SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
JUNE 14, 2023
WASHINGTON D.C. AT CAPITAL ONE ARENA
AIRED ON TBS
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
[HOUR ONE]
-The AEW Dynamite opening theme played. Then pyro blasted in the arena as Excalibur introduced the show. He noted they were at the same arena where Dynamite’s first episode took place.
(1) MJF vs. ADAM COLE – Eliminator match
Cole’s ring entrance took place. Tony Schiavone expressed confidence that Cole could beat MJF tonight. MJF’s music began and a roar of boos rang out instantly. The bell rang four minutes into the hour. Excalibur said if Cole wins, he gets a shot at the AEW Title. Cole got the crowd all worked up before having a mid-ring staredown with MJF. MJF stood over Cole and a hand gesture that suggested masturbation and ejaculation on Cole below him. Cole dropped down after a leapfrog. MJF slowed down and strutted over Cole. When Cole nearly caught MJF with a superkick, MJF dropped down and backed away. He retreated into the crowd and jawed with some fans. He knocked a baseball cap off the head of a fan, then raised his arms and returned to ringside. Fans chanted “Asshole!” as MJF returned to the ring.
MJF claimed Cole pulled his hair and then complained to the ref. (This is getting great heat, but Larry Zbyszko took so much heat decades ago for doing this stuff in the early minutes of his matches, but that’s because his matches didn’t turn into four-plus stars afterward like MJF’s do.) MJF took control at ringside and caught Cole between the apron and the ring. He raked his back. MJF yapped at fans in the front row and then stomped on Cole’s hand on the ringside steps. MJF flexed his arms and his pecs.
MJF locked Cole’s sore arm in an armbar and then pump-handle sitout powerbombed him for a two count at 7:00. Cole caught MJF with a superkick. MJF checked for blood. Cole landed a back stabber for a two count. They countered each other’s moves for a minute until MJF landed a shoulder-breaker over his knee for a two count. Cole’s left knee buckled when he lifted MJF. He still hit a move and scored a two count, but was slow to get up and he clutched his knee. MJF rolled to the ring apron. Cole slowly pursued him. MJF recovered and set up a piledriver on the ring apron. Cole slipped free. MJF fought back and piledrove him on the ring apron. They both crashed to the floor. They cut to a split screen break at 13:00. [c/ss]
Back from the break, MJF was in control in the ring. Cole fought back and landed a boot to the face. MJF kicked him back and then landed a discus forearm. Cole landed superkicks to the face and body and then face followed by a clothesline. Both were down and slow to get up. Fans applauded. They exchanged submission holds on the mat. Fans chanted, “This is awesome!” MJF delivered a Heat Seeker at 19:00 for a near fall.
MJF rolled to the floor as the ref checked on Cole. He cleared the table in the time keeper’s area. He then pulled Cole to ringside and put him on the table. Cole was able to get the hair out of his face but not roll off the table as MJF climbed to the top rope. MJF then landed a flying top rope elbow, crashing Cole through the table that broke. Fans chanted “Holy shit!” Then an “AEW!” chant broke out. A doctor checked on Cole as MJF staggered to his feet and rolled into the ring to reset the count. He lay on his back and caught his breath as the ref counted Cole at ringside.
Cole beat the count as MJF sat up and looked disappointed. He got back to his feet. Fans chanted, “Fight forever!” Cole back suplexed MJF onto the ring apron. Both were down and slow to get up. Cole set up a Panama Sunrise, but MJF collapsed as soon as he stood. Schiavone said it was smart. Taz said MJF might not have known what he was doing. MJF leaped off the ropes and stomped Cole’s sore arm. He then shoved the ref. The ref shoved him back. Cole rolled up MJF from behind for a two count. When MJF kicked out, Cole inadvertently knocked the ref down.
MJF rolled to the floor and grabbed his title belt. He re-entered the ring and threw the belt to Cole. He then gave Cole the middle finger and fell backwards. The ref stood, but then fell and didn’t see Cole with the belt. Cole then smiled as he had the belt. Fans chanted, “You f—ed up!” He nailed MJF in the face with it. (MJF was kind enough to charge at him.) Cole hit the Boom and covered MJF. The ref counted slowly to two before MJF kicked out.
Cole stood as fans chanted “Fight forever!” again. Cole went for another Boom, but MJF collapsed face-first to the mat. MJF grabbed the ref and then mule kicked Cole. MJF put his Dynamite Diamond ring on and smiled. He stood and waited for Cole to stand. He took a swing, but the ref turned and blocked him. Cole superkicked MJF as MJF was complaining to the ref. Cole then hit a Panama Sunrise followed by the Boom for a near fall. The bell rang at the count of two. Cole turned around and wondered what was happening. The announcers said it was a time limit draw. Justin Roberts confirmed it to the crowd, who booed.
WINNER: Time Limit Draw in 30:00.
-Cole looked at MJF, mic in hand, and said, “Five more minutes!” MJF sat up and stared at Cole, but then slinked out of the ring, grabbed his belt, and held his jaw as he walked away. Taz said Cole had a 30 minute window to get it done and he didn’t.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good match and effective dramatic non-finish. I wish we saw MJF wrestle more often on TV.) [c]
-A vignette aired on C.M. Punk. They showed his AEW Title win and rehab. He said he’s coming back to AEW because he has scores to settle and there’s still things to do. He said on June 17, he’ll be at the United Center. “I won’t know what I’m going to say until I have that microphone in my hand.” He said he has a lot of things to get off his chest. They showed him sitting mid-ring with a mic in hand.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good hook for Collision. Punk’s demeanor looked different there, like he was feeling a lot of weight on his shoulders or something.)
-Renee Pacquette interviewed Sammy Guevara mid-ring. She asked how he’s doing. Guevara revealed he and Tay Melo are having a girl. He said his goal is the same, but it’ll be all the better with his wife and baby with him and the AEW World Title belt. He said before that happens, he needs to make some tough decisions and changes. He was interrupted by Darby Allin.
Darby entered the ring. He congratulated Guevara on the baby girl and said he means it. He said it sounds like the fans are starting to love him again. Fans reacted, but it felt a little mixed. Darby said he and Sting treat each other as equals. He said Sammy doesn’t need to be part of the Jericho Appreciation Society. Darby said he doesn’t need to address that now, but he said he thinks he knows what he’s going to say. Jericho’s music interrupted. Jericho entered the ring and ordered his music turned off as fans were singing. Fans booed.
Jericho pointed his bat at Darby and told him to back off, mind his own business, and stop laughing at him. Jericho said he’s been meaning to ask Guevara a question. He said during the three months he was chasing MJF for his AEW World Title, he never called him once. He said he is his mentor and he made him a star. He said if he would have asked for his help, he’d be standing there as the AEW World Champion. Guevara said if Jericho had called him, he probably wouldn’t have lost to Cole twice. Fans “oooh’d.”
Jericho said perhaps Guevara has been having delusions of grandeur. Jericho said he should apologize to him right then. Guevara said, “I’m not apologizing for shit.” Jericho told him that maybe they should reunite the Sex Gods and have a tag match next week so he can remember who his boss really is. Darby said, “A match? A match? You call yourself a Wizard? When you step foot in this ring, the magic is gone.” Fans “oooh’d” again. Jericho called him a mutant. He said maybe he and Guevara should beat the bell out of him “right now, two on one.” Darby said he’s not alone. Sting’s music played and out came Sting. Schiavone exclaimed, “It’s Sting! I love it!”
Sting walked out with a bat in hand. Excalibur said this is the first time Sting and Jericho had ever been in the ring at the same time under any circumstances. (Crazy!) Jericho and Sting circled each other. Jericho put the bat up to Sting’s neck. Sting pushed it aside and then put his bat up against Jericho’s throat. They stared at each other. Jericho stepped out of the ring, but snarled at Sting as he left.
(Keller’s Analysis: It’s so weird seeing Jericho and Sting in the ring in 2023. Cool moment. Guevara was more at ease as a babyface there than I recall in the past. I’m not ruling out that there’s a Darby & Sting vs. Jericho & Guevara match that ends in Guevara revealing he’s still a heel after all and this was all a ruse.)
-Excalibur plugged an eight-man tag match including Sting in action.
(Keller’s Analysis: Sting wrestling shouldn’t be treated so nonchalantly at this stage of his career.) [c]
-Another Collision commercial was built around Punk.
-A promo aired with Sanada saying there will be an open challenge for his IWGP World Hvt. Title at Forbidden Door and he looks forward to seeing who steps up.
(2) STING & DARBY ALLIN & ORANGE CASSIDY & KEITH LEE (w/Dustin Rhodes) vs. SWERVE STRICKLAND & BRIAN CAGE & TOA LEONA & BISHOP KAUN (w/Prince Nana)
The bell rang 57 minutes into the hour. Darby and Cassidy dove through the ropes at the heels at ringside. Cage caught Cassidy mid-air. Darby asked Sting to tag him in right away. Darby landed a running elbow on Swerve in the corner. Sting followed up with a Stinger Splash. Cage grabbed Sting’s boot to trip him and dragged him to the floor and threw him into the ringside steps. Darby and Swerve continued to battle as they cut to an early break. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
Back from the break, they showed Danny Garcia watching the match on a monitor. Swerve had Darby grounded. Darby escaped and rolled up Swerve for a two count. Darby countered Swerve and hit a Stunner, then hot-tagged in Lee. Cage and Lee collided. Cage charged at Lee and monkey flipped him. Lee popped up and took down Kaun and Leonna. He then caught Swerve mid-air and crushed him in the corner. Cage, Leonna, and Kaun held Lee up as Swerve leaped off the top rope and with a double-stomp, giving Lee a middle finger gesture first. Cage made the cover, but Darby and Cassidy broke it up.
Cassidy rallied against Swerve. Cage caught Cassidy mid-air and face planted him. Chaos broke out. Leona charged at Sting, but Sting raised his boot. Leona whipped Sting into the corner, but Sting stumbled. It was all awkward. Leona knocked Sting down. Lee then dumped him to the floor. Swerve caught Lee with a quick high kick. Lee brushed it off and chokeslammed him. Darby leaped onto a crowd at ringside. Sting and Cage then battled mid-ring. Sting clotheslined Cage and then set up a Scorpion Death Drop. Cage tried to counter, but Cassidy hit him with a flying Orange Punch. Sting then hit the Scorpion Death Drop for the three count.
WINNERS: Sting & Darby & Lee & Cassidy in 9:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: That felt a bit like the Puppy Bowl, but a violent version of it, at times with somewhat random chaos and movements happening and wrestlers bumping into each other. It was never boring.)
-Renee interviewed Austin & Colten Gunn. She asked what their relationship with Jay White is like. They said they want to talk about themselves. They said they’re AEW’s best brother team and made fun of the Hardys. Austin challenged the Hardys to a match next week.
(Keller’s Analysis: Renee looked disgusted by their general personalities. They are a fun heel team to root against.)
(3) WARDLOW vs. JAKE HAGER
As Wardlow made his ring entrance, Hager attacked him from behind. The bell rang eight minutes into the hour. Wardlow made a comeback and German suplexed Hager. He backdropped a charging Hager over the top rope to the floor. They cut to an early break. [c/ss]
Hager had Wardlow in an anklelock after the break. Wardlow upkicked himself free. Wardlow then delivered a spinebuster. He set up a powerbomb, but then noticed Angelo Parker and Matt Menard arriving at ringside and approaching Arn Anderson. With Wardlow distracted, Hager clipped his leg. Brock Anderson ran out and attacked Parker and Menard. Hager powered Wardlow up and slammed him. Wardlow kicked out at one. Hager went for a swing splash out of the corner, but Wardlow moved and then clotheslined Hager out of the ring. He slingshot himself onto Hager at ringside before quickly throwing him back into the ring. Wardlow landed a top rope flip senton. He dropped his straps and then powerbombed Hager. He shook the top rope and then delivered another for the three count.
WINNER: Wardlow in 8:00.
-As Wardlow celebrated, Christian and Luchasaurus showed up on the big screen. Christian was talking, but there was no audio for a few seconds. Christian told Wardlow that they accept his challenge at Collision to defend the TNT Title. He said his “new daddy” wouldn’t be there to save him. The camera panned over and showed a bloodied Arn with Luchasaurus holding him up.
-A promo aired with Hiroshi Tanahashi who said last year he came close to beating Jon Moxley for the AEW Title, and this year he wants to face MJF.
-Renee approached MJF and said it’s official, MJF will be facing Tanahashi at Forbidden Door. MJF said, “Uh, I’m going to say no to that one. Don’t feel like giving a World Title shot to a rando from a rinky-dink indy fed in Japan.” Fans gasped. He said Tony Khan might’ve booked him, but it wouldn’t be the first time he no-showed something he was booked for. [c]
-Renee interviewed Cassidy backstage. She asked about his next title defense. In walked Zack Sabre Jr. who challenged him to a match for his title. Garcia walked in and told Sabre Jr. that he doesn’t even work there. He asked Cassidy “where’s you boy Shibata at.” Cassidy said he’ll be there next week, so how about Sabre. Jr. and Garcia face him and Shibata next week. Sabre Jr. didn’t seem thrilled to be teaming with Garcia.
(4) TONI STORM (w/Ruby Soho) vs. SKYE BLUE – AEW Women’s Title match
Soho brought a cardboard cutout of Saraya with her. Excalibur said Saraya said she wouldn’t step foot in a city like D.C. The bell rang 26 minutes into the hour. Storm sprayed green paint in the face of Blue’s mom at ringside. Blue dove onto Storm and Soho at ringside. They cut to a break at 1:30. [c/ss]
Storm side-stepped a charging Blue after the break and sent her face-first into the middle rope. Storm shoved her to the floor. Storm and Soho hugged at ringside. Soho handed Storm the can of spray paint, then distracted the ref. Storm was going to spray Blue, but Blue sprayed her with her own can instead. She followed with a sunset bomb, but the ref was occupied with Soho. Storm recovered and delivered Storm Zero for a believable near fall. Storm quickly shifted into a sharpshooter for the tapout win.
WINNER: Storm in 7:00 to retain the AEW Title.
-Afterward, Storm and Soho attacked Blue. The bell was rung frantically. Willow Nightengale ran out for the save. Storm and Soho bailed out to ringside.
-Renee interviewed Hook and “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry. Perry said he’s feeling a little naked standing next to Hook without a belt, so he accepted Sanada’s open challenge for an IWGP Title match. Renee asked Hook for a reaction, but Perry grabbed the mic and said after he wins, he wants to keep teaming with him. He told Hook he’s his best friend and it would mean the world to him if he’d be in his corner at Forbidden Door. Hook fist-bumped him, but didn’t speak.
-Bryan Danielson made his ring entrance. Excalibur plugged the tag team main event coming up.
-A vignette aired on Forbidden Door’s line-ups with clips of wrestlers in action and soundbites.
-Excalibur hyped the Forbidden Door line-up and the one match announced for Collision. Promos aired for the Collision six-man tag including promos from Jay White and Juice Robinson and FTR. Excalibur said Miro would be in action, plus Wardlow vs. Luchasauris, Blue & Willow vs. Storm & Soho, and Andrade El Idolo vs. Buddy Matthews.
-Jon Moxley’s ring entrance then took place. They cut to a break. [c]
(5) THE YOUNG BUCKS & “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE vs. JON MOXLEY & WHEELER YUTA & CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI
The Bucks and Hangman came out next. The bell rang 43 minutes into the hour. Bryan was on commentary. All six brawled as soon as the bell rang. The Bucks and Hangman cleared the ring of the heels. Matt Jackson release-powerbombed Yuta onto the edge of the ring apron. Nick landed a springboard corkscrew dive on top Claudio as Hangman leaped onto Moxley just out of camera range. The Bucks held Yuta off the edge of the ring apron vulnerable to a Hangman top rope moonsault.
Matt and Mox were the first to battle one-on-one. Mox stomped away at Matt in the corner and then gave middle fingers to the crowd. Matt fought back and tagged Nick in. Mox put Matt in a chinlock, but Nick leaped onto Mox. Hangman brawled with Claudio at ringside. Claudio landed a lift-and-drop European uppercut on Nick. Hangman then hit Claudio. Mox leaped through the ropes and hit Hangman awkwardly. Matt leaped onto Claudio and Mox at ringside, then played to the crowd. Hangman was still selling the Mox elbow. Excalibur said this was the first time Hangman and the Bucks have teamed as a trios team in AEW. Matt gave Yuta a back suplex at ringside as Mox delivered a leaping piledriver on Nick in the ring for a near fall. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
Eventually, Mox leaped off the top rope and doomsday clotheslined Matt off of Claudio’s shoulders for a near fall. Mox then applied a Bulldog Choke. Claudio was beating up Hangman. Nick leaped over them and flipped onto Mox to break the Bulldog. Matt superkicked Claudio, but Claudio blocked it and then launched Yuta toward Matt. Matt lifted his knees. The Bucks stereo superkicked each BCC member one after another. The Bucks gave Yuta a V-Trigger. Hangman followed with a Buckshot Lariat for the win. “What a freakin’ match-up!” said Schiavone. They cut to Danielson rubbing his temple.
WINNERS: The Bucks & Hangman in 11:00.
-Afterward, the BCC attacked the Bucks and Hangman. Eddie Kingston’s music played and he charged out. He tackled Claudio and fended off Yuta. Kingston back elbowed Claudio and then clotheslined him over the top rope. Matt stomped away at Mox, but Kingston pulled him off of him. Konoskuke Takeshita ran out and hit Kingston from behind. Fans booed. Kenny Omega’s music played and he charged out and he and Takeshita battled mid-ring. Omega and the Bucks beat up Takeshita and then fended off the BCC. Fans chanted “Eddie! Eddie!” Omega struck a celebratory pose mid-ring, but Will Ospray then attacked him with a superkick to the chin. “Holy shit!” chanted the fans. Ospreay stood over Omega and then lifted him by his hair and slammed him to the mat. Danielson stood and applauded from the stage. Excalibur hyped the “dream match” between Omega and Ospreay at Forbidden Door. Excalibur said Ospreay will be wrestling on Rampage this Friday. Schiavone said that is huge.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.