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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
DECEMBER 4, 2024
FISHERS, IND. AT FISHERS EVENT CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON TBS
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
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PWTorch columnist Greg Parks guest hosts with PWTorch’s Joel Dehnel to discuss 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]
-The show opened inside the arena straight away with shots of a raucous crowd as Excalibur hyped week two of the Continental Classic. They gave a video recap of the first week, with brief comments from those competing in the tournament tonight. The updated standings in each league were shown, as well as a graphic presented for each of the two tournament matches slated for this evening.
(1) SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. KYLE FLETCHER – Continental Classic Blue League match
Don Callis joined the commentary team for the match. The rules of the tournament were shown on-screen during Fletcher’s entrance. After a few tie-ups, the crowd began a light “Fletcher sucks” chant. The two paced themselves for a long match early, with Fletcher playing to “Let’s go Shelton” chants from the crowd. Fletcher hammered away on Benjamin in the corner and the ref had to move him back. That allowed Benjamin to explode out with a clothesline that sent Fletcher outside the ring to regroup. “Ospreay’s better” chant at Fletcher. “I don’t observe daylight savings time or time zones,” said Callis in the out-of-context quote of the week. The two men spilled to the outside as they went to a break at 5:36 of the match. [c/db]
Back at 8:36 of the tournament match. The two exchanged forearms mid-ring with the crowd chanting along with each strike. Benjamin clotheslined Fletcher over the top rope and to the floor. He bounced Fletcher alternately off the barricade and apron before culminating with a throw into the ringside steps. The referee reached the count of nine but Benjamin broke it by heading to the outside and missing a charge at Fletcher. Benjamin re-entered the ring at nine but was clotheslined down for a two-count.
The two battled mid-ring again. Fletcher missed a side kick as did Benjamin (though Benjamin’s leg didn’t reach as high as Fletcher’s). Michinoku Driver earned Fletcher a near-fall. A kick by Benjamin stunned Fletcher and both men were down once again. Benjamin powerbombed Fletcher and stacked him, but then turned it into a submission move. Fletcher reached the ropes for a break. He surprised Benjamin with a kick then hit an elbowdrop off the top rope for two. Benjamin fired back with German suplexes. He hit three of them, which popped the crowd. A sunset flip by Fletcher couldn’t get him the win, but a roll-up – using the rope for leverage – did.
WINNER: Fletcher in 15:47 to earn three points.
(Parks’s Analysis: Solid match, with likely a slower start than some would’ve imagined. Yet it served to get the crowd into it as the first five minutes was almost played as if they were wrestling at a house show. I don’t mean that as a pejorative, either. The fact they protected Benjamin the way they did at the finish here may say that AEW sees him as more than a sidekick to Bobby Lashley. Either that, or they just want Fletcher to really heel it up.)
-They replayed some Continental Classic highlights from Saturday on Collision.
-Hook came out to the ring. He challenged Nick Wayne for a fight. Christian Cage slowly came out with Mother Wayne. Nick Wayne and Kip Sabian jumped Hook from behind. Hook put Wayne in Redrum and then caught Christian trying to get involved. The numbers were too much as Cage hit Hook with the contract case and the assault was on from there. The heels set up for a Conchairto on the wrist of Hook. Wayne ended up connecting with it. Hook writhed in pain.
(Parks’s Analysis: This doesn’t feel like a particularly hot program for a heel that was once as hot as Christian was.)
-Renee Paquette approached Mercedes Mone backstage. Paquette asked for a comment about the backstage attack on Kamille last week. Mone said she doesn’t want to hear that name and that she doesn’t want to talk about her. Mone turned her attention to Anna Jay and said she’d be watching her match against Penelope Ford closely tonight. She then hit her catchphrase.
-A graphic advertised that the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royal would be next. [c]
-MVP chewed out Benjamin backstage for his loss while Lashley stood by quietly. “I love you man, but I’m disappointed,” said MVP. MVP and Lashley walked away. A stagehand walking by bumped into Benjamin. He grabbed the guy and threw him into the garage door. MVP and Lashley returned to the scene to bash a bunch of other people that tried to get involved.
(2) DYNAMITE DOZEN BATTLE ROYAL
Adam Cole was the only one who got an entrance as all others were already in the ring. The rules were listed on-screen, as the final two will square off next week at Winter is Coming. The winner of that match will then face MJF at Worlds End for the Dynamite Diamond Ring. This is defintely an eclectic mix of talent. Evil Uno tried to get Cole to team up with him, but that didn’t work. A back-scratch and a hair-pull by Uno led to him mocking Cole. Mark Davis then eliminated Uno 52 seconds into the match. Cole caught The Butcher with a superkick.
Both members of Top Flight found themselves on the apron but battled their way back in against Lance Archer and Brian Cage. At about two minutes, half the participants were laying around the ring as if it had been 15 minutes. Top Flight were again on the apron, and this time they were eliminated by Action Andretti and Lio Rush. Davis double-clotheslined Rocky Romero and O’Reilly. He then delivered a pile-driver to Butcher. Archer and Cage took turns walloping Davis. Davis was clotheslined out at 3:39. They took a break 3:48 into the match. [c/db]
Back at 6:49 with Andretti coming off the top for a clothesline on Romero. Both men found themselves on the apron. A pump kick by O’Reilly out of nowhere eliminated Andretti at 7:32. O’Reilly dumped out Rush thanks in part to a low bridge from Romero at 7:49. Archer and Cage sent Romero over the top at 8:25.
At this point, the match was down to five. Butcher and Cole paired off and Cole kicked him off the apron and to the floor at 8:49. It was down to Cole, O’Reilly, Cage, and Archer. Cage hung on to the top rope to stay in and nearly suplexed Cole out. Archer chokeslammed O’Reilly onto the top turnbuckle. Cole superkicked Cage, who found himself seated on the apron. On one side of the ring, Cole kicked Cage out while on the other side, at the same time, O’Reilly kicked Archer out.
WINNERS: Cole and O’Reilly, at 10:08.
O’Reilly and Cole exchanged words after the match and O’Reilly bumped Cole’s shoulder on his way by and out of the ring.
(Parks’s Analysis: Too many similar elimination spots with guys ending up on the apron before eventually departing. It also would’ve been nice to have some kind of explanation for how these particular competitors ended up in the match that is in theory, for a prestigious prize. It seemed like the names could’ve just as easily been picked out of a hat at random. Cole and O’Reilly as co-winners was predictable, though not necessarily the wrong result here.)
-A Julia Hart video aired, focusing on Jamie Hayter.
-The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn were backstage. Paquette walked up and Max Caster tried to play it up as cool but Gunn said things were not okay. He said MVP is in Caster’s head. Anthony Bowens tried to talk some sense into Caster at Gunn’s request. Bowens told Caster to go prove he’s the best wrestler alive. Caster thanked him for that support. He was over-the-top positive while Gunn and Bowens were clearly frustrated with him.
(3) SWERVE STRICKLAND vs. MAX CASTER
Caster’s rap included references to Hunter Biden and being Swerve’s new dad. Strickland attacked before the bell, knocking Caster around the ringside area. When Strickland rolled Caster into the ring, Aubrey Edwards called for the bell. Strickland landed a German suplex on Caster. The fight went to ringside, this time officially. Caster turned the tide with shots on Strickland before throwing him back into the ring. Strickland no-sold a springobard dropkick and connected with the House Call. Another one found the mark. The crowd was very much behind Strickland here. A third House Call spelled the end for Caster.
WINNER: Strickland, at 2:14.
(Parks’s Analysis: Good, aggressive performance both in the ring and in demeanor from Strickland. Moving Caster to MVP’s group might be the best thing for him at this point.)
Strickland teased leaving the ring but decided to head to the top rope to deliver more punishment. He came down on Caster with the Swerve Stomp. Strickland gave a message into the camera, directed toward Lashley.
-Excalibur plugged Pac vs. Jay White for later tonight, plus Brody King vs. Claudio Castagnoli in Gold League action. [c]
-They replayed the finish and post-match of the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royal. A graphic displayed that match-up for next week.
-At an alternate location, a clean-shaven MJF reacted to O’Reilly and Cole winning the battle royal. He chastised Cole for turning on him and the butterfly effect that caused for others. Somehow, Jon Moxley’s title reign was blamed on Cole. “I’m sick of you walking around, pretending you’re the hero when really, you’re the villain,” he said. MJF said he knows Cole can’t beat O’Reilly and that will be proven next week.
[HOUR TWO]
-A video package showed what led us to the upcoming Pac vs. Jay White match.
(4) “SWITCHBLADE” JAY WHITE vs. PAC
Pac entered through the crowd. Wheeler Yuta was at ringside for this and got on the apron to provide an immediate distraction. It didn’t work. White cornered Pac and delivered chops. He whipped Pac into the ropes but Pac slid out of the ring. White caught Pac in his finisher, but Pac squirmed out of it and shoved Yuta in anger at ringside. White regained the advantage in the ring, peppering Pac with rights and sending him down with a back-body drop. Pac got dumped to ringside, hitting his back on the apron on the way down. A front suplex was next, from Whtie to Pac, with Pac landing chest-first on the apron. Yuta again got involved, pulling White off the apron by the leg and clotheslining him. Pac sent White into the barricade. They went to break 4:53 into the match. [c/db]
They returned at 7:23 of the match with White working out of a rest hold. The two exchanged blows mid-ring. A half-and-half front suplex sent Pac into the corner and both men struggled to recover. White planted Pac with a DDT that included Pac’s patented head-first sell. No one does it better. Pac’s chest had been reddended by chops. Uranage put Pac on the mat and again both were down. Pac was up to his feet first. White charged but ran into Pac’s boot. Top the top went Pac, who rolled through a Shooting Star Press. They exchanged moves and counters until White felled Pac with a half-and-half suplex. Pac locked White in a standing brutalizer. White’s mouth was bloodied. White reached for the ropes, fell to a knee, and leaned forward to grab the rope. Yuta again pulled White out of the ring and connected on a busaiku knee. White surprised Pac with a Blade Runner in the ring for the win.
WINNER: White, at 13:25.
(Parks’s Analysis: Really good, smooth match. Almost a preview for what could be a standout PPV match as in the first half, the flow was hampered a bit by them constantly going outside the ring just as they were getting rolling inside.)
White fought off Yuta after the match, but Marina Shafir came out, soon followed by Jon Moxley, who seemed enraged by White’s win. He took out White with the Paradigm Shift. Adam Page then entered the arena to his music. The two had a stand-off in the aisle. A production crew member wandered into the shot with a cable, but then they started choking Moxley with it. It was revealed to be Orange Cassidy. Cassidy and Page attacked Moxley. Cassidy ended up getting the upper hand on the group. An Orange Punch, followed by a Blade Runner from White, took out Moxley. Page pulled himself onto the apron and walloped Moxley with a Buckshot Lariat. As the heels retreated up the aisle, Christian Cage came out and watched over the proceedings, contract in hand.
(Parks’s Analysis: A much-needed “victory” for the babyfaces in this feud. How Cassidy, Page and White, three good guys without much in common seemingly, work together against the Death Riders is an intriguing story AEW could tell moving forward.)
-A video aired hyping Worlds End later this month.
-Jamie Hayter addressed Julia Hart via the camera backstage. She said Hart’s mind games don’t work on her. Hayter said she came back to right wrongs and settle scores, which has nothing to do with Hart. She hyped the International Women’s Cup and said she’s ready to fight. Hayter challenged Hart for her comeback match. [c]
-In a faux news report, Chris Jericho plugged ROH Final Battle as well as the other AEW shows at Hammerstein Ballroom. He also talked about All In: Texas, on July 12. He said his opponent at Final Battle will be revealed tomorrow on the weekly ROH show, which can be viewed at WatchROH.com.
-In what looked like an old west town from a century ago, a Sheriff and a town member were talking about an outlaw that was about to return. The sheriff put up a wanted poster for Bandido.
(5) ANNA JAY vs. PENELOPE FORD
During Jay’s entrance, they showed a video package of the issues that have developed between these two over the years. Jay delivered knees to the gut of Ford. She missed a kick in the corner, allowing Ford to take over. With Jay laying on the apron, Ford came over the top and connected with both her knees to Jay’s mid-section. Jay was then thrown into the barricade. They cut to break at 2:07. [c/db]
Back at 5:07 with Ford in control. A handspring back-elbow found the mark for Ford. With Ford on the top rope, Jay brought her down by the arm. Jay then hit a neck-breaker on Ford using the middle rope. A cutter was blocked by Jay, who cinched in the Queen Slayer. Ford got out of it and hit a stunner for two. A top-rope moonsault by Ford missed the mark. Jay capitalized but couldn’t finish her. Ford hooked in a bridging death-lock but Jay reached the ropes. Ford got frustrated and in the face of Aubrey Edwards, which allowed Jay to land her finisher for the win.
WINNER: Jay, at 8:47.
(Parks’s Analysis: A decent enough steppingstone victory for Jay. She’s improved enough to earn this opportunity and does feel like a fresh challenger.)
Jay addressed Mone after the match. She demanded Mone come out. Mone said if Kris Statlander can’t beat her for the title, what makes Jay think she can? Mone said if Jay wants a title shot, she should come back in 10 years when she’s done something in this business. Jay slapped Mone across the face. Mone appeared ready to fight, but then left the ring, saying she didn’t have time for this.
-Excalibur ran through a few matches for Dynamite Holiday Bash in two weeks, including Mercedes Mone vs. Anna Jay for the TBS Title, and a Gold League match with Darby Allin facing Will Ospreay.
-Next, it’s Brody King vs. Claudio Castagnoli in Gold League action. [c]
-Renee Paquette had a sit-down interview with Mariah May about what she tried to do to Mina Shirakawa at Full Gear. Paquette almost gave up on the interview straight away. May said whatever she does is the right decision and that giving a title shot to her friend is a good thing. She just said she wanted to make Shirakawa work for it when she’s in the ring with her. She talked about how bad the women’s division is. Shirakawa then walked in with a bottle of champagne and gave it to May, telling her to do it to her face. She said they’d be matching up at Winter is Coming and told May to make her work.
(6) BRODY KING vs. CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI – Continental Classic Gold League match
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but King and Castagnoli exchanged blows mid-ring. Castagnoli brought King’s arm down over his shoulders, and King responded with a chop using that arm. King’s arm continued to be a target for Castagnoli. Excalibur said that was the arm that was surgically repaired prior to last year’s Continental Classic tournament. King missed a corner charge and Castagnoli delivered numerous European uppercuts to his foe. They plugged that Kyle Fletcher would take on Okada on Collision in a Continental Classic match. Castagnoli wrapped the arm and wrist of King around the ring post. They went to break at 3:43 of the match. [c/db]
Back at 6:13 with King fighting off Castagnoli’s attacks. A death valley driver got King a two-count. King came up bleeding from the bridge of his nose. Castagnoli tossed King into the air and hit him with a European uppercut as he came down. That earned him a near-fall. A DVD of Castagnoli’s own also got him a two. Elbows to the jaw of King had little effect. At about the eight minute mark, they reached the top of the hour.
[OVERRUN]
King and Castagnoli again slugged it out. Chops and punches with the right arm seemed to give King some pain. Cannonball in the corner from King for a near-fall. Castagnoli came off the middle rope but right into an elbow strike from King. Excalibur hurriedly ran down the action coming up on Rampage and Collision this week. To the top, King set up for and then delivered a superplex. The fans reacted to that. Piledriver by King for two. “Let’s go Brody” chant from the audience.
King continued to strike with the injured right arm. It still looked like he had a lot of juice behind the shots. King missed a cross-body outside the ring, instead colliding with the barricade. King ended up in the front row. He struggled to get back to ringside and just beat the ten-count. Castagnoli hit the ropes but ran into a lariat from King. Castagnoli distracted the ref and delivered a low blow, then a neutralizer to end things.
WINNER: Castagnoli in 14:17 to earn three points.
Schiavone plugged Pac and Jon Moxley vs. Jay White and Orange Cassidy, just announced, for next week.
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