SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
MAY 3, 2023
BALTIMORE, MD AT CFG BANK ARENA
AIRED ON TBS
REPORT BY TYLER SAGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz
(1) ADAM COLE & RODERICK STRONG & ORANGE CASSIDY & BANDIDO vs. J.A.S
Chris Jericho was not in the match, but came out with a Britt Baker shirt to get in the head of Adam Cole. All eight men stared down before the match began, Roderick Strong and Daniel Garcia started the match for each team, they battled evenly with straight punches. Angelo Parker was tagged in and then was thrown in the good guy corner. Bandido was tagged in and he and Parker battled. Matt Maynard entered and took out Bandido, then all eight men were fighting in the ring.
Hager and Cassidy were the legal men, it would appear, they battled to the outside until Hager slammed Cassidy into the ring post. Bandido then did a dive to the outside to even the odds. Cole then walked up the ramp to get to Jericho on commentary, but JAS all attacked him and brought him back to the ring area. Parker and Bandido were in the ring, Bandido had a delayed vertical suplex, 2.0 then tried one, but Bandido countered. [c]
Jake Hager was beating down Orange Cassidy as the show returned, he was thrown in the villainous corner. Members of JAS then took turns working over OC. He hit a Stundog Millionaire and then tagged in Strong, who worked over 3/4ths of JAS and got a near fall on Hager. Cassidy tagged himself back in, Garcia countered an Orange Punch and applied a Dragon Slayer hold. Bandido hit Garcia with a kick and then took out other members. Cassidy then hit a Beach Break for a near fall.
Cassidy and Bandido dove to the outside, Strong then tagged in Cole. Who hit the boom knee on Maynard to get the pinfall win.
WINNER: Cole, Strong, Cassidy and Bandido
(Sage’s Analysis: A throwback to the multi-man tag match that opened Dynamite the entire first year of the company. A fun match for a not hot angle.)
-Darby and Jack Perry were backstage and asked about teaming up together to get a title shot at Double or Nothing. They were unified in their message. [c]
-Jericho and Cole were backstage, Baker slapped Jericho and sent him to the floor.
-BCC was backstage, Danielson quoted Brett Hart and said he was better than him and any other wrestler. Danielson said he wants Yuta to be better than him. He wants to make AEW and everyone better, unlike The Elite. Moxley said they search for other blades to sharpen themselves. He said that The Elite should thank them for making them better. Moxley then announced that he would take on Omega in a cage next week.
(2) SARAYA vs. WILLOW NIGHTINGALE
Saraya rolled out of the ring, Willow gave chase and was stoped by Storm and Ruby. Saraya then took advantage and hit a move, Willow countered and hit an elbow and sent her opponent to the mat and got a two count. Willow laid in a running chop and then a running lariat and another chop. Storm grabbed the boot of Willow, Saraya then attacked on the apron and tossed Willow to the floor. [c]
Willow hit a Death Valley Driver, the ref was distracted during what would have been the pinfall. Willow then took out Ruby, but Saraya took down Willow and got the pinfall.
WINNER: Saraya
(Sage’s Analysis: A match that was pretty rough to start and was better going into the break and finished strong.)
-Hikaru Shida ran out to make the save for Willow, then hugged The Outcasts. She was about to spray paint Willow, then Hayter and Baker appeared and took out Storm and Ruby. Shida then took out Saraya and spray painted AEW on the Outcasts.
-The House of Black had a video where they tossed the Trios Titles to the side and then said that they would take on any three people can take them on, then they laid out specific rules for their matches. [c]
(3) TRIOS BATTLE ROYAL
Winner: The Acclaimed
(Sage’s Analysis: That sure happened, I would personally not advocate for any battle royals on Dynamite for 14 months.)
-Sammy Guevara was backstage and asked how he and MJF would work tonight, MJF appeared and Sammy asked him why he left. MJF faked tears and made up a story why he left him behind. Sammy acted liked he believed him and kissed him on the forehead. [c]
-Kenny Omega was backstage with Don Callis, Kenny said nothing about Moxley has changed. Don talked about his 23 stitches and said that Moxley can’t beat them. Omega said that everything comes to an end next week.
(4) WARDLOW IN A SQUASH MATCH
WINNER: Wardlow
(Sage’s Analysis: New week, same Wardlow match)
-Wardlow got on the mic, he said he hasn’t broken a sweat while being short of breath. Wardlow demanded Cage and Luchasaurus come out. Cage’s music came on, he walked out with the Demon Luchasaurus. Cage told the crowd to shut up, he said that he doesn’t want the match tonight. Cage said that the title shot belongs to him, not Luchasaurus. [c]
-Jeff Jarret and Jay Lethal visited Mark Briscoe at his house. They all offered to help on the chicken farm. A montage of the group farming was shown. Papa Briscoe walked up and warned him to watch out for the group. They then announced he had a match on Rampage.
(5) RICKY STARKS vs. JUICE ROBINSON
A collar and elbow started the bout, Starks was in control and laid in shots and sent Juice to the mat. Robinson rolled out and Ricky followed, Starks tossed Juice into the barricade. Juice then countered an Irish whip and then raked the eyes of Starks. Juice then tried for a driver, Starks countered into a backdrop. Juice then hit a body slam onto the floor, broke the ten count, then Starks picked up Robinson and walked up the ring steps and body slammed Juice onto the floor. [c]
Starks hit a second wind and spiked Robinson with a DDT for a near fall. Juice tried a cover of his own for a two count. Starks went to the top rope and tried a splash, but Juice got his knees up. Juice hit a running cannonball, then Juice hit a hurricanrana off the top for a near fall.
Starks countered, Juice is Loose for a near fall. Starks then hit a spear and then his finisher for the pinfall win.
WINNER: Ricky Starks
(Sage’s Analysis: a solid match, Robinson was a good in ring opponent for Starks, they worked well together. The story from Start to finish has been uninspired, no change in that tonight.)
-Jay White attacked after the match, he tried to hit a Blade Runner. Starks countered, Robinson then helped White and they ran out of the arena.
-A preview of the match on the Hardy compound that will take place on Rampage was shown.
-Excalibur then ran down matches for Rampage and next week’s dynamite.
-Darby and Perry were backstage, Darby left the room. MJF walked in and closed the door, MJF told Perry to turn to the dark side tonight. He said if he did he would offer him a spot next to the thrown. Darby then walked in and didn’t trust Perry. [c]
(6) DARBY ALLIN & JACK PERRY vs. MJF & SAMMY GUEVARA
Sammy Guevara and Jungle Boy started the match, they countered and dodged each other before Perry hit a drop kick. Sammy retreated to the bosom of MJF, then tagged in the world champ, Darby was tagged in at the same time. The two men rolled on the mat and Darby got a two count. Darby then hit an arm drag off the top rope into a two count on MJF. He retreated to the outside with Sammy and slowly reentered the ring. MJF said that Perry was pulling his hair to stop Perry’s momentum.
Sammy held Perry, MJF ran and almost hit Sammy. Darby entered and teamed up with Perry to take out MJF before Perry went to the apron. MJF and Sammy worked to distract Darby and took him down and tagged in and out to work him over. Sammy then choked Darby with the scarf when the ref’s back was turned on two occasions. The scarf bit happened a third time, Darby countered and choked Sammy then MJF with the scarf. Darby was about to tag in Perry, but MJF pulled him off the apron. MJF and Sammy were firmly in command as the final break started. [c]
Darby got the hat tag to Perry, who took out MJF and Sammy. Jungle Boy hit multiple dives on MJF and Sammy, Darby hit a final dive on Guevara. Perry then hit a tiger driver for a two count on the champ. Sammy then hit a Spanish Fly on Perry, MJF entered and laid down punches on a downed Jungle Boy. JB fought back and tagged in Darby, who hit a Code Red on Sammy then tried another on MJF, but it was countered.
Perry tagged in, MJF didn’t know and he was able to get the world champion in a submission hold. Sammy broke up the hold and then Perry was tossed out of the ring and then back in. MJF then hit a suplex for a near fall. Sammy and MJF broke up mid match and Darby hit a Coffin Drop for the pinfall win.
WINNER: Darby Allin and Jack Perry
(Sage’s Analysis: A fun and well worked match, but while watching the match confirmed that MJF has been lowered to me a result of the story. He feels more like a mid card heel than a world champion; Darby, Perry and Sammy all feel at the same level. This story has brought down the champion instead of rising up the young stars.)
Final Thoughts: A show with some good some bad and a lot of just okay or plain boring. This was the first time in the 3 and a half year period of watching Dynamite where I was looking forward to ten o’clock because I was just hitting a wall as a viewer, If I was not writing this report I would have turned the show off when the battle royal started. Some things need to change quick, I don’t know what that is but most of the stuff going on right now is just not working.
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