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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
AUGUST 24, 2022
CLEVELAND, OHIO
AIRED LIVE ON TBS
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
[HOUR ONE]
-The Dynamite opening aired.
-Jim Ross introduced the show as pyro blasted on the entrance stage.
-The JAS logo appeared on screen and Chris Jericho walked out to “Judas.” Excalibur said there might be issues internally with the Jericho Appreciation Society. As Jericho walked out, they aired inset clips of Daniel Garcia taking exception to Jericho attacking Bryan Danielson after their match last week. The announcers also touted Will Ospreay in action later. When the music faded, Jericho welcomed everyone to Dynamite. He said he and Garcia agreed to work out their differences face to face tonight. He called Garcia a future world champion and his protege as he introduced him.
Garcia walked out. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Fans chanted “You’re a wrestler!” at Garcia. Ross said that’s a compliment. Jericho said, “I’m trying to be civil about this. Please shut up!” Fans booed. Jericho told Garcia the fans don’t understand the connection they have. He said he had a great match with Danielson, but emotions were running high afterward when he turned around and slapped his hand away. He said Garcia went through hell and just lost, so it’s understandable, but he wanted him to apologize to him. Fans chanted, “No! No! No!”
Garcia said, “You knew how special that moment was to me, to share the ring with my hero Bryan Danielson.” Jericho nodded. He said the match got rave reviews and some called it the best match in Dynamite history. He said he hung with Danielson for 30 minutes. He said that was the kind of match he always dreamed of having when he was a kid. He said he hopes there was a kid watching last week who wants to have a match some day that makes them feel the way he felt last week. He said when Danielson offered his hand out of respect, he said he didn’t care if people called him a wrestler or a sports entertainer, it was a moment for him. He yelled that Jericho ruined that moment for him.
Jericho said he’s sorry he feels that way, but there will be plenty more moments like that because “you are the greatest technical sports entertainer in the world today.” Fans booed. He said deep down he knows he is a sports entertainer, so he wants to hear him say it. Fans chanted, “You’re a wrestler!” Jericho yelled for him to say it. As Garcia lifted the mic to talk, Danielson’s entrance theme played. A stressed-out Garcia turned to watch Danielson walk out. Schiavone decried Jericho trying to make this all about him. Taz said Garcia should realize where his bread is buttered and appreciate the opportunity Jericho has given him.
Danielson said his mentor is trying to bully him into saying he’s a sports entertainer. He told Garcia that he can be whatever he wants to be, but he respects that they wrestled last week. He said he agrees with the fans that he’s a wrestler. Fans cheered. Jericho asked, “You’re really going to do this to me? You’re a sports entertainer and I want to hear you say it!” Garcia yelled for Jericho to stop it. He said he’s torn between his mentor and his hero. “I can’t do it,” he said. “Leave me alone.” He turned to leave. Jericho turned him around forcefully. Garcia shoved Jericho down. He looked conflicted. Danielson laughed on the side. Fans chanted, “You deserved it!” Garcia marched to the back.
Danielson said he’s not the biggest fan of sports entertaining, but he found that entertaining. Jericho said he’s tired of people telling him that Danielson is the best wrestler. He said he’s never seen that. Jericho said people say he’s the greatest of all time. “When you talk about longevity, reinvention, changing the course of wrestling, I might be.” He said he is the last survivor of the Stu Hart Dungeon and he claimed to know more about wrestling than Danielson.
Danielson said, “Oh, do you now?” He asked Jericho who Stu Hart would say is the better wrestler. He asked Jericho who Owen Hart would say is the better wrestler. He said if they wrestled a match there in Cleveland, “who do you think would win that match?” Jericho said if he wants the American Dragon vs. Lionhart, he’s got it – but not until Sept. 4 at All Out. Jericho said the last time he was in the ring with Danielson, he choked him out and put him out for months. He told Danielson to watch his back because you never know when he might be hitting him. Jake Hager then attacked Danielson from behind with a clothesline. Ross asked where Hager came from.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really entertaining segment. Garcia showed range he hasn’t shown yet and is on a path to being a big-time babyface for AEW, which is good because he’s so good and he’s also so likable. Jericho was great here. Danielson played his part really effectively too. Nice set-up for a great added match to the All Out line-up.)
-The announcers hyped the scheduled matches and segments on the show.
(1) DAX HARWOOD vs. JAY LETHAL (w/Sonjay Dutt)
Cash Wheeler accompanied Dax to the entrance stage. Dax brought his ROH Tag Team Title belt with him. Satnam Singh and Sonjay Dutt came onto the stage with Jay, but then left. The bell rang 18 minutes into the hour. Taz said this would be a classic. Dax chopped away at Lethal in the corner hard at 2:00, getting a rise out of the crowd. Dax mounted Lethal in the corner, but Lethal countered with a Russian leg sweep off the ropes to the mat. They cut to a split-screen break at 3:00. [c/ss]
Lethal controlled the action with methodical offense during the break. Dax came back with a released German suplex at 7:00. Corner graphics hyped Billy Gunn vs. Colten Gunn, Ricky Starks speaking, and the AEW World Title match. Lethal dove through the ropes and speared Dax a minute later. Back in the ring he quickly applied a figure-four leglock. Dax reached the rope to force a break. Dax scored a near fall with a small package seconds later. Dax avoided a Lethal Injection and landed a slingshot Ligerbomb for a near fall at 10:00. Dax applied a sharpshooter which popped the crowd. Sonjay made his way to ringside and jumped onto the ring apron. Dax released the hold and walked over to Sonjay. (Why not just hold onto the hold?) Dax avoided Sonjay hitting him from behind and Lethal ended up knocking Sonjay to the floor. They exchanged rapid-fire near falls. Lethal rolled through on a Dax roll-up and yanked on his trunks for the win.
WINNER: Lethal in 12:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: I’m not a fan of babyfaces losing because they voluntarily let go of a mid-ring submission hold to yell at a manager who at that moment was no threat. Lethal is more of a singles wrestler than Dax, so I understand the rationale for having Lethal win. The match was intense and good start to finish.)
-Dutt revealed that Lethal would not be teaming with him and Singh at All Out, but instead Lethal would team with The Motor City Machine Gunns. A video aired with a graphic that said, “Est. 2006.” Excalibur said they’re one of the most decorated tag teams in wrestling. Taz said that’s huge news.
-They cut to the announcers who plugged a sponsor. [c]
-Schiavone interviewed Thunder Rosa. He said Rosa had something to say. Rosa said she is heartbroken, but she has to step down as the AEW Champion due to an injury. She said at All Out on Sept. 4 there will be a new Interim AEW Champion. She said she hopes her friend Toni Storm becomes champion. She said this won’t stop her and she’ll come back better than ever.
-They went to the announcers who reacted to the news from Rosa.
(2) COLTEN GUNN (w/Austin Gunn) vs. BILLY GUNN
They showed Stokely Hathaway watching from the audience. Colten came out with Austin. The Acclaimed accompanied Billy to the ring. Max Caster rapped, saying young Billy should’ve used a condom. He said they’re going to take a such beating, they’ll have to call another talent meeting. He also brought up President Biden relieving student debt. He said their whole life is a bad choice and they’re just ass boys. Bowens told Billy to scissor him, and then they scissored their fingers. Excalibur plugged Toronto tickets going on sale for the Oct. 12 and 13 dates. Schiavone asked Taz if he could ever see himself wrestling Hook. (Have they ever been as overt that Taz is Hook’s dad on Dynamite? Not that they kept it secret, but they also spoke in a way that was circumvent in the wording used.) They cut to an early split-screen break. [c/ss]
Billy was in control after the break. Austin distracted Billy, giving Colten an opening to take over. Excalibur then announced that All Out would feature a four-way to crown an Interim AEW Champion with Dr. Britt Baker, Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, and Hikaru Shida. Stokely hit Caster from behind with his boom box. Austin then threw Bowens into the ringside steps. Colten gave Billy a low-blow and then landed a Colt 45 for the win.
WINNER: Colten Gunn in 6:00.
-Afterward, Stokely entered the ring and offered his business cards to Colten and Austin. They accepted his cards, then stomped away at Billy. Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee came out to their music. Austin and Colten fled into the crowd. Strickland and Lee eyed The Acclaimed. Lee helped Billy up to his feet.
-Schiavone stood between the two three-man teams facing off later. Will Ospreay said he’s got his friends with him and they have one mission – more gold for the United Empire. Pac said they have been waiting far too long for this opportunity, so tonight they’re not going to kill them, they’re going to murder them. [c]
(3) BRITT BAKER vs. KILYNN KING
Britt Baker made her ring entrance. They showed an inset image of KiLynn King beating up Baker last week. When Baker went on offense, fans taunted her with a chant of “Pittsburgh sucks!” Ross said it’s almost like a Browns-Steelers game atmosphere. KiLynn put in a spirited fight, but Baker eventually applied Lock Jaw for the tapout win.
WINNER: Baker in 4:00
-Baker said on the mic afterward that she wrestled her entire title reign with a broken wrist “because that’s what a champion does.” She said it’s such a shame that Rosa has to relinquish her title due to injury. She said now Storm will finally have a PPV match people care about because she’ll be her opponent. Storm marched to the ring. Hayter attacked Storm from behind. Shida then ran out for the save as her music played. Baker, Rebel, and Hayter bailed out to ringside.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good segment to give Baker a TV win, give KiLynn some time to show what she’s about, and also amplify emotions going into the AEW Title tournament at All Out. Not sure about Baker burying Thunder for not wrestling injured like she was. Considering there’s legit heat between those two camps, it isn’t outlandish to think she was intending to bury Rosa more than get extra heel heat for the benefit of Storm as her babyface challenger.)
-Backstage, Schiavone stood between Swerve & Lee and The Acclaimed. Lee offered them a tag title shot. Caster said they don’t need their praise or help because they are the best home-grown AEW Tag Team with the most wins and have earned it. Bowens said they’re the uncrowned champions and yelled a little too close for Schiavone’s comfort, “Everyone loves the Acclaimed.”
(Keller’s Analysis: The All Out line-up is suddenly filling out quickly. This isn’t a showcase tag team title match, though. Swerve & Lee have barely been featured in anything memorable on Dynamite that supports the idea that they’re truly the best team in AEW. The Acclaimed have been goofing around with the Gunn Club and not doing anything that establishes them as a contender to win ostensibly the most prestigious prize in all of tag team wrestling.)
[HOUR TWO]
(4) JON MOXLEY vs. C.M. PUNK – AEW Title unification match
Moxley made his entrance first. Excalibur said it’s been over eight years since Moxley has shared a ring with Punk. He said both men are in very different places than they were then. Punk came out second. Justin Roberts did formal ring introductions. Fans booed Punk, perhaps amplified by being announced from Chicago, Ill. A brief “C.M. Punk!” chant broke out. He held up the AEW Title belt and then kissed it before handing it over to the ref. The bell rang five minutes into the hour. Schiavone said it feels like Game 7 in a playoff series. A dueling chant broke out of “Let’s Go Moxley / C.M. Punk!” They locked up. Punk shoved Mox into the corner. Mox reversed Punk and then pummeled him with a barrage of elbows in the corner. He showed fire and trash-talked Punk. Punk stood and slapped him. Punk pummeled Mox and then kneed him several times. The ref pulled him out of the corner. Mox kneed him. Punk landed a high roundkick. Punk grabbed his supportfoot in pain and yelled in agony. The ref checked on him. Mox then nailed Punk with a lariat and then dropped rapid-fire downward elbows on him. He shifted to twisting his ankle. Next, gave him a Death Rider. Ross said Moxley is dominant and appears possessed. Mox double-underhooked Punk and scored a three count.
WINNER: Moxley in 3:30 to become AEW World Champion.
-Punk was helped out of the ring as Mox celebrated in the crowd. Punk didn’t put any weight on his left foot as he was helped up the ramp.
(Keller’s Analysis: Interesting. Lots of speculative ways to interpret that. Was it punishment from Tony Khan for what Punk said last week? Is Punk’s ankle and foot in rough shape and that’s why they moved the match to Dynamite instead of the PPV because Punk actually can’t wrestle a long match on it and needs more time off? Or is this just an endorsement of Moxley and an acknowledgment of how much momentum he built up this summer? Or did Punk actually hurt the foot early and they went to a finish early? So who will seem even slightly deserving of an AEW Title match at All Out on this short notice, if Punk isn’t ready for a rematch by then? A lot of people who bought tickets for All Out in Chicago expecting to see Punk in a title match main event.)
-Schiavone interviewed Christian Cage backstage. Christian had an elbow brace on. Christian said he was going to give Jungle Boy one last opportunity to apologize to him last week for the hurtful things he said about him. Christian said his words were tough love, not coming from a place of malice, but JB is not smart enough to know that. He told Jungle Boy will never will be as smart as him. He said now he has the audacity to challenge him to a match at All Out but tried to deliberately injure him. He said he can’t throw anything at him he hasn’t seen before because he’s done it all. Christian said he will find out at All Out that he is not average. He said he is special. He said the camera panning the crowd tonight would show what average looks like. He said JB will never be in his league.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good promo. Extra effective because Christian soft-spoke the whole time instead of yelling.)
-Ricky Starks made his entrance. He said he hasn’t been in the best of moods lately after Team Taz being over, losing his FTW Title, and dealing with Powerhouse Hobbs turning his back on him. He said he thought Hobbs was an exception to the rule that you can’t trust anyone in the business. Starks said before he paired with Hobbs, Hobbs was standing behind Britt Baker as a bodyguard with a bedazzled shirt. He said when he ate, Hobbs ate. He said Hobbs went after his neck even though he knew that a neck injury almost ended his career. He teared up and said he’s a snake, and where they come from, they cut the heads off of snakes. He said he should bring his five-dollar ass to Chicago and fight him at All Out. His music played and he left the ring.
(Keller’s Analysis: Strong emotional promo from Starks.)
-Excalibur said they’d hear from Moxley next. [c]
-Moxley said, “Best in the world, my ass.” He said the people who are surprised are the ones who wrote his obituary when Punk returned. He said those people don’t matter and never did. He said the answer to any problem you have in pro wrestling is Jon Moxley. He said no one can do what he does the way he does it. “I’m not just some guy,” he said. “I am thee guy in this industry.” He said he doesn’t follow any rules. He said his time is right now. “We’re living in my time! My time is right god damn now!”
(Keller’s Analysis: He’s carrying himself and talking like a top top centerpiece act. He’s believable because it sure seems he believes it. He’s fired up. Saying this is his time in 2022 could be seen as saying circa 2012 was Punk’s time, not 2022.)
-The announcers hyped Rampage: Sammy Guevara & Tay Melo vs. Ortiz & Ruby Soho, Wardlow defending his FTW Title against Ryan Nemeth, Claudio defends his ROH Title against Dustin Rhodes, and Jade Cargill speaks. They hyped next week’s Dynamite: Danielson vs. Hager and Baker & Hayter vs. Storm & Shida. Then they hyped the All Out line-up: Jericho vs. Danielson, the Trios Tournament finals, the four-way for the vacant Women’s Title, Jungle Boy vs. Christian, FTR & Wardlow vs. Lethal & Gunns, a Casino Ladder Match, Swerve in our Glory vs. The Acclaimed, and Starks vs. Hobbs.
-Excalibur threw to a brief video package on the return of Kenny Omega last week.
(Keller’s Analysis: Nice touch showing highlights of that to keep Omega on viewers’ minds even if he’s not part of this show otherwise. He’s a top star and top stars get mentioned every show, especially the week after their return after 277 days away.)
-Ospreay and Aussie Open made their ring entrance. Don Callis joined in on commentary. [c]
(5) WILL OSPREAY & AUSSIE OPEN vs. PAC & PENTA & REY FENIX – Trio Tournament Semi-Finals
Fenix and Ospreay had a dazzling opening minute, then paused to stare at each other as fans applauded. Everyone else entered one after another and kicked each other. Then they paired off and swung away at each other. They cut to a split-sreen break at 3:00. [c/ss]
Back from the break, Excalibur said it’s been all Death Triangle during the break. Ospreay landed a sky twister press off the top rope onto Pac at ringside to take over. Back in the ring he was rocket-launched into Fenix with a flying dropkick in the corner for a two count. Fans chanted “This is awesome!” Ross said he’d love to see Ospreay signed to AEW so they could see more of him. (It’s kinda weird saying that since AEW hasn’t really established who is and isn’t signed to AEW who appears on AEW TV.) They showed the Best Friends and Orange Cassidy watching from ringside. Danhaussen was eating popcorn in the row behind them. They cut to another split-screen break at 11:00. [c/ss]
After a flurry of action primarily between Ospreay and Pac that riled up the crowd, they cut to one more split-screen break. [c/ss]
Ospreay and Pac continued to battle during the break. Ospreay set up a powerslam off the second rope. Fenix interfered with a leaping reverse sidekick. Ospreay fended him off. They returned from the break 54 minutes into the hour. Fenix head scissored Ospreay off the top rope, but he landed on his feet. Fenix gave him a cutter seconds later after Ospreay strutted a bit for landing on his feet. Fenix then leaped to the floor. Pac set up a top rope Black Arrow, but Ospreay lifted his knees and scored a convincing near fall. Pac reversed a Storm Breaker for a near fall. He tagged Fenix back in. Chaos broke out with everybody. Pac set up another Black Arrow on Ospreay, but Fletcher yanked Ospreay to ringside. Pac shifted to the top of the ringpost and backflipped onto Ospreay and Fletcher on the floor. Fans chanted “Holy shit!” Pac looked over at someone in the crowd wearing a box over their head that said “Under Rated. Over It.” He pulled the box off the guy and it wasn’t Kip Sabian. Sabian then attacked Pac at ringside. He has white hair and was wearing a blue suit. Mark Davis entered the ring and went after Fenix. Ospreay and Fletcher returned to the ring and with Davis they triple-teamed Fenix. Ospreay gave Fenix his Cutter for the win.
WINNERS: Ospreay & United Empire in 24:00 to advance to the finals against The Bucks & Omega at All Out for the Trios Titles.
-They showed the Best Friends at ringside again. Then Omega led the Young Bucks onto the stage for a show-closing staredown. Taz observed Omega looked “like a mess” and was wrapped in tape. Excalibur agreed it can’t be disregarded. As Omega began to head to the ring, Callis intervened and stopped him. Excalibur snuck in a plug for the Claudio vs. Dustin match on Rampage on Friday and Danielson vs. Hager next Wednesday on Dynamite.
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