AEW Dynamite 11/22/2023

AEW Dynamite 11/22/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/11/aew-dynamite-11152023.html

Continental Classic - Gold League - Swerve Strickland vs Jay Lethal

This is the opening match of The Continental Classic Tournament. Jay shoulders Swerve over. Jay forearms Swerve on the apron then Jay is lariated over the top into the ring. Jay pulls Swerve's arm down over the rope then topes him into the rails.

Jay short arm clotheslines him in the ring. Swerve dropkicks his knee off the bottom rope. Swerve drops down on Jay's legs. Jay does a weird arm yank on him then Swerve chops him in the leg. Swerve rebound germans him then shoulderbreakers him.

We go to break and return. They fight up top and Swerve superplexes him. Swerve rolls into a jumping flatliner then brainbusters him for 2. Swerve does a standing ultimo guerrero special then top rope elbow drops him. Swerve counters a hiptoss then Jay counters that. Swerve puts him in the stretch muffler.

Jay pump kicks him then is dropkicked on his handspring attempt. Swerve does his jumping mule kick then top rope double stomps him to win.

I wasn't a big fan of this match. It was slow. They worked on body parts early then forgot about it and Swerve is in general an awkward wrestler who can't get the pacing of matches right. 

Orange Cassidy, Hook and Katsuyori Shibata are interviewed. Wheeler Yuta walks in and mocks his victory over Jon Moxley. He calls Hook his green boy. Yuta says it makes him sick to see Shibata with his pure title. He tells him to watch his pure rules match because he is taking his title back. OC then said he had an announcement but we end the segment.

MJF and Adam Cole talk in the ring. MJF puts himself over as usual and says he's the best AEW champ of all time. Adam Cole says he's still injured and not close to being ready. MJF said he is going to find who is in the devil mask and threatens him. The devil mask guy then turns off the lights and laughs on the tron. Samoa Joe then comes out. Joe says this is time for celebration as MJF got two big wins this weekend. Joe said his "less adequate friend" couldn't defend him. Joe said he wants his title rematch.

MJF says Joe's breath smells like a skunk. MJF tells Joe to blow him. Cole tells MJF the old MJF would say that but the new MJF is a man of his word. MJF ends up challenging him for tonight though. Joe says no. Joe says he wants the best version of MJF and challenges him for World's End. MJF agrees. They shake hands and MJF holds on. Joe says MJF doesn't need to worry about the devil anymore, because he is his property now. Joe says he has MJF's back and will deliver the very best MJF to World's End. He said he will beat and strangle him at the show in front of his friends and family. I liked the segment, though I would think Joe would want his title shot right now, even moreso if MJF is injured.

Orange Cassidy, Hook and Katsuyori Shibata vs 2.0 and Jake Hager

OC says he has a Thanksgiving surprise and brings out Danhausen. Menard boots Hook then takes shoulder throws. Hook gets hit from behind then Hook takes a knee to the head. Hager hits a vader bomb on Hook for 2.

We go to PiP break and return. Hook lariats Parker out of the corner then exploders Parker. OC is tagged in and tornado ddt's Parker. Hager slams OC then OC cutters him out of the suplex. Shibata gets tagged in and trades with Shibata. Shibata fights off his opponents then chop combos Hager in the corner. Shibata corner dropkicks him.

Shibata takes a 3v1 then Danhausen gets on the apron. Dan has Hager's purple hat and puts it on. Dan curses him the OC topes Hager. Menard and Parker are put in submissions then switched and put in submissions again. Parker then taps out.

It wasn't that long and it wasn't that good. Danhausen's back so we had his shenanigans as well.

Adam Cole is interviewed. He said he is proud of MJF for sticking to his word. Roderick Strong and The Kingdom come in. Strong asked where he has been. Cole tells him to shut up and says he is not his best friend anymore. He tells him to leave him alone. Strong says he didn't mean that.

Christian, Nick Wayne and Luchasaurus come out. He said things didn't go his way at the PPV, but says he and Nick didn't lose the match, but Luchasaurus lost the match. He tells Lucha to take a knee. Lucha doesn't then does after told multiple times. He said the name Luchasaurus will always be associated with being a loser. He said he has a new name for him. A name of strength, toughness and certain victory. He said Lucha is his finisher and said he will be known as Killswitch from here on out.

Nick takes a knee. Christian tells him to never get on his knees for anyone. He says he is different and the son he always wanted. He said Nick is his golden boy and says Nick is him. He says he loves Nick and said he will forever be known as "The Prodigy" Nick Wayne. Nick's mom Shayna Wayne then comes down. Christian says she couldn't provide for Nick and said her being a waitress is embarassing. He said he can give Nick the world and she can't give him anything. Christian says it's a good thing her husband is dead as Nick would have disowned his father for not being as good of a wrestler as Christian is. He says Nick knows Christian isn't the man or the father he is. He tells Shayna to go punch her card at Denny's because her shift is starting. Luchasaurus gets between them. Christian says to get on your knees. Lucha shakes his head then Christian slaps him.

He tells him to get down and threatens to take his mask off. He pushes Lucha into Shayna and Shayna falls over. Nick then goes under the ring and grabs a chair. Christian teases giving Shayna a conchairto. Lucha then is told to do it and Adam Copeland comes out to stop it. Adam spears Nick and kicks Lucha in the face. Christian gets in the ring then Lucha pulls Christian out. Adam spears Nick, hits an impaler ddt then conchairto's Nick. I thought it was too far over the top to the point of not really being believable. Christian's dead dad routine is also kind of a meme at this point. It would have been better if they had built up to Lucha and Christian having issues before this but if Lucha's name really is Killswitch, that is an improvement.

2.0, Hager and Anna Jay are interviewed. Menard asks what is going on here and Hager is mad Danhausen has his hat. Anna Jay said she's tired of the losing and fighting and said she's tired of them. She said she will help herself tonight and hurt someone. We then see Parker with a picture of Ruby Soho on his phone.

Continental Classic - Gold League - Rush vs Jay White

The Gunn's are told they aren't allowed at ringside and are kicked out. Jay stalls to start and Rush shotgun dropkicks him. Rush corner splashes him and basement dropkicks him in the back of the neck. Jay is thrown into the rails then Rush chops him on the floor. They both hit chops inside and Rush kicks him in the head while he's agains the bottom buckle. Rush then poses.

We go to PiP break and return. Jay back elbows him and underhook suplexes him into the buckles. Rush flying elbows him then hits 3 suplexes. Rush misses a top rope senton then Jay brainbusters him fo 2. Jay chops and stomps him in the corner and they trade chops and forearms. Jay uranage's him and trade chops. Rush germans him then Jay dragon screws him.

Jay is belly to belly suplexed into the buckles then Rush running forearms him. The ref nearly gets nailed then Jay low blows Rush off of it to win it.

It was longer, slower and mostly just chops. It dragged for me and wasn't that interesting.

Ruby Soho vs Skye Blue vs Anna Jay

This sounds like a terrible idea on paper. Skye forearms both then Jay rolls her up. Ruby rolls up Jay and then takes a double superkick. Skye rolls up Jay then is rolled up by her. Skye shoulders her over then Jay hook kicks her. Ruby running back elbows Jay and backdrops Skye. Ruby is high kicked off the apron by Skye.

Jay spinning heel kicks Skye off the apron then Skye is around the post. We og to PiP break and return to a tower of doom spot. Skyre forearms both opponents then forces Jay to ddt Ruby while lariating her. Skye is thrown into the rails by Ruby and Ruby knees Jay. Ruby stares down Parker outside hten Saraya and Menard argue with each other. Jay facekicks Ruby.

Skye comes off the top and crossbodies both opponents. Skye takes a gori bomb for 2. Jay is thrown out. Menard grabs Ruby's foot then Saraya stops him. Skye pump kicks Ruby off the apron and she lands in Parker's arms. Saraya breaks it up then Skye superkicks Jay. Skye tko's Jay and wins it.

I liked how they included in the Soho/Parker storyline here and it was passable without any big botches. 

We see Jericho going up to Starks and Big Bill at the PPV press conference. He says he will see them soon. Jericho is then jumped after. His hand is banged off a box and has the box rammed into it.

RJ City and Rene present Toni Storm with the AEW Women's title. They act like this is the Oscar's or something and Mariah May gives her the belt. She thanks Tony Khan and WBD. She tells the little Toni Storm's of the world that they will not make it or take it (her title). Skye Blue's music hits and she just walks past her.

Renee interviews Wardlow, who is weightlifting with a piece of metal. She asks him what he's waiting for with MJF. Wardlow says the downfall of the devil happens on his time here. AR Fox comes in and says he is putting the blame on everyone else, then he said he did the same thing with Darby. Wardlow said he didn't need advice from anyone and headbutts him down.

Continental Classic - Gold League - Mark Briscoe vs Jon Moxley

Mark shoulders him and they trade slaps. Mox hits chops then Mark hits chops back. Mox bites his head then Mark throws him out. Mark dropkicks him through the ropes then Mark comes off the apron and blockbusters him. Mox flips him off and they trade forearms. Mark is facekicked off the apron.

We go to PiP break and return. Mox ddt's him for 2 then Mark back enzugiri's him. Mark flying forearms him then Mark exploders him for 2. Mox goes for the armbar. They fight up top. Mark jumps off of it and is hit on his way down. Mark then basement dropkicks him. Mark rolling firemans carries him then hits a froggy bow off the top for 2.

Mark hits a big lariat then takes a lariat. Mox death rider ddt's him for 2. Mox half-nelson suplexes him and they trade forearms. Mox running knees him then cubrstomps him. Mox hits a death rider ddt and wins it.

It was a decent main event with the two matching up well and doing a lot of strikes.

Overall thoughts: I liked the main and the Samoa Joe segment but not much else. It was a very wrestling heavy edition and a lot of the matches were longer and slower. I wouldn't recommend this one.