Tag: Young Bucks

AEW Dynamite results 04/17/24: Joe, Ospreay stand tall ahead of Dynasty

A final showdown between Swerve Strickland and Samoa Joe went poorly for the challenger on AEW Dynamite.

You know what they say about pre-pay-per-view momentum being a many-splendored thing? Wait, what? That was love? Are you absolutely sure? Well then OK, but momentum is still a thing that’s worth watching tonight on AEW Dynamite from Indianapolis.

Will Ospreay has all the momentum in the world right now. He’s been tearing through the AEW roster one opponent at a time, mowing through the Don Callis Family in particular. Now he’s moved on the the Blackpool Combat Club, with a showdown against Bryan Danielson waiting Sunday at Dynasty.

Is he taking this Wednesday night off? Heck no, he’s taking on the Swiss Superman, Claudio Castagnoli. Take that, Ospreay grind doubters. We could take about the fun clash of styles here, but you probably already know all about that. The more intriguing part will be seeing if AEW lets Ospreay take his first ‘L,’ even if it’s because of extenuating circumstances, setting up a little more doubt ahead of Sunday.

Pretty much all of the other advertised matches carry with them some kind of Dynasty implications, which is exactly what a good go home show should do. Plus there could even be another match or two added to the Dynasty card tonight, which is something that AEW is not opposed to doing the week of a PPV.

Tony Khan has announced that this show has an overrun already approved, so we’re ready to settle in for more than two hours of action. Let’s get it.

AEW Dynamite results from Indianapolis:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Jon Moxley and his new championship are here, and he makes a challenge to Powerhouse Hobbs
  • Mercedes Moné puts the entire women’s division on notice with a special warning to Julia Hart or whoever attacker her last week

  • Willow Nightingale has clearly been attacked backstage, but she tells Stokely Hathaway and medical personnel then she’s fine; out in the ring, the lights go out and back on to reveal Brody King in place to attack Adam Copeland
  • Brody King and Julia Hart def. Adam Copeland and Willow Nightingale by submission after Nightingale gets laid out by a shot by Hart wielding King’s chain; Moné arrives with a steel chair after the bell to prevent further damage to Nightingale, perhaps, and ends up shaking Copeland’s hand
  • Samoa Joe tells Renee Paquette he once saw Swerve Strickland as a worthy adversary but now sees him as an annoyance or punching bag; Joe also calls Swerve a choke artist but tells him not to worry, as at Dynasty, he’ll be the one choking Swerve out instead

  • The Young Bucks decide the hype video for the Ladder match doesn’t need the part with FTR, flexing their power as EVPs, and Kazuchika Okada tells Pac he won’t make it to Dynasty
  • The Elite (Young Bucks and Kazuchika Okada) def. Daniel Garcia, Penta El Zero Miedo and Pac by pinfall as Okada pins Garcia; after the bell, The Elite continue their assault until Pac produces a bell hammer and chases them off
  • Taz gets Chris Jericho and Hook together to talk, but it doesn’t stay cordial
  • Swerve Strickland admits to Paquette that he has tripped up but he’s always managed to get back up, and when Renee asks him why he’s confident, Swerve says he needs to say that to Joe’s face in the ring tonight

  • Deonna Purrazzo def. Mariah May by pinfall; after the bell, Thunder Rosa and Toni Storm both get involved in the melee, with Rosa eventually smearing Storm’s face with additional lipstick
  • The Bang Bang Gang doesn’t think Paquette is as excited as she should be to be in their presence; Jay White also says his group is going to take the other six-man titles from The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass
  • Speaking of The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass, they’re up for putting the gold on the line and will take on the Bang Bang Gang at Dynasty
  • Orange Cassidy def. Shane Taylor by pinfall; Cassidy is immediately jumped by Lee Moriarty and Anthony Ogogo after the bell, eating a nasty body shot from the boxer, and Trent Beretta ensures that Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal eat chair shots when they try to save him
  • Will Ospreay def. Claudio Castagnoli by pinfall; after the bell, the rest of the Don Callis Family assaults Castagnoli until Moxley hits the ring and clears it
  • Excalibur runs down the AEW Dynasty card
  • Swerve and Joe face off one last time before St. Louis, and it doesn’t end well for Swerve

There’s only one Jon Moxley, as Powerhouse Hobbs will learn next week

Mox says the first championship of any kind he ever won was right here in Indianapolis. Even then, 20 years, he says he was swimming upstream, but his message to doubters now is the same as it was then: Kiss my ass and watch me.

Being great, Moxley says, is about what’s inside and not what other people think. A “you deserve it” chant breaks out as he talks about the IWGP title, which he says he’s been chasing for five years.

After a rallying cry for AEW, Mox turns his attention to the Don Callis Family and the “hit” they put out on Bryan Danielson. If they want to get violent, he’ll be here all night, and he goes beyond that to challenge Powerhouse Hobbs for a match next week at Jacksonville. Moxley says he’ll drag Hobbs to the deepest waters to discover that Callis is feeding him lies.

Oh, and while there are a lot of great wrestlers in the world, but there is only one Jon Moxley.

Taz gets Chris Jericho and Hook together to talk, but not for long

Taz gives Jericho the floor first, asking the fans not to boo him so he can talk. Chris claims he just wanted to get Hook’s attention because he wasn’t listening as much as he could have been.

“I am the learning tree,” Jericho says, mentioning all of the people who have made it to the next level because of him: Orange Cassidy, Jon Moxley and Will Ospreay among them. Uh, sure.

When Jericho asks if Hook will sit under the branches of the learning tree Hook says no, because he doesn’t need Jericho’s help. Taz and Jericho start getting into it a little, which finally turns physical when Jericho shoves Taz.

A “you f–ked up” chant breaks out as Hook is mad now. The FTW Champion says if Jericho wants to see how good he is, they can fight again any time, any place. Hook tells Jericho to get out of his ring, which the fans love.

Will Ospreay passes his last pre-Dynasty test against Claudio Castagnoli

Claudio’s strength is immediately brought to bear on Ospreay, who can’t be the Aerial Assassin if you don’t let him off the ground. Ospreay is able to fire back on the outside, hopping over the barricade and then leaping off of it to land a forearm shot.

His next attempt to fly is less successful, as Castagnoli catches him on a springboard plancha to the floor and smashes him into the apron. As one does.

Castagnoli is able to get Ospreay on the mat to subject him to submission holds while dueling chants break out (though more are for Ospreay). The rally from Ospreay includes a Tiger Driver for a near fall as a “fight forever” chant rings out.

Ospreay even turns an exchange of uppercuts into some cool spots, but Castagnoli is scoring the near falls. Claudio calls for the Giant Swing, but Ospreay counters it with a guillotine and nearly wins it before hitting the Hidden Blade and winning for real.

Swerve gets what he asked for from Joe … and more

As he and Prince Nana hit the ring, Strickland reminds viewers that he was asked earlier tonight why he’s confident he can beat Samoa Joe. Swerve says it was because he’s seen the fear in Joe’s eyes and wants to tell the champ to his face he’s going to lose at Dynasty.

While security tries to hold him back, Joe does indeed head down the ramp. Swerve ends up launching a massive Swerve Stomp that takes out all the security guards, but Joe seizes the advantage and chucks Swerve into the steel steps.

As Joe is occupied with threatening Nana, Strickland flies back in for a House Call. Joe catches Strickland on the top rope a second later, though, and drops him in the middle of the ring with a massive Muscle Buster. Joe stands tall over Swerve to end the show.

Why the pro wrestling world is buzzing about CM Punk backstage AEW footage, explained

Not even everyone in AEW knows what kind of footage from All In is being shown or what it will reveal.

CM Punk hasn’t been part of AEW for a while, having been fired last fall and made his return to WWE a few months later. But his time there is still very much lingering in ways that will come to a head on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

While the attention of pretty much every pro wrestling fan was on WrestleMania 40 this weekend, AEW announced during AEW Collision — which aired after the men’s college basketball tournament games Saturday, and thus was broadcast late at night — that it would air backstage footage from last year’s All In pay-per-view, and the Young Bucks (who are also AEW EVPs) would discuss it for the first time.

It’s a move that has both fascinated and divided the pro wrestling world, and if you’re wondering how we got here and why this is happening, here’s an overview.

What exactly happened at All In?

All In London was the biggest event in AEW history, in front of one of the largest crowds ever to watch a wrestling show. It was held in London’s Wembley Stadium and should have been the kind of victory lap that few No. 2 wrestling promotions have ever been able to take.

And while it was a success by many measures, it was somewhat marred by an altercation between Punk and Jack Perry. The causes behind it would take too long to go through here, but the short version is that Perry said something live on the PPV that was a shot at Punk, who confronted him about it backstage. Their argument turned physical and both men were suspended.

A few days later, Punk was fired, with AEW CEO, GM and head of creative Tony Khan claiming that he feared for his safety and the safety of other AEW employees.

Why is an incident from August 2023 relevant again now?

It’s mostly because Punk made it that way. On the Monday of WrestleMania week, Punk appeared as a guest on “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani and talked extensively about his side of the All In situation for the first time.

He claims he did indeed confront Perry, who challenged him to do something about it. Punk says he did put Perry in a chokehold but didn’t threaten or endanger Khan. In addition, he claimed he told Khan he was quitting AEW and had to be convinced by Jerry Lynn and Samoa Joe to come out of his dressing room to wrestle Joe, which he did end up doing.

What kind of footage does AEW have from All In?

That’s uncertain, and it’s possible only a limited number of people know (including Khan and the Bucks). It could be security camera footage, other performers might have captured the fracas with cellphones, or some combination of the two.

AEW announcer and senior producer Tony Schiavone has stated even he doesn’t know what kind of footage it is, saying “I have no idea where we’re going.”

Is there a chance that this is all part of an angle?

This is a logical question any time something like this happens in pro wrestling, but every indication is that it’s legit. Well-connected wrestling news outlets like Fightful have reported that the footage will be real, and Khan and the Bucks have insisted the same. The expectation is that viewers will see behind the curtain at All In during Dynamite tonight.

An even better question is whether the video will be turned into part of an angle, and while that remains to be seen, it feels very possible. A popular theory is that it will be used to help Perry return as a high profile villain; he hasn’t appeared on AEW TV since All In and has been appearing most recently in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. The Bucks are also heels right now and their involvement in this, as opposed to Khan just presenting the footage himself, has raised some eyebrows.

What is AEW hoping to gain from showing the CM Punk-Jack Perry footage?

In the short term, it’s hoping that this will pump up the ratings for Dynamite, which have been soft, and promote interest in its upcoming Dynasty pay-per-view on April 21. Khan spoke with SI’s Justin Barrasso this week and was very transparent on that front.

The longer term benefit is harder to parse. It’s possible that the footage will make Punk look like he lied on Helwani’s show, especially if it appears he was the instigator and/or did threaten Khan or others.

Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t seem like it would really hurt Punk or WWE. Wrestling fans in general are mostly settled into pro- or anti-Punk camps by this point, and it’s unclear how many hearts and minds could be changed even if Punk comes off looking like a raving assailant. WWE is also so hot at the moment that dinging the image of one of its stars (and Punk has been out with injury for months now anyway) isn’t going to slow it down.

There’s certainly a benefit in the sphere of public opinion if AEW is proven that its side of events was what really went down, a matter of trust that could potentially pay off even if it doesn’t have a large effect on the bottom line. And maybe some people who are curious about the footage enjoy the rest of Dynamite and decide to watch more AEW going forward.

Expect to see a lot of discussion and debate about what was shown and whether AEW was smart to show it after tonight’s Dynamite, which airs at 8 p.m. ET on TBS.

AEW Dynamite preview 04/10/24: The Young Bucks explain it All (In)

Also on the card for AEW Dynamite in Charleston, Adam Copeland defends his TNT title and Mariah May battles Anna Jay.

Say this about AEW: Tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite has both an AEW World Championship title eliminator and a TNT Championship match, and neither is the top talking point ahead of the show. You might have heard about what is …

What will the Young Bucks say about the CM Punk-Jack Perry backstage footage from All In London?

AEW’s decision to show video of the altercation that led to Punk’s firing and Perry’s suspension is intriguing in its own right. All indications are that it’s legit, and Tony Khan is being up front about it, telling SI this week that airing it is a matter of “driving interest for Dynamite and our Dynasty pay-per-view on April 21.”

Almost lost in the shuffle of wondering whether it will make Punk look bad or help Perry return as a monster heel is the fact that the Young Bucks are presenting the footage. Considering that Matthew and Nicholas Jackson are currently playing devious heels that blur the line between their real responsibilities and in-ring ambitions, one can only imagine what they’re going to bring to the whole affair.

It’s almost certain to be a can’t-miss segment.

Will Dustin become the second Rhodes to win a world championship this year?

OK, no one really believes Dustin Rhodes is about to beat the AEW World Champion right now, but the thing about the Natural is that he’s got the knack for making you believe once the bell rings. If he can do it against Samoa Joe, who’s been a monster champ so far, it will be that much more impressive.

Oh, and there’s no way Swerve Strickland just sits back and takes this all in without finding some way to cause some chaos, right? Maybe he finds a way to help Rhodes earn a shot.

AEW Dynamite card for 4/9/24 in Charleston:

  • Samoa Joe vs. Dustin Rhodes – AEW World Championship Eliminator match
  • Adam Copeland (c) vs. Penta El Zero Miedo – TNT Championship match
  • The Young Bucks present backstage footage from All In London and will discuss for the first time
  • Toni Storm hosts a Charleston Championship Champagne Toast
  • Mariah May vs. Anna Jay
  • Hook, Chris Jericho and Katsuyori Shibata vs. Shane Taylor Promotions

This is certainly a Dynamite that’s going to be discussed and dissected, and you’ll want to tune in at 8 p.m. on TBS or join us back here at Wrestling Junkie for live results so you don’t miss out.

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Young Bucks claim they will show All In London backstage footage on 4/10 Dynamite

Is it an angle? Top wrestling insiders say no, so the wrestling world will be looking forward to the next AEW Dynamite.

While the attention of most of the pro wrestling world was elsewhere Saturday night, AEW was still doing its thing, airing a new Collision after the NCAA men’s basketball tournament semifinals. And while it would be easy to dismiss this pre-taped episode as inconsequential, it instead created a wave of discussion and speculation as Saturday faded into Sunday.

It wasn’t a match but a promo for the next episode of Dynamite that set off the buzz. As shown in the graphic above, the Young Bucks apparently will share backstage footage from All In London last summer and “discuss for the first time.”

The events of All In, where a backstage confrontation because CM Punk and Jack Perry eventually led to the former’s firing and the latter’s suspension, became relevant again over the past week. While appearing on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Punk gave his side of the story for the first time, dismissing the idea that he did anything that might make Tony Khan feel threatened — a key claim AEW’s CEO made when explaining his decision to fire Punk.

Do the Bucks actually have video evidence to back up Khan’s assertions? The impulse is to assume this is an angle of some sort, an effort to drum up ratings right after WWE’s biggest event of the year at a time when live attendance for AEW shows has been soft and TV viewership up and down.

Some of pro wrestling’s most well connected insiders say that might not be the case. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful said right away that it was legit, then followed up with a report in Fightful Select (subscription required) citing AEW talent and staff who said they were told footage of the Punk-Perry incident will air.

During AEW Collision Saturday, a graphic ran saying that Young Bucks will present backstage footage from AEW All In, and will discuss for the first time. Many took this as being some sort of troll or bait, but everyone around the situation we’ve spoken to at least claims that it is genuine, and footage from the CM Punk/Jack Perry altercation is expected to air. Specifically, it was reiterated to us by numerous people in AEW that the company isn’t going to falsely promote something, much less like that.

Fightful added that there was “belief that the video was enough for the company to make a clean split without much of an issue or a legal battle.” If true this will be a fascinating watch, though the idea that many minds will change about Punk will change seems unlikely in what is already a very polarized landscape for pro wrestling fans.

Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer also confirmed the plan is to legitimately air the footage.

If nothing else, it grabbed AEW some attention during a time when nearly everyone with an interest in pro wrestling is otherwise engaged with another company’s product, and that’s never a bad thing in the short term. How it plays out Wednesday night is anyone’s guess, but it’s hard to deny the curiosity factor around a move like this.

AEW Dynamite airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.

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AEW Dynamite results 04/03/24: Swerve signs in blood, Trent betrays Best Friends

AEW Dynamite from Worcester also saw Thunder Rosa become No. 1 contender for Toni Storm.

The funny thing about joining a team is you never know right away if you’re going to be a good fit for it or vice versa. That’s a relevant thought as we head to Worcester, Mass. for AEW Dynamite tonight, because Will Ospreay is fighting another one of his Don Callis Family teammates.

To be fair, Ospreay has rarely done much alongside his other Family members in the first place, what with still being a member of the New Japan Pro-Wrestling roster when he first joined and all. Since he’s arrived in AEW full time, the Aerial Assassin has had just three matches, and two of them were against teammates.

Which would be weird except that this is a group assembled by Don Callis that we’re talking about, and it wouldn’t be surprising at all if it turned out he was jealous of Ospreay’s popularity. No one bigger than the team and all that.

As a result, Callis might be hoping Powerhouse Hobbs beats Ospreay tonight. And if he doesn’t, it will be interesting to see what role the Family might play when Ospreay faces Bryan Danielson at AEW Dynasty later this month.

The other big thing on the docket tonight is a contract signing between Swerve Strickland and Samoa Joe. These two certainly have turned their program into a nice little powderkeg waiting to ignite, and this might be the spark that lights it.

It’s also fair to wonder if, despite Joe being a worthy champ, whether AEW is ready to push Swerve to the level it feels like he’s earned and let him have a run with the top title.

We’re excited for what this night might have in store from Worcester, so let’s get into it.

AEW Dynamite results from Worcester:

(please scroll down for more details on any segment or match in bold)

  • Adam Copeland tells us why AEW should be celebrated
  • Will Ospreay def. Powerhouse Hobbs by pinfall
  • Ospreay pauses on the ramp and exchanges a look and some words with Bryan Danielson on the way in for his match
  • Bryan Danielson def. Lance Archer by pinfall
  • Renee Paquette welcomes Chris Jericho, who asks Hook to join him so he can clarify that he understands why Hook would be wary about trusting him but wants Hook to believe in him; Hook says he got them a match on Collision but will be keeping his eye on him, and Jericho says he’d expect nothing less … bet

  • Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty reveal they’re the opponents for LionHook on Collision
  • Billy Gunn def. Jay White by DQ as White hits him with a low blow following a distraction from The Gunns; The Acclaimed come to the rescue despite being shown on the big screen having been laid out in the back
  • The Young Bucks and Best Friends (plus Trent’s mom Sue) are shown walking into the building earlier today
  • Paquette talks to Willow Nightingale about her TBS Championship shot at Dynasty, and she thanks the fans for giving her confidence during her career in general and at this time in particular …

  • … Stokely Hathaway is singing her praises as well when he’s interrupted by Mercedes Moné, who makes it clear that she’s up next for whoever walks out of Dynasty as TBS champ

  • Young Bucks def. Best Friends by pinfall in an AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Semifinal, using a catapult into an exposed turnbuckle to help them pull it off …
  • … and after the match, instead of going in for the customary group hug, Trent Beretta hits Orange Cassidy with a flying knee and storms off without his teammates or his mom
  • Thunder Rosa def. Mariah May by pinfall in an AEW Women’s World Championship No. 1 Contenders Match
  • Penta El Zero Miedo says Copeland should defend the TNT Championship against an AEW original next week … namely him
  • Samoa Joe signs in ink, Swerve Strickland signs in blood, but it’s the champ who ends the night standing tall

Adam Copeland circles the wagons nicely for AEW

Even though his mic is sort of messed up and there was some negative talk during the week, Copeland wants to talk about the positives. He’s looking at it from a “what a time to be alive” standpoint.

Growing up, Copeland watched WWF, NWA and much more, devouring it all because he loved professional wrestling. When he started thinking about the end of his career, he says he realized AEW is where he needs to be, touting the phenomenal roster with talents like Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Hangman Adam Page, Swerve Strickland and much more.

When his friends ask him if he’s having a blast, Copeland says he is — the most he’s ever had in his 32-year career. He adds that AEW should be celebrated for pushing the whole business to a better place and that it’s where the best wrestle.

Turns out it’s a really long introduction for the man himself, Will Ospreay, as Copeland puts him over as the man who will be what AEW is going forward.

Will Ospreay wins the “Battle of Wills” against Powerhouse Hobbs

Don Callis joins the announcers for this one and takes credit for pitting his own stable members against each other in an “iron sharpens iron” way. He likes Ospreay’s early aggression, which finally gets him in trouble when Hobbs hoists him off the barricade and slams his spine on the steel steps. Ouch.

Much as we like seeing Ospreay do his thing, it feels like after some side-by-side commercials that we’re going to need a Hobbs showcase sequence at some point. We get just a tad before Ospreay goes back on the attack, then catches Hobbs with an inside cradle.

Hobbs hits an impressive move off the middle turnbuckle for a near fall, but his next powerslam is countered by a DDT. A sky twister press is next, and the Hidden Blade wipes out Hobbs to secure a pinfall for Ospreay.

Callis has to step between the two men after the match, and is able to broker some peace before things get out of hand.

Thunder Rosa leaves Toni Storm speechless by defeating Mariah May

Toni Storm joins the announcers, the better to see Rosa’s X-Men inspired ring gear. The champ seems to think her protege might have a quick night here, but she’s taking more punishment than she’s giving early on.

It still looks like Rosa is in charge after picture-in-picture action, leading Storm to say she’s getting nervous. May evades a double stomp off the top and nails a knee for a close near fall.

The finish comes sort of out of nowhere, with Rosa hitting the Tijuana Bomb and earning No. 1 contender status for Storm’s title. Rosa tells Storm to get in the ring right now, but Toni simply looks stunned.

Swerve Strickland, Samoa Joe make it official … in blood

Tony Schiavone moderates and Joe wastes no time signing on the proverbial bottom line. The champ says he wants to give his challenger a little bit of advice before he signs. Namely, Joe says signing is a career-defining mistake, as he’ll beat Swerve down so badly that it’ll leave him mentally scarred like he left Diddy’s party too late. Joe’s words, not ours.

Strickland responds that he’s wanted this moment his entire life, dreaming about it and wondering if it was possible. He mentions the new signings that are helping AEW build a dynasty and says he’ll prove that he is every bit that man.

“Now run the fade on that bitch,” Strickland says in closing. Joe shoves him but Swerve fires back a mean right hand. Strickland goes to choke out the champ with his chain, but Joe wrestles it away and wraps it around his right hand. Strickland ends up eating multiple shots from the chain in the corner, bleeding from the onslaught.

But as Joe heads back up the ramp, a bloody Swerve simply laughs and says “I love this s–t,” adding that if this is all Joe’s got, he’s taking the championship. Strickland signs the contract with his own blood, but an enraged Joe runs back to the ring, kicks him in the groin and slams him through the table with a uranage.

AEW Dynamite results 03/27/24: Swerve stomps his way to No. 1 contender status

Also on AEW Dynamite, Willow Nightingale earned a TBS Championship shot at Dynasty.

Though he’s not the only big name recent addition to the roster, it’s hard not to get swept up in the pure enthusiasm that Will Ospreay has brought with him to AEW. In the ring? Of course, that’s a given, and we should see it again tonight in Quebec City when he takes on Konosuke Takeshita.

It’s more than that, though. Ospreay was rarely a straightforward babyface during his time in New Japan, but he’s embraced that role wholeheartedly since he made the jump. He speaks about AEW as an ideal in a way that we have rarely heard (though stalwarts like Jon Moxley and Britt Baker have expressed similar feelings through the years), and in a manner that makes you want to buy whatever he’s selling.

And that’s great. Having two strong national wrestling promotions in the U.S. is a boon for the talent and for fans. Yet it’s even better when someone like Ospreay is where he truly wants to be, not just because one company paid him more or the like.

It’s no doubt easier for Ospreay to feel this pumped since he already has a juicy match set for AEW Dynasty next month. In fact, Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson is the only match finalized for that event so far, which makes one wonder if we might see more movement on that end tonight on Dynamite.

Certainly, the four-way women’s match slated for tonight will do that, as the winner gets a TBS Championship shot. Two tag team matches are part of a tournament for the vacant titles at Dynasty as well, though the winners won’t be able to say “meet me in St. Louis” just yet since these are only the quarterfinals.

Anyway, we’re ready to recap all the action, so let’s light the fuse (RIP original Dynamite theme).

AEW Dynamite results from Quebec City:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Will Ospreay def. Katsuyori Shibata by pinfall
  • A hype video is shown for Bryan Danielson, narrated by Excalibur

  • Matthew and Nicholas Jackson don’t like Renee Paquette’s “ambush journalism,” but they talk about their biggest goal, which is getting their AEW Tag Team Championship belts back

  • Kazuchika Okada pulls up in an expensive sports car, as one does if one is the Rainmaker
  • Young Bucks def. Private Party by pinfall in an AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal; the finish was a little strange and both teams attempted to cheat to win
  • Don Callis appears to talk up Konosuke Takeshita, who is facing Swerve Strickland in tonight’s main event
  • Mercedes Moné rolls up, ready to do guest commentary
  • Darby Allin and Tony Hawk talk about the charity he was going to climb Mount Everest to support, The Skatepark Project
  • Paquette gets Chris Jericho and Hook together, and it sounds like Jericho is offering to mentor or manage him, though Hook is understandably a little wary
  • Willow Nightingale def. Anna Jay, Kris Statlander and Skye Blue in a 4-Way match for a TBS Championship shot; Julia Hart attacks Willow from behind after the bell but backs off when Mercedes gets up from the announce table
  • Dustin Rhodes says nothing’s different even at age 55, and he’s as passionate as ever; The Butcher shows up and challenges him to a Bunkhouse Brawl on Rampage

  • Ben Mankiewicz appears with “Timeless” Toni Storm and ends up completely befuddled by her catchphrases

  • Best Friends def. Undisputed Kingdom by pinfall in an AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal, as Chuck Taylor was able to neutralize Roderick Strong’s attempt to interfere; the Bucks make a brief appearance afterward to stare down Best Friends
  • Kyle O’Reilly talks to Paquette about getting a win under his belt to kick off his comeback, and he says he’s going to go it alone again on Collision to keep proving he doesn’t need Undisputed Kingdom backing him
  • An Adam Copeland video goes back through his TNT Championship victory, which he will defend for the first time Saturday on Collision
  • Swerve Strickland def. Konosuke Takeshita by pinfall in a No. 1 Contenders Match
  • Samoa Joe appears briefly with Paquette to menacingly say Swerve is not the man he thinks he is, and he’ll prove it next week

Will Ospreay gets a fun victory over Katsuyori Shibata

Courtesy of NJPW, we see footage from these two gents wrestling each other seven years ago. Ospreay looks like he’s a teenager, and Shibata was victorious on that night.

The question about this matchup was whether Ospreay would wrestle something more akin to Shibata’s style and pace, and he does … for a bit. He eventually takes to the air, however, and takes the bigger of the bumps when Shibata nails him with a big boot from the apron to the floor.

Oh, and he gets suplexed and kicked on the floor too.

Shibata gets to show off his striking game as well, plus they trade submissions. Yes, Ospreay can do those as well as the fancier stuff.

Ospreay has to fight out of several submission holds, and he eventually hits an Oscutter. Both men escape some close calls before Ospreay hits the Hidden Blade, but it’s still not enough to end it.

You know what is? A Tiger Driver followed by a second Hidden Blade. Good stuff.

Willow Nightingale earns a TBS Championship opportunity

Mercedes Moné is on guest commentary for this, and there’s plenty of intrigue involved. Skye would be going up against her own friend, Julia Hart, if she wins, and Willow and Stat are tag team partners most of the time.

There’s an awesome sequence after the commercial break with a Code Blue by Skye, people getting dropped onto each other, and more. Willow and Stat finally end up facing each other, but Skye barges in and they join forces against her (though also get knocked together).

Willow DVDs Skye on the apron, leading to amazing reactions from both Mercedes and Stokely. Eventually, Nightingale ends up isolated with Anna Jay, hitting a pumphandle sitout powerbomb that wins it.

Right after the bell, Julia Hart attacks Nightingale from behind, which gets Mercedes up from her seat … but only for a staredown.

Swerve Strickland stomps his way past Konosuke Takeshita to become No. 1 contender to Samoa Joe

Strickland offers a handshake, which Takeshita accepts but turns into the beginning of the grappling. Swerve has the upper hand early on, controlling the action and the pace.

Does he hit the Griddy? Yes, yes he does.

Takeshita fires himself up by hitting a sheer drop brainbuster, which actually is a good motivator. Or I’d imagine, I’ve never hit one.

It’s also fair to wonder if there’s an overrun tonight as we head toward six minutes left in the show. Strickland hits his somersault to the apron into a hurricanrana, which is wild.

Swerve is selling the heck out of his neck/shoulder region. Takeshita finds him with a tope con hilo on the floor, also outstanding.

Strickland fires back with a nasty DDT out of the corner and a corkscrew senton, earning both a near fall and a “this is awesome” chant from the Quebec City crowd.

Takeshita pulls off a nasty poison rana and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. We’re going past 10 p.m. and into “what will it take to win this” territory.

Maybe a Swerve Stomp on the apron? That sets off a series of counters and reversals, plus a nasty knee strike that gets Takeshita a two count.

Another Swerve Stomp after a House Call? No, but a standing Swerve Stomp and a JML Driver finally do it. Hot damn.

AEW Dynamite results 03/20/24: Copeland has grit, friends to make Cage quit

Toronto also saw Kazuchika Okada win gold on AEW Dynamite.

When two former friends from Ontario want to settle their massive, ongoing beef, maybe the only real way to do it is in an I Quit match in Toronto. Wouldn’t you know it, that’s exactly what awaits tonight on AEW Dynamite.

Adam Copeland and Christian Cage have clashed over the TNT Championship before, with Cage emerging victorious thanks to the aid of The Patriarchy. He dismissively sent Copeland to the back of the line, figuring that would be the end of it.

Copeland brushed himself off and jumped into the idea of working his way back to title contention with gusto thanks to his series of “Cope Open” matches. They didn’t really go on as long as he and AEW would have us believe, but it’s a fine narrative regardless.

If you didn’t think we were always headed back here, you must be relatively new to pro wrestling (so welcome!). An I Quit match in front of what is a hometown crowd for both men should be excellent.

It’s not the only title match on Dynamite tonight either. Eddie Kingston actually has several titles that confusingly are sometimes referred to as one. Only one of those three, the still fairly new Continental Championship, is at stake when Kingston faces Kazuchika Okada.

A villainous Rainmaker took some getting used to but seems like a stroke of genius for AEW. Will Okada break through this early in his time in the U.S.? We’ll find out tonight.

AEW Dynamite results from Toronto:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Mercedes Moné is here, as is Willow Nightingale, but are they united even against Julia Hart and Skye Blue?
  • Matthew and Nicholas Jackson want Alex Marvez to talk Japanese to Kazuchika Okada, or to learn how by next week, but the Rainmaker knows enough English to tell Eddie Kingston he’s coming for the title
  • Kazuchika Okada def. Eddie Kingston by pinfall to become the new AEW Continental Champion, however …
  • … after his victory, Okada sees Pac come out to the stage, insinuating he’ll be going after the Continental title
  • Renee Paquette speaks with Swerve Strickland, who accuses Samoa Joe of running and ducking him but is in the mood to issue an open challenge for a fight tonight
  • Paquette next speaks with Nightingale and Statlander about their Street Fight on Rampage, with Willow noting that she’s completely different in that environment; Moné stops by and exchanges thanks with Statlander but freezes out Nightingale (and Stokely Hathaway for that matter)
  • Hook def. Chris Jericho by pinfall
  • Adam Cole talks about how disappointed he is in Wardlow, so now the big man’s job is to protect the gold Undisputed Kingdom has, framing it as wanting what’s best for Wardlow
  • Paquette grabs a minute with Jericho backstage, and he says Hook lived up to what he expected from the “future world champion”; next week, Jericho says he has a proposition for Hook
  • Tony Schiavone calls Will Ospreay to the ring, and the Aerial Assassin says he’s changed and is now here for the betterment of AEW but needs some maple syrup from Canada in return; he also addresses Bryan Danielson claiming he couldn’t walk in Bryan’s shoes and tells Katsuyori Shibata he wants to face him next week
  • A hype video is shown for the Adam Copeland-Christian Cage I Quit match later tonight
  • Deonna Purrazzo and Thunder Rosa def. “Timeless” Toni Storm and Mariah May by pinfall
  • Swerve Strickland def. The Butcher by submission, then cuts a promo on Samoa Joe which is answered in the flesh by the AEW World Champion, and then by Don Callis, which apparently sets up a match between Swerve and Konosuke Takeshita
  • Adam Copeland def. Christian Cage in an I Quit match to become the new AEW TNT Champion

Mercedes Moné still has business with Willow Nightingale, which only gets more complicated

Please say hello to your new CEO. Mercedes says she’s still on a high from her debut in AEW last week, and goes on to talk about her near-career-ending injury 10 months ago when she was facing Willow Nightingale.

Cognizant that some people might not know exactly who she is, Mercedes shows a video package to fill them in. No, there are no Sasha Banks highlights in it.

She’s not here to lead a women’s evolution, as she’s done that before. Mercedes says she wants to lead a global revolution, facing the best women all over the world.

For now, it seems she wants to focus on Nightingale, but the lights go out when she does her mic drop, then come back up to find Julia Hart standing on the ramp. Skye Blue attempts an attack from behind, but both heels are easily repulsed.

Hart and Blue go under the ring for chairs but are neutralized by the arrival of Nightingale and Kris Statlander, both carrying chairs of their own. The lights go out and back on again, and it appears Willow was considering hitting Mercedes, which of course ticks off the CEO as she leaves.

Kazuchika Okada makes it rain gold against Eddie Kingston

Kingston has been talking about how Okada has never faced anyone like him, but an argument can be made that he’s as rooted in Strong Style as any current non-Japanese wrestler, so perhaps that’s not 100% true.

It’s also fun to see how some of Okada’s trademark mannerisms and bits still work even now that he’s a heel. We also see Matthew and Nicholas Jackson in the back, working as producers for the match as they promised Okada they would.

OK it’s not all business as usual with Okada as he’s a lot cockier than normal, but he’s bumping like the top level pro he is as Kingston hurls him around with suplexes. Eddie is getting plenty of support from the fans but there are some chants for the challenger as well.

Signature Okada dropkick? Check. But Kingston is able to nail the spinning back fist not long after for a near fall.

A running clotheslines has Eddie pulling down his straps, but Okada is able to gouge the champ’s eyes after a quick ref distraction. A spinning powerslam leads to a Rainmaker, and Okada is golden in AEW already.

Deonna Purrazzo, Thunder Rosa get one over on Toni Storm, Mariah May even though they aren’t completely aligned

The framing here is about how Storm and May are a proven team while Purrazzo and Rosa may not be on the exact same page. It’s not a problem in the opening minutes, and Rosa looks good in one of the longest matches we’ve seen from her on TV since she returned from her long injury layoff.

Ah, but things change when the Virtuosa has things rolling against May and Rosa tags herself in. That proves to be a tactical error as she eats a hip attack from the champ, but Thunder reverses a piledriver and gets the victory out of nowhere.

It doesn’t look like Deonna is 100% happy with things after the match, however.

Adam Copeland gets help to overcome The Patriarchy and makes Christian Cage quit

The fans enthusiastically sing along with Copeland’s theme a cappella even after the music stops, but the mood changes quickly when Cage makes his ring walk. There’s also a “holy s–t” chant that rings out in the early going.

It doesn’t take long for the two Canadians to fight into the crowd, where Cage dons a Bruins sweater and Copeland wears a Leafs sweater for an additional hometown pop. During picture-in-picture action, they battle out onto the concourse and then back toward the ring.

The crowd starts a “TLC” chant as a ladder comes into play, and both men are hurt when Copeland pulls Cage backward onto the steel. That gets a “this is awesome” chant going as well.

Now Copeland gets out a table, leaning it against the barricade. Cage leapfrogs a Spear and sends Copeland into the ringpost after a quick poke to the eyes.

Copeland ends up getting driven through the table when Cage jumps off the top rope, and he’s busted open as a result. They head back into the ring, where Cage catapults Copeland into a ladder laid across the ropes. The ref asks Copeland for a response but he’s not ready to quit.

Cage’s frog splash finds no one home, and Copeland grabs him in a crossface. The champ also isn’t quitting and gouges the challenger’s eyes to free himself.

During more picture-in-picture, Cage looks like he’s trying to walk out on the match, but Copeland catches up with him and catapults Cage off the stage. The champ also briefly gets thrown into a hockey net, as one does.

While they fight back toward the ring, Mama Wayne runs up and uses a hockey stick to hit a low blow on Copeland from behind. Cage breaks the stick over Copeland’s back and they head back inside the squared circle.

Cage unloads with the blade half of the stick and flexes to a chorus of boos. He jams the stick into Copeland’s throat, and the ref asks him several times if he’ll quit and still gets a quiet no.

Looking under the ring again, Cage slides several chairs into the ring. He produces one with barbed wire around it too, looking for a devastating Con-chair-to. Copeland rolls away at the last second and now he has the barbed wire chair, but Cage kicks it away.

Copeland runs Cage over with the hockey stick and tries choking him out, then takes the drawstring out of his tights to choke the champ. Nick Wayne and Killswitch pick that moment to jump in again, and they invite Mana Wayne to slap him.

Daddy Magic and Daniel Garcia run down to attack The Patriarchy, and Killswitch takes a DDT on the barbed wire chair. They also send Wayne flying to the floor, and Copeland climbs a ladder and dives to the floor onto both of them.

Garcia produces handcuffs, and the faces end up cuffing both Wayne and Killswitch to opposite corners. Mama Wayne sees more handcuffs and decides to make a run for it.

Cage is now left three on one, which makes things look grim for him. He’s handcuffed to another corner, where Copeland kicks him in the junk repeatedly.

Copeland gets in one shot from Spike, his nail-studded 2×4, and threatens another to finally make Copeland say “I Quit.”

AEW Dynamite results 03/06/24: Rainmaker aligns with EVPs, Will Ospreay soars again

The world title situation also kept spinning on AEW Dynamite from the Atlanta area.

It’s a bit of a joke online that Tony Khan promises a new era for AEW after every pay-per-view. But he means it for tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite from Duluth, right near Atlanta.

New, colorful set? Check. New theme song? Possibly, but hopefully we’re all still lighting the fuse.

There could be a new big name making his arrival tonight as well. Possibly one who’s been known to affect the weather with some precipitation? We shall see, but that’s the rumor.

As for what we know is on tap, Will Ospreay, another recent arrival, will be in action against his buddy Kyle Fletcher. Kris Statlander gets a stiff test in the form of former world Champ Riho. And the Young Bucks … excuse me, AEW EVPs Matthew and Nicholas Jackson have a huge announcement. Or at least they’ve said it’s huge, we’ll be the judges.

We’re ready to dive in with live updates, so let’s do this.

AEW Dynamite results from Atlanta (area):

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Tony Schiavone invites Swerve Strickland to the ring to talk about what’s next for him, which ends up as a debate between him, Samoa Joe and Undisputed Kingdom
  • Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland def. The Kingdom by pinfall with Swerve handling the whole match; Joe chokes Swerve out after the match and stares down Wardlow
  • Renee Paquette wants to talk to Hook, but Chris Jericho stops by and admits he respects him after facing off in the All-Star Scramble at Revolution, which gets him a fist bump of respect from Hook

  • Matthew and Nicholas Jackson have two huge announcements but say they’ll make them live in the ring later tonight

  • Hook def. Brian Cage by submission to retain the FTW Championship; he’s attacked afterward by Gates of Agony but saved by a bat-wielding Jericho
  • A video package reiterates the fact that the tag team titles have been vacated after Sting retired, with a tournament coming up to decide new champs
  • Paquette talks to Orange Cassidy and Best Friends, and since Chuck Taylor is still injured, he thinks Cassidy and Trent Beretta should win the title tourney

  • Killswitch def. Daddy Magic by pinfall; Daniel Garcia hustles down to prevent a post-match beating, but Nick Wayne also enters the fray and ends up hitting Garcia with Wayne’s World …
  • … but as the heels head up the ramp, Adam Copeland appears to chuck Killswitch off the stage, choke out Wayne and chase Christian Cage to the back; Cage throws some poor guy out of an SUV and speeds off, while Copeland says to the camera that this needs to end where it started: Dynamite in Toronto in an I Quit match for the TNT Championship

  • Kyle O’Reilly tells Paquette that he’s grateful to be back doing what he loves, but while he has nothing but love for Undisputed Kingdom, he feels like he needs to work his way back on his own
  • A highlight video is shown of Sting’s last match
  • The Jacksons make their big announcements, and an angry Eddie Kingston finds out who they’ve invited to The Elite: Kazuchika Okada
  • Highlights are shown of the Will Ospreay-Konosuke Takeshita match at Revolution
  • Riho def. Kris Statlander by pinfall
  • Toni Storm says she’ll be presenting the first ever Toni Awards (with an ‘i’ so they don’t get sued) soon, and Mariah May receives her first ever shirt, which is just like one of Toni’s old shirts
  • Paquette talks to Stokely Hathaway and Willow Nightingale, who has a match against Riho next week and says she knows she can beat Riho … but also has her sights set on Julia Hart and the TBS Championship
  • Darby Allin, Jay White exchange some pleasantries ahead of their match next week
  • Julia Hart delivers a warning that is obviously intended for Willow
  • The House of Black threatens to literally set Mark Briscoe ablaze Saturday at Collision; Briscoe himself is defiant as he tells Paquette he’ll take on the House all by himself, but Jay Lethal offers his aid and that of Jeff Jarrett
  • Will Ospreay def. Kyle Fletcher by pinfall, then has a staredown with Bryan Danielson as the show fades out

What’s next for Swerve Strickland? Samoa Joe and others put in their two cents

A slightly downbeat Swerve says he’s not sure he deserves all the love he’s getting from the crowd. He didn’t get the job done, after all, and Samoa Joe did.

Strickland recalls it was almost two years ago to the day that he signed the AEW contract in the ring with Schiavone. He said at the time he wanted to win championships, but he wonders if not having any is karma for all the terrible things he’s done in the company.

Is he destined to just be a role player? Swerve isn’t sure, as he feels that the crowd in Greensboro was truly behind him for the first time. He doesn’t want to let those people down.

So nothing changes, as Swerve says he’s coming for Joe, and will beat him for that title. That brings the AEW World Champion to the ring, looking like he’s dressed to fight. He says he’s there for a reality check, and wanted to let the people gaze upon an actual champion.

Strickland notes that Joe is ready for a fight, so why don’t they battle for the title right now? The fans like that idea, but it’s quickly interrupted by the arrival of Undisputed Kingdom on the stage.

Adam Cole says the only story worth talking about coming out of Revolution is his group, as Roderick Strong is now the International Champion and The Kingdom are still the ROH tag team champs. The only reason Joe is still on top is because Undisputed Kingdom let it happen.

Cole mocks both Joe and Swerve before saying Wardlow is going to win the world title very, very soon. Strickland thinks that’s funny and drops a hilarious Britt Baker joke.

They end up debating a match between The Kingdom and Swerve and Joe, and while Undisputed Kingdom wants it next week, Schiavone says it’s going to be right now.

Swerve takes down The Kingdom solo, then pays for it afterward

This is “can they coexist?” in a major way. The early answer is yes, as Swerve is cooking after a commercial break that takes place within the first few minutes.

Matt Taven tries to put an end to that by meeting Strickland up on the top turnbuckle, but he fails and Mike Bennett eats a Swerve Stomp. Taven takes the House Call too, and Big Pressure puts him away.

Hey, Joe really didn’t have to do any work, but he’s not happy about it, choking out Swerve from behind while staring down Wardlow, who is lurking on the ramp.

Hook puts Brian Cage to sleep, then gets some surprising post-match assistance

Hook tries to match power with Cage right away, which doesn’t go well for him. Cage looks pretty pleased with himself as he looks for plunder under the ring and pops up with a steel chair. Hook is looking for weapons himself, producing a fire extinguisher and blasting Cage in the face.

A trash can lid is also put to good use before Cage rallies by hurling the champ into the steel steps. Cage tastes the steel himself but catches Hook coming off the top step and pivoting into a powerslam.

Cage thinks he’s lined up Hook but misses and goes hurtling through the barricade as we semi-break for side-by-side ads.

The full broadcast returns in time for Hook to counter an F-5 attempt before taking Cage off his feet with a clothesline and following with a t-bone suplex. A trash can shot has Cage reeling, and that suplex into a metal guardrail set up in the corner probably doesn’t feel good either. Cage manages to kick out of the ensuing cover at two.

A pop-up neckbreaker plants Hook, and Cage continues with a powerbomb and F-5 onto a chair. His cocky cover fails, however, as Hook kicks out.

Cage goes under the ring again and produces a bag full of tacks that he spreads in the middle of the ring. Hook floats over into Redrum only for Cage to back him into the turnbuckles to escape. But the champ finds a handy kendo stick to soften up Cage, who gets suplexed into the tacks.

Hook locks on Redrum and gets dropped into the tacks, but the champ won’t let the hold go, and Cage goes out.

The Gates of Agony attack Hook right after the bell, but Chris Jericho runs down, Floyd in hand, and chases them off.

The Jacksons make their big announcements … and Eddie Kingston suffers at the hands of AEW’s newest signing

Nicholas is mad about Revolution, accusing Sting and Darby Allin of cheating. But he also says no one can take it away from them that they ended Sting’s career, and follows by saying they’re entering themselves in the tag team title tournament.

Matthew takes over and says part of being EVPs is making tough decisions. For putting his hands on referees at Revolution, Matthew says Hangman Adam Page is suspended indefinitely from The Elite without pay. Also, since Kenny Omega hasn’t been “making his dates,” he’s fired from The Elite.

He’s not done, but he’s interrupted by the arrival of Eddie Kingston. He’s got some beef for Nicholas, but he’s ready for a fight. Only the EVPs fight dirty with a low blow, and they’re about to hit Kingston with the EVP Trigger when a coin drop signals the arrival of Kazuchika Okada.

Kingston seems shocked, but he’s even more surprised when he gets a Rainmaker. The Jacksons introduce Okada as the newest member of The Elite, and Okada makes a belt motion to Eddie as he leaves the ring.

Darby Allin has a mountain to climb … but a match with Jay White first

Schiavone calls Darby Allin to the ring to ask him what it will be like without Sting. Allin is emotional talking about helping to give Sting the proper sendoff, and says what’s next is his match against Jay White and then he’s off to climb Mt. Everest. He says there was no chance he’d find a partner to replace Sting and congratulates whoever the next team will be to win the tag team championship …

… but that’s not it, as White (and the Gunns) comes down to talk to Allin face to face. The Switchblade is not too impressed with Darby’s ladder spot, calling it stupid, and he questions what Allin is without Sting. A little lost puppy, perhaps, with no one there to hold his leash.

Just like he didn’t need to jump off the ladder, White says they don’t need to have this match, and no one will think any less of Allin. Maybe Darby would like to hang with the Bang Bang Scissor Gang instead?

Allin mocks White for winning championships overseas but doing nothing in AEW, then whispers something to Jay. White looks like he wants to throw hands, but Allin has Sting’s bat so that’s not happening.

Will Ospreay thrills again against Kyle Fletcher, then gets a visit from the American Dragon

Don Callis joins the announcers to help call the action, and they point out that Fletcher is focusing his attack on Ospreay’s back.

Ospreay is doing better after side-by-side ads, but he telegraphs the Oscutter and is thrown backward by a snap suplex. A sheer drop brainbuster follows, and Ospreay has to hustle to kick out at two.

Callis thinks Fletcher is taking too long to follow up, which allows Ospreay to meet him in the middle of the ring to exchange chops. Fletcher wins that showdown, but Ospreay quickly nails him with several stiff blows. A series of counters leads to a nasty DDT by the Aerial Assassin, but Fletcher dodges the Hidden Blade and hits Snake Eyes into the middle turnbuckle.

A cutter onto the apron is a nasty bump for both men, and more picture-in-picture is here.

More chops are flying when we return, as well as vicious forearm shots. Both men look for Tombstones, but Ospreay emerges on top with a poison rana. Ospreay heads up top, but Fletcher foils that by pushing him down. He tries for a double underhook superplex but sees Ospreay land on his feet. A Liger Bomb is next, but Fletcher kicks out at two.

Fletcher hits a double underhook slam for two, then a Liger Bomb of his own for another near fall. A dazed Ospreay eats a running kick in the corner, but he escapes another superplex attempt and nails the thrust kick. An avalanche poison rana and the Hidden Blade lead to a very close two count.

Both men still have enough left to trade strikes and reversals. A standing Spanish Fly gets two for Ospreay, but neither that nor the Oscutter can win it. Somehow.

Fletcher gets to his knees and waves in his friend, who obliges with a huge Hidden Blade that ends it.

Callis comes into the ring as the two friends are talking, but so does Bryan Danielson, who stares down Ospreay as the show ends.

Kazuchika Okada makes full-time AEW debut, turns heel to join The Elite

Kazuchika Okada’s full-time AEW debut on Dynamite featured a drastic change in persona.

Following his exit from New Japan Pro-Wrestling, there has been speculation about Kazuchika Okada joining AEW. Although there were rumors about WWE, Tony Khan’s company had the upper hand.

The March 6 episode of Dynamite, following the successful Revolution pay-per-view, was anticipated for the potential arrival of the Rainmaker. With the updated Dynamite logo, set and theme music, it was fitting for a new face to enter the scene — and that’s exactly what happened.

The Young Bucks entered the ring to make multiple announcements, one of which suspended Hangman Adam Page and the other “fired” Kenny Omega from The Elite. As they teased the final one, Eddie Kingston stormed to the ring to trade barbs with Matthew and Nicholas Jackson, only for both to attack him.

Okada’s music then played, drawing an expectedly loud pop as he posed on the stage. However, something seemed different about AEW’s newest arrival; He entered the arena in a suit and tie, unlike the typical presentation of NJPW’s former face of the company.

Suspicions were confirmed as Okada delivered the Rainmaker on Kingston, concluding the segment by celebrating with Matthew and Nicholas. In the process, he turned heel and joined the Elite — a surprise for someone as beloved as the 36-year-old has been in pro wrestling.

This decision marks a major refresh for Okada, while also elevating the corporate persona of the Young Bucks, despite their recent loss to Sting and Darby Allin at Revolution. Okada is filling the roles of two key Elite members who may not return soon, injecting a new dynamic into a group that has seen its most drastic change since AEW’s inception.

Okada is officially All Elite, and it appears that his impact will be felt immediately. With his addition, Will Ospreay, and possibly Mercedes Mone, the upcoming month in AEW is shaping up to be action-packed.

AEW deserves credit for its masterful presentation of Sting

AEW absolute nailed it with the farewell match it put together for Sting.

Tony Khan, despite being a three-time Wrestling Observer Best Booker award winner, has had his share of misses during AEW’s five-year lifespan.

The story surrounding the reveal of the so-called “Devil,” while being hampered by Adam Cole’s injury, dragged out far too long for even the most diehard of AEW’s fans. The women’s division has received more prominence in recent weeks, but when the bar is in hell, it’s not exactly a difficult task to clear it.

When it comes to Sting, however, Khan and his team have done a masterful job, one that culminated in the legendary wrestler’s final match on Sunday at the Revolution pay-per-view.

Landing someone the stature of Sting is obviously a coup for any wrestling promotion, but the pressure to do right by this legendary figure also comes with that.

Khan never asked Sting to do more than what he was capable of and never had him steamroll through talent on his way to yet another world championship. Instead, Khan aligned Sting with Darby Allin in an effort to give the latter the proverbial rub from an icon. 

Together, the two went undefeated in AEW competition. That includes Sunday night, when Sting and Allin defeated the Young Bucks to retain the AEW World Tag Team titles.

Sting winning his final match is not typical wrestling tradition, where it is almost the soon-to-be-retired wrestler’s duty to lose their final match in an effort to pass the torch to someone else. AEW rightfully broke from that tradition and had Sting and Allin win the match, which allowed the former to go out on top as a champion.

In doing so, Khan orchestrated possibly the greatest send-off in wrestling history. For as great as Ric Flair’s “retirement” was in 2008, it came after a loss to Shawn Michaels. There’s also the issue of Flair actually wrestling again, but that’s a different conversation.

Sunday night felt different. It didn’t feel like the end of a storied career as much as it felt like the celebration of one. There are very few wrestlers from Sting’s generation that can say they have experienced the same. Most of them were unceremoniously booted out of the business for one reason or another.

But the fact that Sting is still around and is in good enough health to even have a match at his age (he turns 65 later this month) — and not completely embarrass himself and AEW in the process — deserves to be celebrated.

More than 16,000 people packed into the Greensboro Coliseum Sunday to see their face painted hero have one last hurrah, and Sting was allowed to go out in a blaze of glory.

No, his final match wasn’t a 60-minute draw like Clash of the Champions or a world title match like Starrcade ‘97. Instead, it was Sting giving it his all alongside very talented performers who put their bodies through pain and destruction all in the name of delivering one final banger in Sting’s career.

Mission accomplished by Sting, Allin, the Young Bucks and AEW.

And Sting, thanks for everything.

One other note about Revolution

The long running streak of fans having issues with watching an AEW pay-per-view through Bleacher Report continued on Sunday night, with many viewers, myself included, expressing their frustration over the lack of functionality with the streaming platform.

I personally missed almost all of the first two matches on the show, as I was dealing with a number of technical issues, including not being unable to put in my credit card information to purchase the show.

Once I was eventually able to do that, I still endured a litany of streaming issues. So despite paying full price, I was able to see about 80% of the show. 

Simply put, that is unacceptable, and something seriously needs to be done about it.

For as much praise as I’m willing to give Khan and AEW for its presentation of Sting for the last three-plus years, I have an equal amount of ire for the company when it comes to the pay-per-views.

My complaints are not new or uncommon. It has become a bit of a running joke amongst wrestling fans on social media. Although everyone gets a good laugh out of it, it is a serious issue for AEW that could potentially cost the company paying customers.

Full disclosure, AEW was close to losing my money Sunday night until Bleacher Report finally got its act together during the tail end of the Continental Crown title match between Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson.

But I am only one person. Chances are there is someone out there who was more than willing to part ways with $49.99 (plus tax) to watch Revolution, but decided not to because of issues with Bleacher Report.

And because of that, Khan and company need to address this issue as soon as humanly possible. This is not a backburner issue. This is urgent, as one of the company’s top priorities is to make its content as accessible as possible. If people can’t even pay to watch it, what are we even doing here?

For all of the complaints people levy against Peacock, at least it actually works when you turn it on. With Bleacher Report, I may have to start logging in the day before to ensure I see the opening match.

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