AEW Dynamite 5/29/2024

AEW Dynamite 5/29/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/05/aew-dynamite-5222024.html

Mercedes Mone comes out to talk. She says she's the new CEO and TBS champ. She says her and Willow tore the house down and Willow gave her the fight of her life. She said Willow is just way too nice. She said she could have told her a mile away that she was going to be screwed by Stoke and Kris. She says she wants her to come back better than ever and kick their @sses.

Skye Blue comes on the tron and says she has something for her celebration. She then shows Mone getting jumped during an interview. She says that was some of her best work and she's just getting started. Skye then comes up to Mone from behind and hits a TKO.

We see the Elite arrive with Jack Perry in the Scapegoat bus.

Swerve Strickland vs Killswitch

Swerve chops him and avoids KS. KS throws him over the top by the throat. Swerve dropkicks him in the knee the neckbreakers him. Swerve bridging neckbreakers him on the floor. Swerve headbutts him and he's thrown by the arm into the steps. Swerve is sent into the rails. KS hits shots in the corner.

We go to PiP break and return. Swerve triangles him then rolls into a jumping flatliner. Swerve 2nd rope euros the back of his neck. Swerve suplexes KS for 2. Swerve hits some strikes and takes a chokeslam for 2. KS grabs a chair and tries to hit him with it. Nana grabs the chair and has it punched away.

Swerve hits boots on KS from the apron then M. Bison stomps him from the apron. Swerve kicks him in the knee and the head then KS chokeslams him. KS standing moonsaults him for 2. Swerve germans him then hits a jumping side kick to the head. Swerve top rope double stomps him for 2. Swerve then hits a house call kick and wins it.

Thoughts: I didn't like the double footstomp kick out. KS hasn't been around much and has lost a lot of credibility for it. It was just a match and it wasn't particularly great or memorable.

Swerve grabs scissors after and cuts off hair extensions. You could tell the hair was fake because of the camera shot and Swerve leaving a giant gap between the head and the hair. 

Tony Schiavone announces that Skye Blue faces Mercedes Mone in a TBS Title match tonight.

Jon Moxley talks about Rocky Romero. He says he's not 100% and tonight's eliminator match is a bad idea against him. He says this is what champions do. He talks about shows he is doing and says he will be the man who stands at the top of NJPW and AEW and wherever else he wants.

TV Time with The Learning Tree Chris Jericho

They have fake grass, a TV and a tree cutout for the set. Bill says even though the leaves come down in the fall, they come back in the spring stronger and brighter than ever. He says his new shirt is the top selling shirt for AEW. He thanks everyone for supporting him and making him the longest For The World champ at 39 days. He days Hook and Shibata are tough and dumped him on his head. He says if adversity is ice cream, always put a cherry on top. He says many few want to sit under the learning tree but few want to walk the walk.

Jericho brings out Bryan Keith. H asks him what makes Bryan want to become a disciple of The Learning tree. Bryan says he noticed a lack of respect for him and said he can't believe more people didn't jump at the opportunity. Bryan yells at the fans for not showing respect. Jericho says this is a teaching moment. Jericho said he respects that Bryan is a bad man and Bill calls him a bad apple. Jericho says a bad apple doesn't fall from the learning tree. Jericho says he can stay under the learning tree as long as he wants.
Hook comes out and beats up security guards. Samoa Joe then shows up in front of Hook. Joe says something and they walk out together.

Thoughts: This was all irony here and basically Jericho goofing off. I liked Bryan Keith and it's a shame he's going to get dragged down with this when he would be fine as he is. At least it gets Bryan and Bill on TV.

They have a production goof and we see a video on Stephanie Vaquer. 

IWGP Title Eliminator - Jon Moxley vs Rocky Romero

Rocky flying dropkicks him then topes him outside. Rocky bangs Mox's hand off the commentary table then is thrown in. Rocky hits kicks then takes a release suplex. Mox hits downward elbows on him and kicks him in the back. Rocky double stomps Mox's arm then basement dropkicks him. Mox is over the 2nd rope and Rocky springboard dropkicks him. Rocky pulls Mox's down over the top rope. 

We go to PiP break and return. Mox bites Rocky then superplexes him. Mox corner lariats him then hits mounted punches. Rocky hits kicks to the arm and Mox forearms him. Mox cutters him.

Rocky does a botched tornado ddt on him then armbars him. Mox bulldog chokes him. Mox hits shots out of the corner then is flying armbarred off the top. Mox stomps on him then hits a big lariat. Mox death rider ddt's him for the win.

Thoughts: It was a decent match with Rocky working the arm and Mox trying to fight through the pain before picking up the win. It was a totally random match though and there's no way Rocky earned this since he loses singles matches almost all the time.

Renee is in front of Hook and Samoa Joe, who are talking in the back. Joe says they don't exist on Jericho's time, just their own time.

Don Callis comes out to try and sign Orange Cassidy to a contract. He says the contract is more valuable than gold and diamonds. Orange Cassidy comes out. Don says he's an iconic performer and a star wherever he goes. He says he wants to welcome him with his contract. OC rips up the contract and says no.

Don turns him around and asks who he thinks he's talking to. He says nobody tells him no and asks what he will do about it. Stokeley Hathaway and Kris Statlander come out. Stoke says he doesn't like anything about him and says he's just like Willow Nightingale. Kris says he accepts the invitation to join the Don Callis Family then Trent Beretta nails OC. Trent beats up on OC, hits mounted punches and says he hates him. Trent then offers Don a hug. Don stands on OC as he hugs Trent. OC gets busted open.

Thoughts: They've been hinting that Don wanted to get with Trent so this wasn't that surprising.

Don stomps OC after.

Renee interviews Daniel Garcia and Matt Menard. He says the blood hungry killers of AEW sometimes get in his head. He said others here have confidence and get everything they want. He says he needs to target the International Title. DG says he will climb the rankings and take the International Title.

AEW TBS Title - Mercedes Mone (c) vs Skye Blue

Skye's head is banged off the buckles. Mone knees her from the apron then 2nd rope diving twisting armdrags her. Mone then dropkicks her.  Mone headscissors Skye out then baseball slides her. Mone meteora's her off the apron. Skye cradles her for 2 in the ring. Skye bridging neckbreakers her over the middle rope for 2.

We go to break and return. Mone hits a meteora then backcrackers her for 2. Skye is hurricanrana'd off a powerbomb attempt and Skye hits full-nelson slam for 2. Mone knees her and is superkicked. Skye takes a money maker and is pinned.

Thoughts: It was short and not that great. It was obvious Mone was winning this one.

Stephanie Vaquer comes out and stares down Mone.

Stokeley Hathaway and Kris Statlander talks. Stoke says this started months ago. He said the catalyst for it was March 27th in a four way. Kris said she desperately wanted to become TBS champ again. Stoke says Willow didn't listen but he did. Kris said she did something for herself for once and got booed for it. She said Willow didn't care about her and Kris says she's everyone's bodyguard and mess-cleaner. She says she's more than a woman and done being a protector. She says we all will need protection from her.

Thoughts: As usual with AEW stories, they don't let us see what's happening, they just tell us what happened and often, the thing in question didn't actually happen. It makes it hard to get into things like this and limits how over it will get. 

We get a video on MJF.

The Elite come out. Jack says he pinned Bryan Danielson a few months ago. The Bucks say they have a gift for Okada and show a card in the parking lot that they say is for him. Okada says "Oh My God" and "Is this a dream?". He then pretends to cry.

The Bucks say Adam Copeland is stripped of the TNT Title due to injury. They say the network says they need a new champ and they know just the gut. They then say Jack Perry is the new TNT champ.

Christopher Daniels comes out. He says he doesn't need the severance package, he is the interim-EVP. He says when he makes an announcement, it's coming from Tony himself. Daniels says they aren't giving the title away and says Perry has to earn it. He says they are having qualifying matches and the winner will wrestle for the title in a ladder match at Forbidden Door. Daniels says the first match will happen on Dynamite.

The Bucks go to attack Daniels then The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn come out to defend Daniels.

Thoughts: It had the usual goofing around by The Bucks and now Okada. I don't really get how an interim-EVP can trump an EVP or why Tony isn't punishing The Elite for attacking him when he has the power to.

Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland talk. Nana says no one can see Swerve in the ring. Swerve said he took down another legend in Christian Cage. He said he gave Killswitch a killshot and took his hair. He says he's curious to see who his next challenger will be in the gauntlet tonight. He says he will be watching.

Rush does a promo. He says MJF has returned but he starts here with him. He says if you mess with the bull, you get the horns.

AEW Title #1 Contender Forbidden Door Gauntlet

Pac and Jay White are first in. Pac gets in and facekicks him. Pac boots him and foot chokes him. Jay's head is banged off the buckles and then he is choked with his own jacket. Jay is sent into the rails outside. Pac flips over Jay then flying headscissors him. Pac corkscrew dives him outside. Pac top rope dropkicks Jay.

Pac's throat is pulled down over the top rope. Mistico then comes out. Mist flying headscissors Jay then walks up the buckles and armdrags Pac. Mist superkicks Pac and dropkicks Jay. Pac and Jay fight outside and Mist plancha's both off the top. We go to PiP break and return.

Will Ospreay comes out and springboard forearms Mist. Will and Jay square off and Will hits shots on him. Jay slides out and is thrown back in. Will handspring back corkscrew kicks Jay. Pac bridge pins Will for 2. Mist springboard crossbodies Pac and Will, he superkicks Pac then la mistica's Will.

Shota Umino then comes out. He stomps on Mist and throws him into Jay off the apron. Shota running euros him and euros Will. They trade shots and Shota dropkicks him. Shota jumps over the top rope and ddt's Will into the apron. He then tornado ddt's him.

Claudio Castagnoli then comes out. He facekicks Shota then chases Jay around the ring. CC nails Pac on the rails and double stomps Mist. CC lariats Will in the ring and Shota rolls up CC. CC pop-up euros Shota for 2.

Jay pounds on CC then CC giant swings Jay. We go to PiP break and return. Lio Rush comes out. He was in AEW at one point and left over something. Lio avoids lariats from CC then handspring kicks him off the apron. Lio rolls up Shota and spin kicks him. They lariat each other then CC lariats both.

Orange Cassidy comes out with his head wrapped up. CC blocks OC's tornado ddt then OC stunners him. OC then tornado ddt's him. Jay suplexes Will and uranages OC for 2. Hechicero then comes out. Hech step up knees Jay then headscissors drops CC. Hech then flips Will into an armbar. Hech cradles OC. Will superkicks OC. Hech springboard elbows Will and Mist springboard hurricanrana's Hech.

Lio topes Hec then is dropkicked by Shota outside. Mist rotation headscissors CC then springboard diving hurricanrana's him outside. Shota pop-up knees OC. OC orange punches him. Pac superkicks OC then pump kicks him. Juice Robinson pushes Pac off the top. Jay suplexes OC then takes a hidden blade from Will. OC hurricanrana's Will off the powerbomb. Will os cutters OC and wins it.

Thoughts: It was completely random. The rules were never really fully explained here. Lio Rush lost in his big return. It was a fast paced spotfest for the most part. It was entertaining but of course the AEW guy had to win in the end. They could have come up with a better angle for Will to get a title shot here. I also didn't like OC coming back for this after he was beaten bloody earlier. Will vs Swerve is a lose-lose match on multiple levels. Both devalue their title by losing and a loss would hurt both of their pushes.

Swerve Strickland then walks down the ramp, gets in the ring and stares down Will.

Overall thoughts: It wasn't a good show. It was a mix of comedy and randomness. The main was entertaining but completely random. In typical AEW fashion, Lio Rush lost in his return to the company. Daniels is an interim-EVP now and the Bucks did their usual screwing around. Trent Beretta has joined Don Callis after them making it clear he would join them. Kris and Stoke's explanation for turning on Willow was weak. The Jericho segment was goofy comedy as expected. Mone got her revenge on Skye Blue and is now going to fight Stephanie Vaquer, who you would not know of if you only watch AEW. Swerve and Will are also now set-up for a match that neither should really lose. I also don't get why MJF was not on this show.