighting for everyone at home and everyone in the arena. “I’m not just a scumbag, I’m their scumbag,” he said. Fans chanted “We are scumbags!” MJF threw down the mic. The lights went out.
-Backstage, three guys in black masks were beating up The Acclaimed and Gunn. They threw Caster through a fake office with a big window. Then the MJF devil mask showed up briefly on the screen. MJF then ran to the back to check on Caster.
(Keller’s Analysis: White is such a cool heel, it’s good to have him run away like that. One of MJF’s better straight-forward promos in a while, too.)
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