SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
APRIL 24, 2024
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. AT DAILY’S PLACE
AIRED LIVE ON TBS
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Attendance: WrestleTix reported coming into today that 2,134 tickets had been distributed so far; arena is set up for 2,459.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
[HOUR ONE]
-A black SUV pulls up and out come the Bucks and Okada. The audio is a bit off at first. Bucks and Okada brag about their wins at Sunday’s Dynasty PPV. Another black SUV pulls up and out comes Jack Perry. He tries to walk in with the others and security intercepts. The Bucks tell security that Perry is with them, and instruct the camera person to follow them because they’ve got business to take care of.
– Orange Cassidy’s music hits. Orange is tossed onto the stage and beaten up by Trent, who throws him into the ring and summons Chuck. Sayeth Trent: “Chuck, I’m sorry that I didn’t do this a long time ago. I’m sorry we spent five years hugging this narcissistic prick.” Orange was supposed to be our mascot and he made us his lackeys. “Orange Cassidy does not care about you. Orange Cassidy is not your friend.” A “freshly squeezed” chant. Trent tells Chuck he’s his friend and he loves him. “Do the right thing and give the people what they want,” Trent said as he threw his arms out for a hug. Chuck held his arms out, walked toward Trent and said, “Trent, I’ve always thought you were a piece of shit” and attacked. Chuck said they won’t clear him for a match in the ring, so let’s fight in the parking lot.
(Krol’s Analysis: Well, if nothing else, Chuck got to say “shit” on live TV, something he’s wanted to do for years. Is the parking lot brawl for tonight?)
-Mox is in back and cuts a promo and puts over Hobbs as a killer. “I’m acutely aware of what’s at stake tonight. It’s only going to take one mistake for my world to come crashing down tonight.” He knows the Callis Family will do anything to win. “Honestly for me, tonight’s going to suck. It’s going to be a march through hell. There’s no better way to feel alive. I don’t play golf, man. This is pro wrestling.”
(1) SWERVE STRICKLAND (w/Prince Nana) vs. KYLE FLETCHER (w/Don Callis)
This was a title eliminator match, or as they used to say back in the day, a non-title match. Strickland won the AEW World Title from Samoa Joe at the Dynasty PPV on April 21. Fletcher is the Ring of Honor TV champ and a member of the Don Callis family who is used to put over higher-on-the-card wrestlers.
They felt each other out during the opening minute. Excalibur tells Don Callis that he’s heard Callis is in recruiting mode. Callis doesn’t deny it. Excalibur plugs a newly added casino gauntlet match, saying the winner gets a title shot at the international title, held by Roderick Strong, for Double or Nothing in late May.
Schiavone says they don’t know the competitors yet. Why not announce some top stars to keep viewers interested/give them a hook. Callis praises Swerve serving his country and says he’ll be a great champion, until he crosses the Callis family and he’s not. Fletcher kicked Swerve off the apron to ringside. They went to the double box at 4:30 with Swerve sending Fletcher to the outside. Swerve threw his opponent into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Fletcher took over and slammed Swerve and played to the crowd. Swerve blocked a punch, hit Fletcher and took him down with a neckbreaker and pin attempt. Swerve applied an armbar and headlock as they killed time during the ads that take up most of the screen. Back to full screen at 7:20. Backbreaker by Swerve. Fletcher with a superkick and a falcon arrow. The Bucks, Perry and Okada are shown backstage (inset box) going into an office marked as Tony Khan’s.
Swerve hit a top rope stomp onto Fletcher on the apron as Prince Nana does a call-and-response “Who’s House” with the crowd. Swerve is selling a hurt ankle after that as Fletcher gets him in an ankle lock and sits down with it. Swerve makes the ropes at the 11-minute mark. The audio sounds funky like the fans are reacting in a cave. Some audio issues tonight.
They countered each other and Swerve hit an upkick, then a brainbuster for two. Swerve went for a tombstone but Fletcher reversed, Swerve reversed again and then Fletcher did again but had a hard time getting him up for the power move he attempted. Callis called for “Melbourne.” Fletcher looked under the ring but didn’t find the apparent table he was looking for. Fletcher tried for the superplex. Swerve hit him and escaped. Swerve got the double stomp from the top but Fletcher kicked out late. Swerve quickly hit the house call back head kick for the win.
WINNER: Swerve Strickland in 14:38.
(Krol’s Analysis: Started off a bit slowly. Got there by the end but had a couple of problems along the way. A way to get Swerve in a match and show off the new champion after Dynasty. Crowd was hot for this.)
-Excalibur plugged Kenny Omega appearing in Winnipeg live next week on Dynamite.
-Renee Paquette interviewed Thunder Rosa, who lost Sunday. Rosa was proud despite the loss. Deonna Purazzo interrupted her and said she makes excuses. They got in a pushing match that security broke up. (ad break)
-A video package recapped Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson at Dynasty, carried by Justin Roberts announcing this a “drrrrreaaaam match.” They showed the finishing sequence but not the pin.
(2) ANNA JAY vs. MINA SHIRAKAWA (w/Mariah May)
The context to this match:Mariah and Mina used to team together in Stardom, a Japanese women’s wrestling promotion as Rose Gold in 2023. Mina defeated Anna Jay on March 13 in Boston in a match taped for Ring of Honor. AEW appears to be setting up a match between Mariah’s former and current partners in Mina and Toni Storm, and this was the latest part of that. Seems logical for Forbidden Door, but Double or Nothing is just a month away.
Shirakawa came out doing her Stardom Club Venus dance. They video recapped Mina making a save for Mariah and kissing her from a couple weeks ago. Excalibur mentioned two were Stardom tag team champions. Anna with strikes at the start. Mina worked the knee, as she often does. The figure four is one of her signature moves. Mariah got the crowd to chant “Mina.” Mina hit a Russian leg sweep and did elbow drops on Anna’s knee. Mina got the figure four on but Anna quickly reached the ropes. Anna raked the eyes and did a reverse neckbreaker on the ropes. They cut to the double box at about 3 minutes. Anna got the heat during the ad break. Back at about the six-minute mark. Striking battle with forearms that Mina won. Mina up top and drove Anna to the mat with her knee for two. A bit awkward before that spot played out. Anna took over briefly and got a two count. Dragon screw by Mina and back to the figure four. Rope break. Mina top rope missile dropkick and a head kick for two. Mina attempt at a glamorous driver reversed into a queen slayer but Mina gets out and executes a rollup pin for the win.
WINNER: Shirakawa in 9:00.
-Mariah brought in champagne and two glasses after but Anna attacked both to get her heat back. Anna put the queenslayer on Mariah, then Toni Storm ran out for the save and Anna bailed. Toni checked on Mariah as the black-and-white video was on screen. Serena Deeb’s music played out she came. Excalibur noted Deeb is undefeated this year. Deeb sat down on the ramp steps and looked at the women’s title belt Toni had left in her haste. Deeb seemed to challenge Toni for the belt, speaking into the camera but the audio wasn’t great. Excalibur had to recap the challenge. (ad break)
(Krol’s Analysis: The match was fine, better than many AEW women’s matches you’ll see. The post-match angle was interesting in that they had the table set for the Toni-Mina-Mariah triangle to play out but Deeb interrupted instead. Perhaps it will be Deeb vs. Toni at Double or Nothing.)
-The Willow Nightingale celebration segment was next. Stokely Hathaway and Kris Statlander were in the ring. The ringposts had balloons. Stoke plugged Bill Weathers’ 1977 hit “Lovely Day,” saying it was a lovely day when his friend Willow won the TBS Title at the PPV. Statlander also praised Willow, who came out to her upbeat, peppy entrance music that sounds like an homage to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.” ROH’s Caprice Coleman was on commentary to do his rap along to Willow’s music, but it was hard to hear him. Willow recapped her rise from rinside cheering section in 2020 to the “Face of TBS.” Cue the piped-in “CEO” chant as Mercedes Mone walked to the ring and danced for bit.
Actual CEO chants. Mone asked Jacksonville to say hello to their CEO. Willow noted it was the fourth time Mone had interrupted her. Mone said she just came out to congratulate her. “Enjoy the celebration because in 32 days you’re looking at the new face and the new TBS champion,” said Mone, who asked Willow whether she was “that bitch” who attacked her backstage on a previous episode of Dynamite. Willow asked Mone if she thinks she intentionally injured her when they wrestled in New Japan.
Mone: Are you asking me if I blame you for almost ending my career? Are you asking me if I blame you for all the pain and suffering, and for taking the one thing she loves the most. “You don’t want the truth, Willow. You just want to feel better about what you did to me.” Willow said she felt bad about what happened to her. Willow said she wondered whether she could have beaten Mone at 100%, so there was an asterisk next to her reign. Willow wants to beat Mone to show she can defeat her at 100 percent. Mone told her to enjoy her reign because she knows in her heart she can’t beat her. Mone slapped Willow and there was a pull apart with Stoke, Stat and the ref in between. Willow’s music hit as Mone walked back up the ramp. They plugged the match at Double or Nothing.
(Krol’s analysis: This was better than I figured it would be, but still kinda wooden at times.)
-Backstage, Alex Marvez asked Jack Perry if he was reinstated in AEW. Perry blew him off with a patronizing pat on the chest, as did Okada and Nicholas Jackson. Matthew Jackson said he wished he had a better scoop for Marvez, then added that Tony Khan agreed to meet with Jack Perry tonight in the ring. They cut to a recap of Jack Perry’s New Japan run. Excalibur affirmed that Khan and Perry would talk tonight in the ring live.
(3) CASINO GAUNTLET MATCH – Intercontinental Title shot at Double or Nothing at stake
Order of entry: Jay White, Dante Martin, Penta, Kyle O’Reilly, Will Ospreay, Lance Archer, Komander, Jay Lethal,
Jay White came out with the Gunn Bros, then Dante Martin. They’re up first. Dante walloped Jay at ringside, but back in the ring Jay dumped Dante over the top. Penta was next out about two minutes after the first two started. Hit a superkick on Dante. They went to a double box ad break. They waited until after the ad break for the next competitor to come in, and it was longer than two minutes. Kyle O’Reilly was next, fresh off his loss to International champ Roddy Strong at Dynasty. Kyle went after the arms of the other three. Excalibur said it’s sudden death and the winner is the first to score a pinfall or submission.
Will Ospreay next out. Big reaction after crowd was dead for Kyle segment. Will hit a standing Spanish fly on Dante for two. Lance Archer next out. He slugged Ospreay and Kyle and knocked them down. Archer caught Dante and slammed him onto Jay White. Penta taken down by an Archer shoulder tackle. Kyle caught Archer in a front guillotine. Another double box ad break. Archer continued his dominance outside the ring, getting a table. Apparently plunder is OK in this one. Archer tried to put Ospreay through the table but he fought it off. Ospreay went for an elbow off the apron but Archer brushed him off. White tried to get Archer up but Archer hit him with an elbow instead. Archer threw Penta into the ringside steps. Archer chokeslammed White on the apron. Archer getting almost all offense since entering this one.
Back from ad break about 13:20 into the match. Komander is in next. The smaller competitor reversed a power bomb attempt and rana’ed him and Archer flipped and broke the tables. We got Ospreay and Komander being fast and trading counters. Komander a DDT for two. White hit an uranage for two. Taz reminded us it’s sudden death. First pinfall or submission determines the winter. Ospreay a Liger bomb and White kicked out at the last second. Ospreay set up Jay White for the hidden blade but Jay Lethal’s music hit and distracted Ospreay. He hit Lethal Injection on Penta, who rolled out. Sleeper suplex on Lethal by White. Ospeay and O’Reilly traded great counters. Schiavone said there could be as many as 21 wrestlers waiting backstage to enter, which is the first time they’ve said that, I think. Ospreay hit the hidden blade on Komander, who was covering Kyle O’Reilly (I think). Ospreay got the win.
Roderick Strong and the whole Undisputed Kingdom came out and Strong held up the belt and had a face to face with Ospreay.
WINNER: Will Ospreay in 17:30.
(Krol’s Analysis: Interesting that a top star like Ospreay came out for this. AEW usually doesn’t put big stars in their battle royals, leaving viewers wondering why not. Ospreay challenging Roderick Strong seems like an odd choice. Ospreay taking a big step down from facing Bryan Danielson at Dynasty. You would assume Ospreay wins, but if he’s destined for the All In World Title shot in London, not sure why you’d have him win that belt. Unless that’s not the plan.)
-FTW Champion Chris “The Learning Tree” Jericho came out as they showed how he downed Hook. Earlier tonight, Taz said Hook wasn’t here and wasn’t cleared/was recovering from the match after the bat shot. Taz said Hook will be back. Jericho is booed. “There’s been a lot of negative connotation with FTW, does it mean F the World?” Jericho said now it means “For the World” because he won it for all the fans. Jericho claimed Terry Funk told him it was his duty to teach the next generation. Jericho leaning into a new persona that might be a mocking of C.M. Punk.
Jericho said Hook needs to get rid of the dead weight that surrounds him, like Taz and Shibata. Most importantly, listen to me when I tell you to stay down, Hook. “You forced me to hit you in the head with a baseball bat,” Jericho said. He also said so many bigger stars have been drawn into the “Jericho Vortex” and come out bigger stars. Big Bill came out, said he’d been in the back listening to him and has only one thing to say. “I need the guidance of the learning tree,” said Bill after a pause when he appeared to try to remember his line. “Chris, everyone knows you are the Socrates of professional wrestling. Always willing to give advice, lend a hand and take a less-established guy and bring him right up to the top with you.”
Bill said there’s a long line of guys in the back foaming at the mouth for the opportunity to be part of the learning tree. But there’s no one bigger than me or better fit for the learning tree than me, Bill continued. (I thought Jake Hager was Jericho’s heater.) Jericho said he’s been a big fan of Bill for years and he’s one of the reasons he’s in AEW, so he’s going to think about what he said. “You do that. I’ll show you. Watch,” Bill replied. Jericho said he’d been watching him.
(Krol’s Analysis: That was weird. Bill was kinda wooden. Didn’t seem to get over with the live crowd.)
-Ospreay and Paquette were backstage. Callis interrupted and asked why Ospreay retired the Tiger Driver. Kyle Fletcher, who was with Callis, tried to intervene on Will’s behalf but Callis blew him off. Afterward, Ospreay apologized to Kyle, who shook his head. They seem to be setting up Ospreay and Kyle, both United Empire stablemates in New Japan, for when Ospreay splits off from the Callis Family. (ad break)
(4) JON MOXLEY vs. “POWERHOUSE” HOBBS (w/Don Callis) – IWGP Hvt. Title match
The context: This is for Moxley’s newly won IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Moxley defeated New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Tetsuya Naito at Windy City Riot on April 12. There was some consternation among NJPW hardcores that this was made into a title match. New Japan typically announces one title match at a time, and Moxley is set to defend against Ren Narita on May 4 at the Wrestling Dontaku in Fukuoka, Japan. The fix seems simple: In the extremely unlikely event that Hobbs wins the title, he gets to defend against Narita.
Mox entered first through the crowd to “Wild Thing.” Hobbs came out through some smoke with Callis. Excalibur teased that Tony Khan and Jack Perry would be in the ring still to come tonight.
Excalibur reminded viewers that Rampage follows Collision for another three hour block on Saturday night. Mox hit a German suplex on Hobbs early but Hobbs popped up. Mox outside and booted Hobbs over the barricade. Callis said Hobbs grew up on the streets of Oakland and is comfortable outside the ring. Excalibur explained that in New Japan matches, there’s a 20-count. Taz noted it’s rare to see a New Japan title match on TV in the States. Taz needled Callis for his issues with Ospreay and Fletcher. They abruptly cut to the double box as Hobbs took over on offense as the heel often does during such ad breaks. Back live at 7:20, Mox elbowed out of a bear hug. Not as much heat as you’d have figured for this so far. Mox got out of the way as Hobbs charged him in the corner. Ref checks on Hobbs and his right knee, over to Mox, then back to Hobbs. Mox punched Hobbs as he was in the corner. Mox then quicky hit the Paradigm Shift, but Hobbs kicked out. Mox put on the bulldog choke and Hobbs passed out. Hobbs clearly hurt his knee/leg and Mox did his best to quickly adjust and go home.
WINNER: Moxley in 10:40.
(Krol’s Analysis: Hope Hobbs is okay. That match ended sooner than they probably planned for.)
-Takeshita came out on the ramp and motioned to Moxley, calling him out. Unclear if that is to set up a match for a coming show or to fill time. Mox left through the crowd and the camera stayed with him.
-Excalibur went to the plugs. Collision will defend the trios titles against, Toni Storm vs. Anna Jay. For Rampage, Rosa vs. Purazzo and a parking lot fight with Trent vs. Chuck. Collision will start after the NBA game wraps up, about a half hour later than usual.
-Shibata was with Paquette backstage and challenged Jericho in Winnipeg next week for the FTW Championship. Shibata did the smartphone translator gimmick, and complimented Renee’s sparkly outfit.
-Schiavone introduced Jack Perry, who came out to boos, no music and “Oh, Cry Me A River” chants. Perry said he’s had some of the best nights of his life in Jacksonville, but tonight he has business to handle. He wants to handle it right now with Tony Khan, who came out to no music as the announcers filled in that we haven’t seen Perry since All In in London. Perry said it’s been a long road. Perry said AEW has gone on to change the world in the last five years since the first Double or Nothing. Perry said it’s no secret he and Tony have had their ups and downs, but the only thing he’s ever wanted is what’s best for AEW. Tony pounded his heart. Jack Perry asked Khan to shake his hand, reinstate him and go on to change the world, together.
Khan moved toward Perry, shook his hand and hugged him. Perry turned to the camera and smirked. Perry raised Khan’s hand, then eventually attacked Khan with a shot. The Bucks and Okada came out and attended to Khan. The Bucks helped Khan up and had him in the BTE Trigger position. Okada told them no. Bucks hit a stuff flip piledriver from the top rope. The crowd booed. Perry dragged Khan to the center of the ring as Bryce Remsburg asked what the hell was wrong with them. Matthew Jackson said “thank you Jacksonville, we love you so much.” The heel left up the ramp as Aubrey Edwards chastised them. Some of the babyfaces came out of the locker room, very late. Shad Khan, Tony Khan’s father, was with them checking on his son.
(Krol’s Analysis: There was no music at the end, and this felt kinda flatter than they would have wanted for such a huge heat segment. A lot to unpack here. I have a feeling that Tony Khan will be okay and on camera for the NFL draft on Thursday.)
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.