AEW DYNAMITE RESULTS (6/19): Keller’s report on MJF vs. Rush, Claudio vs. Pac and Statlander vs. Rose in Owen Tournament matches, Bucks vs. Acclaimed, more

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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
JUNE 12, 2024
FAIRFAX, VA. AT EAGLEBANK ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON TBS

Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts

Attendance: WrestleTix reported earlier today that 3,445 tickets had been distributed so far; arena is set up for 3,927.

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PWTorch editor Wade Keller is joined by PWTorch’s Joel Dehnel to review AEW Dynamite LIVE tonight right after Dynamite. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Dynamite during the show.

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[HOUR ONE]

(1) MJF vs. RUSH

They opened right with the MJF ring entrance as Excalibur introduced the show. The bell rang 3 minutes into the hour with them meeting mid-ring and exchanging wild swings. MJF ducked a running Rush and then he did a strut. When he turned around, Rush slapped him in the chest. MJF returned fire. Rush let him wind up and play to the crowd before hitting another chop, but then MJF shifted into an eye poke. Rush head-butted MJF. They cut to a full screen replay and missed the next move by Rush. Rush then played to the crowd for an extended stretch rather than try to seize his advantage and win the match. He went back on the attack and gave the fans a middle finger gesture. MJF showed some life, but Rush knocked him back to the mat and stomped on him. Then he settled into a chinlock.

At 6:00 MJF went on a flurry with a kick to the head and then a DDT for a two count. When MJF made a cover after a piledriver, Rush blocked the ref’s third hand slap. When MJF charged, Rush overhead-tossed him into the corner. Fans chanted “MJF!” with a counter-chant of “Rush!” that wasn’t as loud. MJF leaped off the middle rope, but slipped, and Rush punched him out of mid-air. The slip looked accidental. Rush gave MJF a leaping piledriver for a near fall.

Rush threw MJF into the ringside barricade four times in rapid-fire succession, then kneed him over and over. He wrapped MJF in a cable and then reset the ref’s count by rolling into the ring. When he charged at MJF at ringside, MJF stood and sent him into the barricade with a drop toe hold. MJF set up a suplex on the ring apron, but Rush blocked it and then overhead-tossed MJF off the ring apron to the floor. Taz said MJF would feel that in 20 years.

Back in the ring, MJF made a comeback at 13:00 and rammed Rush into the top turnbuckle and then mounted him and punched away. He then bit his forehead and followed up with a Heat Seeker. He gave Rush a brainbuster next for a clean win.

WINNER: MJF in 14:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: Solid match start to finish, although Rush did more of his outdated crowd-work early in the match without any sense of urgency to try to win a fight. It feels like an old-school house show style from the 1970s or 1980s and feels out of place in the 2024 AEW culture. It feels like it’s playing to a different kind of fanbase. I hope MJF wrestles on TV more frequently. Jason Powell has been pushing for that for years, arguing that a big segment of AEW’s audience who don’t order PPVs actually don’t know how good he is in the ring. The Rush feud looks like it was just a short-term situation for this TV match.)

-Brian Cage, Toa Liona, Bishop Kaun, and Hechicero appeared on the big screen. Cage and Hechicero spoke. Cage said MJF should face Hechicero at Forbidden Door.

-Excalibur talked about the ladder match at Forbidden Door for the vacant TNT Title, noting that Dante Martin, Mark Briscoe, Jack Perry, and Konosuke Takeshita had qualified.

-Footage aired of Perry beating Dustin Rhodes last week on Dynamite.

-Renee Paquette interviewed Orange Cassidy, Dante Martin, Mark Briscoe, and Kyle O’Reilly backstage about their eight-man tag match later. Briscoe got a laugh from the crowd when he said the word of the day is “vengeance” and “redemption” and added that there’s two Words of the Day. Jack Perry walked past them. Briscoe stared at him and told him to get his ass out of there. Fans laughed again. O’Reilly continued to appear to be Briscoe’s biggest fan. Orange hung out with Renee after everyone else left and gave her a friendship bracelet. [c]

-Will Ospreay made his entrance, holding up his International Championship belt. Excalibur said in 11 days, he might be able to call himself World Champion. Swerve Strickland then came out with Prince Nana. Ospreay said they’re in the same ring together again. He said he held three different championships in three different continents at the same time, so he can handle the weight of two belts now. He said he will show him he is the best wrestler in the world today.

Swerve said he, not Ospreay, is the best wrestler. He said he’s been watching his career, and they’ve taken different career paths the last five years. He said he’s been excelling in two different worlds – pro wrestling and entertainment. He said he’s been doing it all by himself. He told Ospreay that he beat Kenny Omega last year at Forbidden Door with help and he asked if that’d be his approach this year. He asked if he’ll be calling Don Callis. Ospreay said he doesn’t need Callis. They cut to Callis, Trent Beretta, Kyle Fletcher, and Takeshita backstage watching.

Ospreay said last year when he beat Omega, that was just the start of the summer of Ospreay. He listed wrestlers he beat last summer. He said as Swerve had a Hit Row, while he had a hit list. He brought up Wembley Stadium being around the corner. He asked if he’s confident his Kill Shot will hit the target. He listed his signature moves. He said people will say he was on a different level. He said the pain he’ll feel if he uses the Tiger Driver ’91 will be at another level.

Ospreay said this will be Swerve’s first PPV main event as champion. Swerve said this is Ospreay’s first PPV main event and he has him to thank. Swerve said he dropped all his friends. He said everyone who came at him are in their graves. He asked who Ospreay will be if he breaks his leg or arm. “Will these people still love you the same way?” he asked. Swerve said he can leave the wrestling business and he is still the mogul, the businessman, the podcaster, the actor. He said the championship will consume Ospreay. He said he has to sacrifice that much more to be in the position he’s in. He said he doesn’t get it yet. He said he has to sacrifice the love of his wife and son to be successful at that level and he doesn’t think he’s ready for that. Ospreay told him, “Don’t you dare mention my son again; don’t make this personal, bruv.” Nana stepped in and said this isn’t the place or time. He told them to save all they’ve got for their match at Forbidden Door.

Ospreay began to leave to his music. Swerve called for the music to turn off and asked Ospreay, “What if I do want to make this personal?” He said when it comes to the title, when he goes home, send his regards to his wife and son. Ospreay ran back into the ring and got in Swerve’s face. They went forehead to forehead. Swerve’s music played. Taz said he thinks it was smart that Strickland just pushed that button on Ospreay.

-They went back to Callis and his wrestlers backstage. Callis said he knows Ospreay better than his own mother and things will be fine.

-They cut to Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Taz at ringside to throw to a sports gambling sponsor. [c]

(2) MARK BRISCOE & KYLE O’REILLY & ORANGE CASSIDY & DANTE MARTIN vs. ZACK SABRE JR. & KYLE FLETCHER & KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & RODERICK STRONG

The announcers talked more about Ospreay and Callis. The bell rang 51 minutes into the hour. Fletcher dove through the ropes onto Briscoe seconds into the match. A minute later Dante dove onto a crowd at ringside. He largely overshot everyone. They cut to a double-box break. [c/db]

After more action, Takeshita powerbombed Dante off the second rope and scored a two count. They cut to another double-box break at 10:00 as Strong and Takeshita had some heated words over miscommunication. [c/db]

ZSJ went on a flurry of offense, but Cassidy rolled him up. ZSJ leveraged Cassidy’s shoulders down. Cassidy and O’Reilly landed a high-low type move. After some more chaos, Cassidy nailed Strong with his Orange Punch for the win.

WINNERS: O’Reilly & Cassidy & Briscoe & Dante in 17:00.

-Perry attacked Dante on the stage after the match. Takeshita and Briscoe brawled on the stage. ZSJ and Cassidy, meanwhile, had a staredown mid-ring as Cassidy’s music played.

[HOUR TWO]

-A vignette aired on Stephanie Vaquer vs. Mercedes Moné, narrated by Mercedes. Mercedes called Vaquer a “bitch.” (Reset the Bitch-o-Meter.)

-Callis approached a fuming mad Rush backstage and had some words for him in Spanish. Rush punched a wall.

(3) THE YOUNG BUCKS (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) vs. THE ACCLAIMED (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens w/Billy Gunn)

The Bucks came out first. As Caster began his rap, the mic cut out. They cut backstage to Kazuchika Okada saying he pressed the wrong button and mock cried, then called Caster “bitch.” (Reset the Bitch-o-Meter again.) The Bucks charged at Caster and Bowens on the stage. The Acclaimed fought back as they brawled at ringside. The bell rang 5 minutes into the hour. Excalibur said The Acclaimed will earn an AEW Tag Team Title match if they win. He also noted that the Bucks have yet to defend their tag titles since winning them about two months ago. Bowens legdropped Matt Jackson as Caster spread his legs. They cut to a double-box break at 2:00. [c/db]

At 7:00 the Bucks pumped up their Reeboks and landed superkicks on Caster. They knocked Caster out of the ring and then went after Bowens. Matthew gave Bowens a low mule kick as he held the ref out of view to thwart a Bowens comeback. The Bucks delivered an EVP Trigger for a near fall seconds later.

Matthew swung a belt at Bowens, but Bowens ducked. He tried again, but hit Nicholas instead. Bowens then knocked Matthew out of the ring. Bowens and Caster finished Matthew with their finishing sequence. Billy Gunn entered the ring and raised the arms of The Acclaimed.

WINNERS: The Acclaimed in 10:00.

-Hook and Samoa Joe were chatting about life backstage and then planned how to approach The Premiere Athletes. Joe told Hook to be “extra” when they go in there. Hook and JOe barged in, and the room was empty, but “Smart” Mark Sterling left a note challenging them to a match on Collision. Siri’s voice in the background said, “I am going to smash these goofy bitches.” (Reset the Bitch-o-Meter again.)

-Excalibur said Shibata must’ve been the cameraman.

-Mariah May stood mid-ring and introduced the AEW Women’s Championship contract signing segment. She introduced Mina Shirakawa first. Shirakawa made her entrance which is a weird mix of Dawn Marie and Disco Inferno. May and Shirakawa smooched mid-ring twice. She then introduced Toni Storm. May said she loves them both. Shirakawa told her to shut up and then addressed Toni. She said Storm became a star in AEW, but as champion she got soft and weak. Fans “ohhh’d.” She said she’ll take her title and her girl at Forbidden Door.

Toni said she’ll “slap her bloody tits off” if she raises her voice to May again. She said, “This buffet is wide open, so grab a bowl and line up.” She said she has some advice for her. “Chin up, tits out, and watch for the shoe.” She signed the contract. Excalibur said the match is now official for Forbidden Door. Shirakawa told May she must choose between them. Saraya and Harley Cameron interrupted from the stage.

Saraya said she is so sick of them. “I didn’t come alone, bitch,” she said. (Reset the Bitch-o-Meter.) Anna Jay then attacked Shirakawa. Saraya attacked May. Cameron beat up Storm. Carmeron and Anna leaned the table in the corner and then Saraya set up a move on May. Storm made the save with her shoe. She spanked herself and then charged with a hip attack, but Saraya moved and she crashed through the table. Luther comforted Storm in the ring. [c]

-A vignette hyped Claudio Castagnoli vs. Pac in the main event tonight.

-They showed the Owen Hart Tournament brackets. The men’s bracket features Claudio vs. Pac and Bryan Danielson vs. Shingo Takagi in the left bracket and Rey Fenix vs. Jay White and Jeff Jarrett vs. a Wild Card in the right bracket. The women’s brackets features Willow Nightingale vs. Serena Deeb and Nyla Rose vs. Kris Statlander in the left bracket and Deonna Purrazzo vs. Hikaru Shida and Mariah May vs. Saraya in the right bracket.

(4) KRIS STATLANDER (w/Stokely Hathaway) vs. NYLA ROSE – Owen Hart Tournament match

The bell rang 32 minutes into the hour. Schiavone noted that Jeff Jarrett was a longtime friend of Owen so it is special for him to be in the tournament. (It’s good to explain that because it’s hard to justify him being in this high-stakes tournament otherwise.) They cut to a break at 2:00 with Statlander in control. [c/db]

Rose landed a cannonball in the corner for a near fall at 6:00. Statlander avoided a BeastBomb and then landed an axe kick for a near fall. Statlander finished Rose with a tombstone piledriver

WINNER: Statlander in 7:00 to advance.

-Afterward, Stokely cut a promo afterward and told Willow that if she lays a hand on him or Statlander, she’ll be in the same cell as Justin Timberlake. Willow appeared on the big screen and addressed Stokely. She congratulated Statlander on her win and then said she’ll be facing Serena Deeb on Rampage this Friday. She said there will be no more running after that and she’ll get one step closer to her goal of going to Wembley Stadium.

-Renee interviewed Private Party after a clip aired of “TV Time with Chris Jericho” last week. Jericho interrupted and waved at them. He said they cheated last week to get the advantage over them. He said this week’s lesson is that when facing Luchadors, he always avoided the piledriver. He said he always said, “That doesn’t work for me, brother” and he didn’t do it. Big Bill told them they made a first impression, but a bad one. He said they’ll be watching their match on Friday. Bryan Keith told Private Party they better respect Jericho.

(5) DANIEL GARCIA vs. TITUS RHETT

Titus mocked Garcia’s dance early. Matt Menard was on commentary and said no one has been more impressive than Garcia in recent months. Schiavone said he’s 9-1 in his last ten matches.

WINNER: Garcia in 1:30.

-Afterward, Kaun and Leona attacked Menard at ringside. Cage and Hechicero attacked Garcia in the ring. MJF ran out for the save, but he got overwhelmed by the numbers. Hechicero tried to snap MJF’s arm. Ospray made the save. Schiavone said it was bizarre, but he was loving it. MJF and Ospreay cleared the ring, then bumped into each other. Fans chanted “Holy shit!” as they had a staredown. [c]

-Backstage, Renee approached Ospreay. Ospreay said he didn’t care about MJF. Cage charged at him, but he was held back. Cage told him to put his title on the line and he’ll face him. Ospreay said Saturday on Collision works for him.

(6) CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI vs. PAC – Owen Hart Tournament match

Bryan Danielson was on commentary. The bell rang 54 minutes into the hour. They cut to a double-box break at 2:00. [c/db]

[OVERRUN]

Claudio gave Pac his mid-ring Giant Swing. He followed with a running clothesline for a two count at 10:00. Pac maneuvered into a Brutalizer. Claudio countered in a sharpshooter mid-ring. They went into a series of leverage near falls ending with Pac scoring a three count. They cut to a shocked Danielson. He said it’s hard to out-technique Claudio and he’s surprised. Danielson told Claudio it happens to the best of them.

WINNER: Pac in 13:00.

-Graphics advertised MJF live and Ultimo Guerrero vs. Okada on Collision on Saturday and a six-woman tag match, Jey White vs. Rey Fenix and Swerve & Ospreay vs. Leona & Kaun next week on Dynamite.