AEW Dynamite 4/12/2023

AEW Dynamite 4/12/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/aew-dynamite-452023.html

Darby Allin vs Swerve Strickland

Swerve legsweeps Darby on the apron then slams him on the floor. Swerve gets on the rails and is pushed off then thrown into the rails. Darby then back splashes him against the rails then Darby is legswept on the stairs. Swerve rips off Darby's belt then whips him with it right in front of the ref. Swerve jumping heel kicks Darby for 2. Darby's mouth is bleeding and Swerve pulls a chain on Darby's mouth right in front of the ref. Swerve superkicks Darby as he sits on the apron then slingshot double stomps him as he hangs from the ropes.

We go to PiP break and return. Swerve rolling flatliners Darby then hangs form the top rope when Darby hits him. Darby takes off Swerve's shoe to go after his ankle then bites the foot. They trade shots then  Darby's reverse tope is turned into a german. Darby is right back up and reverse ddt's Swerve. Darby ties up Swerve's ankle then Swerve ropebreaks. They get on the apron and Darby poisonrana's Swerve off the apron to the floor.

Darby throws him back in and hits a top rope coffin drop. Prince Nana comes out and puts Swerve's foot on the ropes in full view of the ref without getting caught. Darby chases Nana then Brian Cage comes out to save him. Swerve kicks him as he gets in then top rope double stomps him. Cage trips Darby then him and Nana are kicked out. Darby hits a code red on Swerve for 2 then does a pin with a leg lock to win it.

I hated this. The ref was horrible and if a poisonrana doesn't end a match, what will?

MJF came out to talk after with Darby still in the ring. He said he was one of the best people he ever faced but not on his level. He said MJF is never happy. Darby said he checked himself into therapy during his ifrst year of AEW as he was unhappy. He said he used his money to help his dad retire. MJF said he's tired of hearing Darby and Sammy complain about morals and said morals kill people in this sport. MJF said Darby is a gutless coward. MJF said he doesn't care if he doesn't go to heaven, he just wants the belt to go with him and wants his grave to say he was the greatest of all time. He said Darby will just be remembered as Sting's b!tch.

Sting then came out. He said he didn't see himself as a Daddy Day Care kind of a guy, but as a cheerleader and threw a mini pom-pom in MJF's face. Sting then said "Cody Day Care" and said MJF had a cheerleader and a support system in Cody Rhodes. Sting then said he had one in Ric Flair. He said he isn't chasing titles and said showtime is almost over for him, but just starting with Darby. Sting said Darby will become AEW's champ and said it is showtime. MJF then soon after headbutts Darby and leaves.

This was a bizarre soap opera style segment which seemed out of character for everyone and didn't work at all. 

AEW TNT Title - Powerhouse Hobbs vs Silas Young

We see Hobbs threatening the valet. How Silas got this shot is unknown. Silas gets lariated then takes a spinebuster. Hobbs then hits a reverse F-U and wins it.

Why do this to Silas Young?

QT and Hobbs drag Silas up the ramp and we see Wardlow beating Hobbs' car with a sword. Wardlow scratches it and breaks the windows then he drives a forklift into the windows and tips the car over. Wardlow then forgets to park the lift and it rams into the car. Hobbs then goes to powerbomb Silas off the ramp then Wardlow's music hits. They begin fighting and wrestlers try to break it up including Aaron Solow. Wardlow powerbombs Solow off the stage through a table and Solow hits his head on another table out there on his way down. This was a WWE style segment and it would have just been better if Wardlow beat up Hobbs instead.

We got a video on Jay White and his return to AEW.

AEW International Title - Orange Cassidy (c) vs Buddy Matthews

OC tried to do his pockets bit then Buddy grabbed him. OC hit a satellite headscissors then did his pockets taunt. He dropkicked him out of the ring then tope'd him. OC top rope crossbodied him then got caught but hurricanrana'd him into the buckles. OC hits a tornado ddt and an orange punch. OC has his fist taped up.

We go to PiP break and return. OC is kicked in the face on the apron . Buddy gets put on the apron and has his head banged off the buckles. Buddy superkicks him on the apron then OC superkicks him. Buddy knees him then OC beachbreaks him on the apron. They trade forearms and Buddy hits kicks then stomps his feet and hand. OC hits a top rope tornado ddt then tornado ddt's him on the floor off the tope. OC then jumped off the top and hit a tornado ddt on his way down but it was only for a 2 count.

OC hits an orange punch for 2. OC misses an orange punch then takes a curb stomp. OC then rolls him up and wins it.

I hated this. They did way too much and OC did his usual pockets routine. This is a title match with money and fame on the line and OC's goofing around and not taking it seriously.

We get a video with Christian and Luchasaurus. Christian says some things have changed.

The Best Friends are interviewed. OC has ice on his hands. Trent said OC is still the man and Chuck said Aussie Open should defend the IWGP titles against them since they just won them.

Ethan Page comes out. He said he needs to know why Matt Hardy hit him with the title. Isiah Kassidy and Matt Hardy come out. Matt said he did manipulate Page but Page treated him and Private Party like trash. Matt then said the contract that Page signed was that Matt and Private Party are free from The Firm if Page couldn't beat Hook. Matt also said the stipulation said that Matt gets a match with his stipulation of choice. Page tells him there's more than just him and Stokeley in the firm then Big Bill and Lee Moriarty jump Isiah and Matt. Hook comes down to help out and Big Bill needed help from Page to beat him up in a dumb spot. Jeff Hardy's music then hit and he came out with a chair. Jeff cleaned house then hit a top rope swanton. I'm really skeptical on all of Jeff's issues being handled already and I'm glad to see Hardy and Private Party done with The Firm as the group has sucked since the beginning.

Kenny Omega does a video. Kenny said the issues with the BCC would be handled in the ring. Kenny was mad they beat up Don Callis and said he's family. Kenny said it won't be blood for blood but much worse. As usual, he did another bad promo here. He wasn't particularly mad or anything and didn't even raise his voice.

Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley vs Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa

I legitimately thought this was a joke when I saw the graphic for it. The goofs get jumped during their entrance. Cutler has a chair pushed into him and CC does a terrible job putting Nakazawa's head into the apron multiple times. Nakazawa bled before Mox, which is a shocker. CC kicks around Nakazawa then they trade forearms. CC actually lets Nakazawa get a bunch of shots on him then lariats him. CC hits a giant swing. CC puts him in a sharpshooter but Cutler breaks it up and is thrown outside.

Mox bites Cutler in the face then Cutler lariats him. Mox then hits a death rider and bulldog chokes him. Nakazawa makes the save then CC elbows him and Mox curbstomps Cutler. The ref stomps the match and Nakazawa takes a ricola bomb. Cutler has his mask thrown and Yuta takes free shots on Cutler.

I shouldn't have had to sit through this and it should have only went a few seconds.

Mox asks where The Elite and Page are. Mox says they are all at the hospital. He said they put the Elite out of All Elite Wrestling. Kenny Omega then comes down the ramp. The Young Bucks then come and help and they get the edge on the BCC. The Bucks hold back Kenny from Mox and he misses a screwdriver shot. The BCC pulls Mox and they throw stuff at each other.

Nana, Cage and Swerve are interviewed in the back. swerve said he created Darby and then Swerve said he has some scores to settle and they will get someone tonight.

Riho and Skye Blue vs Ruby Soho and Toni Storm

Toni gets the edge on Skye to start then Skye headscissors her and spin kicks her on the mat. Riho dropkicks Ruby then Ruby hits a hard kick to the ribs. Riho hits a dropkick then Ruby takes a double dropkick. Skye helps Riho up the buckles then Riho dives on their opponents outside.

We go to PiP break and return. Riho tags in SKye and Skye gets the hot tag. She hits forearms on Ruby then step up knees her on the ropes. Toni tries a hip attack on the ropes but gets no one and goes out. Skye kicks her and Ruby off the apron then hurricanrana's Toni. Skye top rope crossbodies Toni then Riho rolls up Ruby and double stomps her. Skye usperkicks Toni then superkicks her into a crucifix bomb. Toni germans Skye and does her hip attack. Toni hits a short piledriver and wins it.

This was short and rushed with them trying to get spots in before their time was up.

Toni stomps Skye after then Riho is triple powerbombed. Jaymie Hayter comes down to help out and is stomped. Britt Baker then comes down to help out.

Chris Jericho vs Keith Lee

Jericho hits chops and Lee looks a million years old with gray hair. Lee kisses Jericho for some reason then hits strikes. Jericho blocks a double chop then Lee hits shots to the body. Lee splashes him in the corner then Lee splashes him in the other corner. Daniel Garcia interrupts Lee and Jericho is able to dropkick him off the 2nd rope from it.

We go to break and return with Jericho in control. Jericho 2nd rope dropkicks him then hits a lionsault. Lee lariats Jericho then argues with Daniel Garcia. Lee lifts up Jericho for a bad bearhug then lariats him. Jericho rolls up Lee then Lee tackles him. Lee goes for a 2nd rope moonsault but Jericho gets his knees up. Jericho holds his knee and looks like he is in real pain. Lee then chokeslams him for 2. Jericho eye rakes him and puts him in the boston crab. Lee hits the ropes.

Lee double chops Jericho  then throws him. Garcia gets on the apron and hits Lee then is thrown in. Lee catches a codebreaker and sit out powerbombs him out of it. The ref is distracted by Garcia then Swerve Strickland comes down and hits Lee with something. Jericho then gets the win.

This was bad. It was super slow, long and Lee looked so old here. It seemed beforehand like it had the potential to suck and it did indeed suck.

Adam Cole came down after. He fist bumps Lee and then walks up the ramp with him. This is really funny since Adam Cole was supposed to manage Keith Lee in WWE.

Overall thoughts: Not a good episode at all. They did too much in the opener. Sting and Darby went horribly out of character. The main event really sucked, we got like 5 minutes of Nakazawa and Cutler and Silas Young got jobbed out for no reason.