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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
AUGUST 21, 2024
CARDIFF, WALES AT UTILITA ARENA CARDIFF
AIRED ON TAPE-DELAY ON TBS
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Attendance: WrestleTix reported earlier today that 4,233 tickets had been distributed so far; arena is set up for 4,236. More tickets have been sold since then. Subscribe to WrestleTix on Patreon for detailed up-to-date information.
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller is joined by PWTorch’s Tony Donofrio to review AEW Dynamite LIVE tonight right after Dynamite. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Dynamite during the show.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Dynamite. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
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[HOUR ONE]
-Excalibur introduced the show as the camera panned the audience. They went right to the ring.
-Tony Schiavone stood mid-ring and introduced Britt Baker first for the contract signing for the TBS Title match at All In this Sunday. Then Schiavone introduced Mercedes Moné who came out to boos as the “CEO!” chant was piped in. She was joined by Kamille. Mercedes said Baker is the past and she will forever be the future. She vowed to tap her out. Excalibur said Mercedes is bringing her undefeated AEW record to Wembley on Sunday. Baker said, “That’s cute!” Fans chanted, “DMD!” Schiavone said they agreed to no physicality.
Baker said when she thinks of the past, she remembers Mercedes hobbling in on crutches to watch her at All In last year. “Before there was a CEO, there was a DMD,” she said. Then she signed the contract. Mercedes mocked the DMD finger gesture that Baker does. Mercedes said the fans like her only because they’re losers like her. Fans chanted, “Shut the f— up!”
Mercedes claimed that this is Baker’s dream match because she inspired her to become a pro wrestler. She said she got a degree as a back-up, so she asked if she’s really all in. Mercedes said she’s been all in since she was ten years old and has been putting women’s wrestling on the map. “That’s all in,” she said. She said she will never be like her. She stood and pointed at her and insisted Baker won’t beat her.
Baker said she has the guts and heart and balls. She said she never had a plan B, but she had two plan A’s. She said Mercedes was one of four, whereas she has always been one of one. She said Mercedes has always prided herself on being a star-maker, but she’s the baddest bitch on the block. She told her she did get one thing right, though. “I admired you and I wanted to be you, Mercedes,” she said. “You walked so girls like me could run.”
Baker said she became the foundation of the company Mercedes is sitting in right now. Mercedes mock applauded. Baker said Mercedes made a difference, but that person doesn’t exist anymore. She said she’s not a smug arrogant ass who cares more about being the highest paid female wrestler than her legacy of inspiring future stars and role models. She said she hopes Mercedes finds that version of herself again. She said she wants to say that’s the version of her she beats on Saturday.
Baker stood and said not to worry, she would abide by the rules they agreed to. “But this bitch is getting on my nerves,” she said as she turned and hit Kamille with the mic. She knocked Kamille onto the lap of Mercedes. Baker leaped onto Kamille and knocked them backwards off the chair. Kamille and Mercedes retreated as Baker held up the TBS Title belt in the ring.
(Keller’s Analysis: Solid segment with Mercedes being effectively obnoxious and Baker being the pro-AEW fan favorite. It was a clever heelish angle to use Baker’s dental degree as a way to degrade her commitment to pro wrestling, with Baker returning fire with a clever line that she’s not “one of four,” a reference to the group of NXT stars she came up with in WWE.)
-Excalibur said they had a lot more to come and threw to backstage to Renee Paquette.
-Renee interviewed Chris Jericho, with Big Bill and Bryan Keith, backstage. Jericho said he flew to “Cardiff, England,” which drew boos. (They’re in Wales, not England.) He asked what right Tommy Billington had to call himself the Dynamite Kid besides the fact that he’s blood-related and the original Dynamite Kid is his uncle. He asked if he’s as good and fast as the original. He said he didn’t think so. He said what he does to Billington is just a taste of what he’ll do to Hook on Saturday at All In.
(1) CHRIS JERICHO (w/Big Bill, Bryan Keith) vs. “DYNAMITE KID” TOMMY BILLINGTON
Jericho came out first. Taz said it makes him sick every time he sees Jericho wearing the FTW Title belt. The bell rang 14 minutes into the hour. Billington arm-dragged Jericho twice to open the match. A minute later he dropkicked Jericho and kipped up. Jericho rolled to ringside. Billington went right after him. Big Bill threw Billington into the ringpost as Jericho occupied the ref. They cut to a double-box break. [c/db]
Jericho dominated during the break. Billington and Jericho collided mid-ring with simultaneous crossbody blocks. Schiavone praised how hard and fast Billington hits the ropes. Billington clotheslined Jericho and then bodyslammed him. Excalibur questioned Billington’s sense of urgency. Jericho recovered enough to avoid a dropkick. Jericho landed a Lionsault, although it seemed he sorta landed on his head too. He scored a two count. Jericho smiled. Fans chanted, “You still suck!”
Billington came back with a German suplex for a two count. Jericho came back with a Walls of Jericho. Billington crawled to the ropes to force a break. He landed a snap suplex on Jericho. Taz said his uncle made that move famous. Billington landed a tombstone piledriver. He climbed to the top rope and leaped on Keith at ringside. He side-stepped a charging Big Bill and then climbed to the top rope. As he leaped, Jericho caught him with a Code Breaker mid-air for the win.
WINNER: Jericho in 9:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good match.)
-Afterward, Jericho waved to the fans and then vowed to tear Hook apart “branch by branch by branch by branch” if he were there in Cardiff. Hook’s music played and Hook came out to a nice ovation. His left eye was still bandaged. He went nose-to-nose with Jericho. Big Bill attacked him and chokeslammed him. The eye bandage came off. Bill, Jericho, and Keith stood over him. [c]
(2) TONI STORM vs. SARAYA (w/Harley Cameron) – AEW Women’s Title match
Storm made her entrance after the break in black-and-white. The bell rang 32 minutes into the hour. Fans chanted, “Toni! Toni!” Storm arm-dragged Saraya out of a lock-up at the start and then another. (That’s two matches in a row that opened with two arm-drags.) Storm outmaneuvered Saraya in some mat exchanges and scored a near fall. She struck a pose as Saraya bailed out to the ring apron. Saraya let out a frustrated yell. Storm yelled back. Saraya yelled again. So did Storm. Taz interrupted Excalibur to try to listen to the yelling match. Fans sang “Toni Storm.” Saraya made a comeback at ringside thanks to interference from Cameron. She landed a cannonball as they cut to a double-box break. [c/db]
Storm stopped Saraya’s momentum with a headbutt during the break. Both went down and were slow to get up. Saraya gave Storm a top rope sunset bomb and then a DDT for a near fall at 7:00. Cameron distracted the ref. Storm went over and kissed her on the lips. She then threw Saraya into her, then rolled up Saraya for a two count. Storm kissed Paige and then landed a Storm Zero for the win. Taz said Storm now has “excellent momentum” going into All In.
WINNER: Storm in 9:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: The lack of any build or promo time for Saraya getting this title match is odd in a way, but also not all that unusual for AEW TV. The match was fine, although obviously there was zero doubt as to the outcome.)
-Mariah May attacked Storm with a shoe afterward. She caressed Storm and kissed her forehead before throwing her limp body face-first to the mat.
-Renee interviewed Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, Kyle O’Reilly, Tomohiri Ishii, and Willow Nightingale backstage. Briscoe talked about their mixed-tag match and their participation in the Casino Gauntlet. O’Reilly imitated Briscoe. Ishii gave off a look that he didn’t know what was going on. Everyone but Cassidy left. Cassidy muttered about how Renee “has no idea.” [c]
-Will Ospreay made his ring entrance. Fans cheered and then sang his name. MJF’s theme then played and fans erupted in boos. Ospreay laughed and clapped. He came out in a flag-themed shirt, jacket, pants, and belt. He had a regular black scarf on because, well, he didn’t want to be over-the-top. MJF hushed the crowd. He leaned in the corner as fans sang “Olé!” Excalibur said he thinks the crowd could do that all night.
Ospreay asked the fans to give MJF a warm welcome. They booed. Ospreay said it’s unusual for an English man to get this nice of a reception in Wales. He said he’s been on an incredible journey. He said he’s driven hours to Wales and wrestled in bingo halls and church halls and “a bar that’s filthier than the wife.” He said Saturday is about cleaning up the mess MJF made. He made some regional pop culture references throughout that the crowd ate up.
MJF tapped the mic and asked if Ospreay is cleaning up his mess. “Jam-packed arenas chanted my name twice as loud as they ever have yours,” he said. Fans chanted a taunt at MJF. MJF said, “I’m talking.” MJF said he didn’t have to be a flip-merchant to get crowd cheers. He said all he had to do was the Kangaroo Kick pose. The crowd chanted “Shut the f— up!” He said, “No.” MJF asked Ospreay if he knew he came back early before he was fully rehabbed. He said top brass at Warner Brothers Discovery and AEW begged him to in order to clean up Ospreay’s mess.
Ospreay told him to shut up. He said they heard about “this renegade pro wrestling company that put wrestling first and catered to people who liked pro wrestling.” He said they tuned in and watched him and started laughing, “but the joke went on too long.” He said it got away from what the foundation was. He said it went from the main event being an epic clash between two of the best wrestlers to being about “two friends jerking each other off, didn’t it?”
He said he wasn’t even employed last year. He said Tony Khan called him. He pointed to the back and said he already had around 3,000 people signed. He said he wanted him to remind him what a professional looks like. He said he wanted Ospreay to put on a good match because he couldn’t rely on his world champion to do it. Ospreay said they all need some entertainment, but they are supposed to be the alternative that caters to the fans’ voices. He said he wants to restore the feeling, “and bruv, I am the feeling!”
MJF said, “Hear that? He’s the feeling.” Fans sang “Olé!” MJF said he got one thing right, which is that he doesn’t care about catering to “these people.” He said they are meaningless. He said all he cares about is what American’s do best: “We win.” He said he actually believed it when the “four-eyed curly-haired dork Tony Khan” told him the company would be in good hands with Ospreay. He asked who he is. He said they only know who Ospreay is “because you’re red-coated terrorists.” He said everybody knows who MJF is and everybody loves him. He said wrestling analysts and pundits and champions and legends all agree that he’s the best pro wrestler on god’s green earth. He asked Ospreay who told him he is the best in the world. MJF asked if he thinks the fans’ opinion really counts. “That is so sad,” he said. He said they know nothing about pro wrestling because they like his matches. He stood face-to-face with Ospreay. He told him he can be the feeling because “Friedman is the Facts.”
[HOUR TWO]
MJF said the fact is he is the youngest and longest reigning AEW World Champion of all time. He said he headlined and won the biggest show of all time. He said when they talk about this generation, he’ll be the face and Ospreay will be second-place. He said he hails from the only country that matters, the USA, and Ospreay has one move in the chamber that can beat him. He said the fact of the matter is, he isn’t man enough to pull the trigger on the Tiger Driver. Ospreay looked away. MJF said his fans can feel all they want, but he’s the fact and facts don’t care about feelings.
Ospreay said history books can be rewritten, but what can’t be rewritten is how people feel. He told MJF he’s never inspired a single person to wrestle. He said if you go around Europe or Australia or New Zealand or Japan and America, and they will say he is the best wrestler in the world. Fans began singing “Olé!” He said he can’t lose in front of his family.
He said MJF doesn’t like him because it took four years for the fans to love him, whereas it took four beats of his music to win them over. “You let everybody down. They used to love you and they don’t love you anymore.” MJF blurted in anger, “They loved me until you showed up and ruined it!” Excalibur said MJF just said the quiet part out loud. Schiavone said he is jealous and that said it all. MJF regained his composure and said he can never be who Ospreay is, a “great human being inside and outside of this ring, a role model to fans the world over.” He said he’s a great husband, father, and pro wrestler. “In every way I fell short to be the face of AEW, you manned up and did it. Congratulations.”
He said before the show he got to spend a little time with is wife “and that so-called kid of yours.” Ospreay approached him aggressively. MJF told him to calm down. He said Ospreay raised that kid like he is his own, which is admirable. “After the conversation I had with your wife tonight, I have a feeling the next kid she has won’t be yours either.”
Ospreay leaned over the top rope and asked Schiavone if he had Khan’s ear right now. Schiavone said yes. Ospreay asked what the fine would be if he shot on MJF right now. Schiavone said it’s 100,000 pounds. MJF smiled and taunted Ospreay. Ospreay said his son is worth it and he attacked MJF. Security entered and tried to pry them apart. MJF managed to get a cheap shot in on Ospreay as security were holding him back. MJF gave Ospreay a brainbuster suplex and then covered him and counted to three with his own hand. He then setup a Tiger Driver, but security intervened along with Christopher Daniels.
(Keller’s Analysis: That felt like an epic final hard-sell for their match. The crowd really helped elevate the segment, although it would have worked anywhere. MJF losing his composure and saying Ospreay ruined his popularity with fans was the most memorable moment.) [c]
-Renee said “Hangman” Page was asked to leave the arena. She asked him what happened. Hangman said he’ll be in the Casino Battle Royal at All In. He said if you stand in his way, he’ll run them over. Evil Uno walked behind him. Hangman asked him if he was in the match. Uno said he was and he began explaining how excited he was. Hangman then hit him with a chair. He said there is nothing he wants more than “to make his joy and happiness and hopes go up in smoke.”
(Keller’s Analysis: Hangman was effectively intense here, but this is another one of AEW’s all-too-common low-IQ executions of an otherwise solid idea. Nobody EVER walks behind someone doing a live promo, so you knew it was a contrivance for an angle. It’d have been so easy to fix if Hangman called him over when he was off-camera.)
(3) KAZUCHIKA OKADA vs. CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI – AEW Continental Championship
The bell rang 15 minutes into the hour. Fans chanted, “Holy shit!” Excalibur talked about All In 2025 coming to Arlington, Tex. They cut to a break at 3:00 after a flurry of offense by Claudio ended with Okada elbowing him in the chest. [c/db]
After several minutes of back-and-forth action they cut to a double-box break at 11:00. [c/db]
Claudio knocked Okada off balance on the top rope with a running uppercut at 15:00. They battled on the top rope. Okada got the better of Claudio and landed a top rope elbow. He gave the hard cam the middle finger and then walked over Claudio’s chest. Claudio sat up and caught Okada with a giant swing that popped the crowd. The crowd counted to 20.
Claudio waited for Okada to stand, then charged at Okada, but Okada caught him with a dropkick. He went for a Rainmaker, but Claudio avoided it and landed an uppercut. He set up a Neutralizer, but Okada countered into a neckbreaker. Excalibur told viewers to “remember” that a Darby Allin & FTR vs. Young Bucks & Jack Perry match was “still to come.” They announced that 19 minutes have gone by and only 1 minute remains. Fans booed. Schiavone said the 20 minute time limit is common with Continental Title matches.
Claudio landed uppercuts and then a backslide for a two count. Claudio landed a lift-and-drop uppercut on Okada. Okada clutched the bottom rope. Claudio stomped his chest and then scored a two count. The bell then rang. Fans booed.
WINNER: Time limit draw in 20:00 to Okada retained the Continental Title.
-The Young Bucks and Perry walked out. Nicholas congratulated Claudio for a great match. Matthew asked the fans if they’d like to see the wrestlers go five more minutes. Fans cheered. He said it won’t be happening because the contract said Okada had to wrestle for 20 minutes, not 25. He said they as EVPs have to be sticklers for the rules. (Spit take.) He told Claudio to leave the ring because they have a scheduled match. He said they would have to physically remove him if needed. Darby’s music then played.
(4) THE YOUNG BUCKS & JACK PERRY vs. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) & DARBY ALLIN
Darby made his way onto the stage. He was joined by FTR. The bell rang 38 minutes into the hour as they were all brawling in the ring and at ringside. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00. [c/db]
Back from the break, Cash rallied against Jack. The Bucks stereo-superkicked Cash and then Perry scored a two count. Excalibur talked about the new TNT Title belt that Perry minted himself. Chaos broke out with a rapid-fire sequence of moves. Darby and FTR put all three Elite members in sharpshooters mid-ring. The Elite broke free. Then they went to ringside and grabbed their belts and began to leave. Cash leaped onto all three and then threw Matthew back into the ring where Dax went on the attack. FTR landed Shatter Machine on Jack. Dax gave Matthew a superplex. Cash landed a top rope splash. Darby landed a Coffin Drop for a three count. The announcers hyped the PPV matches they were all involved in.
WINNERS: FTR & Darby in 11:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good rapid-fire action start to finish with a logical conclusion.)
-The Acclaimed came out next. Max Caster told everyone to listen. He said it’s nice the entire royal family showed up. He called The Young Bucks “my two favorite princesses.” He said they are the kings of tag team wrestling. He said neither FTR nor the Bucks could beat them in the last week, so at All In, it’s time to nut up or shut up. Anthony Bowens said they have nothing left to prove because he and Max are going to fight until they’re the next AEW Tag Team Champions.
-Renee asked Ospreay what his status was. Ospreay was bloodied and sitting on a crate backstage. Bryan Danielson walked up to him and gave him a brief pep talk and implored him to use the Tiger Driver. [c]
-Nigel McGuinness stood mid-ring and introduced Swerve Strickland. He touted Strickland as the most dangerous man in AEW. As Strickland made his entrance, Excalibur said Nigel’s assessments of Danielson’s opponents tend to be biased. Prince Nana danced his way out with Strickland.
When Strickland arrived, McGuiness was about to introduce Danielson, but stopped and told Swerve it was an honor to have him there. He asked Strickland what it was like to go into the match as the “overwhelming favorite” considering Danielson is known as “Brittle Bryan” and “The Neckbreak Kid.” He told Swerve he is in the best shape of his life. He asked what it feels like to go into the match as an overhwhelming favorite. Excalibur said he didn’t know about that.
Strickland listed Samoa Joe, Takeshita, Christian Cage, Claudio, and Will Ospreay. He said he is going to dissect Danielson from head to toe with purpose and menace and do so scientifically. As Nigel was about to finally introduce Danielson, Swerve pulled the mic back. He said it’s a slap in his face that Danielson has been saying in interviews that he’s ready for retirement. He said it pisses him off that he’s taking the moment away from him. He said he’s going to be the one who takes that moment away from him. He said he’s going to make sure Danielson isn’t capable of wrestling again after All In.
Swerve let out a maniacal laugh and said if Danielson gets the fighting spirit back, maybe he’ll want to work some indy shows without him knowing, but he’ll know and he’ll beat him down. He said if he works a match in Mexico under a mask, he’ll find him on the streets of Mexico and beat him down. He said even if he has a talk with his wife about having another match, “guess where I’m gonna be?” Danielson’s music played.
Danielson ran to the ring. Taz said Danielson heard enough. Danielson hit a running knee on Swerve. Swerve rolled to the floor. Fans chanted “Yes! Yes!” Danielson said he doesn’t come out there for 20 minutes every week and talk about himself, but he knows who he is. He said people say it like it’s some sort of catch phrase. He said Swerve knows that he’s the best (bleepin’) wrestler in the world. Fans cheered. “And I have been for the last 20 years!” he declared.
He said if Swerve can say he’s going to retire him and cripple him in front of his daughter, Sunday at Wembley Stadium in front of the fans who have paid to see him for the last 25 years and his peers he’s traveled with the last 25 years, he said he’ll have to damn near kill him “because I will leave my soul in this ring!” Excalibur said that’s who Jeff Jarrett and Eddie Kingston wanted to see. “That fire in his eyes!” Excalibur said. Danielson said there is only one question left and that is whether he can beat Swerve for the AEW World Championship. Fans chanted, “Yes! Yes!” Danielson said the fans and Swerve know the answer. Taz said, “The Dragon is awake, boys!” Danielson led “Yes!” chants.
(Keller’s Analysis: A spirited final hard sell for a match with a rocky road up until that point. Interesting that Swerve brought up Danielson’s downplaying of his sense of needing or even wanting to win at All In.)
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller is joined by PWTorch’s Tony Donofrio to review AEW Dynamite LIVE tonight right after Dynamite. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Dynamite during the show.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Dynamite. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
Subscribe to all of our free podcasts by searching “wade keller” and “pwtorch” in your podcast app of choice including Spotify and Apple Podcasts and most other iOS and Android apps.
LIVE ON YOUTUBE RIGHT AFTER AEW DYNAMITE TONIGHT: CLICK HERE TO WATCH
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