AEW Dynamite 10/2/2024

AEW Dynamite 10/2/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/09/aew-dynamite-9252024-grand-slam-2024.html

Note - AEW got their new TV deal today and it was mentioned a bunch of times on this show. I wrote about it here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/10/aew-has-signed-new-tv-deal.html

They are in Pittsburgh, PA. Tony Schiavone, Excalibur and Nigel McGuinness are on commentary. This is the 5 Year Anniversary Show for AEW.

Jon Moxley's crew talks outside. Pac says war is upon them. He says Wheeler Yuta isn't a creature, but a lion. CC says he and Mox are the same guys and wonders what the problem is. Marina Shafir talks in her language. Mox tells Bryan he will have the belt one way or another and says there will be casualties. He says Bryan will be buried in his backyard and says he will relieve Bryan of duty on October 12th. 

Will Ospreay talks to Kyle Fletcher before his title match. Don Callis interrupts and there's audio issues. Don says he wants to talk about next week and wishes him luck. He says Kyle has a flight to catch and Konosuke Takeshita stares down Will.

AEW International Title - Will Ospreay (c) vs Ricochet

They stare down and lock up. They each do side headlock takeovers and headscissors. They bridge up together and Ric backslides him. Ric shoulders him over. Will kips up. Ric cartwheels over him, flips over his back then does a seated springboard moonsault into an armdrag.

Will headscissors him and Ric headflips out. They then do the double handspring into a flip spot that they did in their NJPW match. They trade and forearms and chops. Will jumps up and takes a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Ric topes him into the rails. Will gets on the rails and Ric hurricanrana's him down on the floor.

Ric does a kneeling springboard swanton. Will handspring corkscrew kicks him. Will springboard forearms him for 2. Ric lariats him twice. Ric pumping knees him. Will flips off of him and hits a step up enzugiri. Will standing spanish flies him for 2.

Will is pushed off the ropes. Will hook kicks him on the apron and hits an os cutter on the apron. We go to PiP break and return. They fight up top. Will flips out of a top rope hurricanrana. Ric hits an os cutter for 2. 

Will avoids a 450. Ric does a backslide bomb on him (which I've never seen before). Ric spinning piledrivers him for 2. Ric spin kicks hm in the head. Will hits a stunner. Will hits a styles clash for 2. will hits an os cutter for 2.

Will misses a hidden blade then Ric hits one. Ric hits a top rope ssp for 2. Ric axe kicks WIll's head. Will hits a poisonrana then Ric hits one. Will then hidden blades him and they do a double a pin for a draw.

They want to keep going and Tony Khan tells Justin that it will. They trade forearms then hits kicks at the same time. Will hidden blades him then Konosuke Takeshita beats up Will. KT then hits a raging fire on Ric. KT then holds up the International Title after.

Thoughts: It was not like their NJPW match at all and was much more toned down and not as flippy. The finish was pretty lame here but I'm not shocked. We all know AEW would love to run this one again on a bigger stage and this seems to be the way they get to it. I didn't think it was that great but a lot more tolerable than the last one. I'm not sure what the point was of having this go to a draw then having KT interfere.

Mercedes Mone and Kamille are interviewed. Mone says to say hello to the CEO. She shows a clip of her highlights. Mone says she is where the money is at and says money changes everything. MVP walks in. He says he loves Big Business, tells her to take his card and says they should talk. 

The Gunn's are interviewed. Austin says The Juice is loose then Adam Page jumps then. Austin is hit with a chair and Colten is sent through a door.

TV Time with "The Learning Tree" Chris Jericho

Bill says we have all become better men thanks to one man - Chris Jericho. Jericho talks about 5 years of AEW and says they have a new TV deal. He says they wouldn't have it without Jericho. Bryan Keith starts a "Thank You, Chris" chant. CJ calls the town they are in Philadelphia instead of Pittsburgh.

CJ said he headlined a sold out Arena Mexico and just beat Mark Briscoe. He said it's time for a new era of Jericho. He says "The Ocho" is gone and it's time to bring on "The Nueve". He then challenges Mark Briscoe to an ROH Title match at WrestleDream.

Mark Briscoe comes out. Mark says part of being a man is not to make excuses. He says he had CJ beat in NYC and said CJ only beat him due to Bill chokeslamming him through a table. He says CJ has been one of the finest wrestlers on the planet. Mark says he wants to beat him to put another notch in his built.

CJ says Mark can't beat him but says maybe his brother Jay could have. CJ says Mark will never be as good as Jay was. Mark drops him with a punch and the rest of The Conglomeration backs him up. Mark says to keep his brother's name out of his mouth. He says CJ will get a Briscoe Brothers style @ss whooping at Wrestledream and says that's consequential.

Thoughts: There has never been a promotion that is obsessed with dead people as AEW. It's like the go to insult. I liked Mark dropping CJ but I don't like someone who doesn't compete in ROH getting title shots.

Darby Allin is at a junkyard. He talks about riding in the back of a bus and said people were taking turns spitting at the back of his head. He said the guys asked him what he's gonna do about it while they held a knife. He said he lunged at him and said it felt so good to do something about them. He said he felt the same way when he saw what Mox's crew did to him. He said he'd rather get stabbed then not do anything against them.

Darby says he's losing faith in himself but says what else can he do but fight? He tells anyone to step right up if they want a piece of him.

"Hangman" Adam Page vs Juice Robinson

They fight on the ramp. Juice knees him in the gut and kicks him in the back. Juice whips him with a leather strap. Page whips him on the floor then throws it into the crowd. Juice's head is banged off a chair.

Juice back body drops Page on the floor. They fight on the steps in the stnds. Juice throws a beer at him and headutts him. Juice hits him with popcorn.

The match then officially starts. They said Taz was attacked before the show in the parking lot and is in NYC, not here. Juice chokes Page with a belt. Page stomps on him. We go to PiP break and return. Juice superplexes him. Juice running elbows him and hits punches. Juice flying lariats him then hits punches. Juice misses a corner cannonball then is thrown into the rails. Juice is dropped face first on the apron then Juice spinebusters him onto the apron edge. Juice cannonballs him into the rail and they go through it.

Juice hits a top rope crossbody in the ring but Page rolls through and fallway slams him into the buckles. Juice running powerbombs him for 2. Page grabs the ref and low blows Juice. Page hits a buckshot lariat and wins.

Thoughts: The ending was out of nowhere here and didn't fit what they were doing. It felt like there was another 5-10 minutes of this. Some of the brawling was alright here but the weak finish hurt this one.

Page takes off his belt after and hangs Juice with it. Jay White then makes his return and lariats Page. Jay hits mounted punches and Page rolls out. Jay beats him up in the seats and gouges his eyes. Jay then spears him through a table that just happens to be against the rail.

Renee waits for Jack Perry to arrive in the parking lot. Jack arrives and Katsuyori Shibata goes up to him. He challenges him for the TNT Title at WrestleDream via translator. Jack says he will think about it. Jack then beats up Shibata and sends him into the bus. He then says he accepts.

Bryan Danielson does a promo. He says f*ck Jon Moxley. He says it's not about him. He says it's not his title, it's AEW's World Title. He says this is where the best wrestle and that's why he's challenging Okada tonight. He says they both won a match against each other and will find out who the best is. He says Okada's title is only on the line for the first 20 minutes then Bryan's title is on the line for the rest of it. 

Dr. Britt Baker vs Serena Deeb

Debe wristlocks Britt then Britt reverses it. Deeb fireman's carry takeovers her then goes for lockjaw. Deeb escapes and we see Mariah May watching in the crowd. Deeb side headlock takeovers her. Britt headscissors her.

Deeb single leg crabs her. Deeb shoulders her over. Britt neckbreakers her. Deeb clips her and we go to PiP break. Britt superkicks her then lariats her. Britt spinning forearms her. Britt hits a slingblade then a fisherman's neckbreaker for 2.

Deeb dragon screws her on the ropes. Deeb powerbombs her for 2 then stretch mufflers her. Britt rolls her into a pin and superkicks her. Deeb rebound germans her. Britt superkicks her then Deeb lariats her. Britt hits an air raid crash.

Britt hits a 2nd rope air raid crash for 2. Britt does lockjaw and taps her out.

Thoughts: I thought they did too much here with a 2nd rope air raid crash not meaning anything. Deeb did her usual limb work and submissions which led to nowhere as they often do. It went longer than it needed to and wasn't the most exciting match.

Deeb attacks Britt after and single leg crabs her. Queen Aminata then comes out and takes down Deeb. She pounds on Deeb and they catfight. Deeb then gets out of the ring.

Hook is interviewed about his dad being attacked earlier. Hook is angry and says he will find who did this and come for them.

Christian Cage tells everyone to shut up in a taped promo. He says he's the face of TBS and says he is the next AEW champ. He says he will have it all soon, hook, line and sinker.

Mariah May does a promo. She says Willow Nightingale is the definition of failing up. She says she loses all the time and gets title shots. Willow comes in. She says Mariah's the shady one and they argue. May pie faces her, Willow hits her and they have to be broken up by Christopher Daniels and security.

Private Party vs The Iron Savages

Private Party have new music. Zay pounds on Bronson then facekicks him. Zay hits a dropkick then PP hit a double dropkick. Boulder takes a double dropkick and no sells it. Boulder is pulled over the top. Quen tope con hilos him. Stokeley Hathaway watches in the back. Zay pops up and dropkicks Bronson.

PP hits a botched gin and juice and wins.

Thoughts: It was a short squash. PP botched their finish here and the crowd didn't care much.

Zay gets on the mic after. He says they said new year, new champs and says they meant every word. He said he doesn't care if his hand or shoulder are messed up, he says they will be the next AEW tag champs. Zay says they beat The Young Bucks one and will do it again. Zay says let's do it right here and right now.

The Young Bucks come out. They say you can't have an Anniversary Show without the two people who built the company. Matt says they should put their tag titles on the line against them right now. Nick says to get a ref down here. Matt says they have limited dates and won't waste on Pittsburgh. They then leave. Jack Perry then attacks Private Party. The Young Bucks join in to help. Katsuyori Shibata comes out and the heels leave.

Christopher Daniels comes out and gets on the mic. He says he'd love to give Party another chance to p!ss The Bucks off. He signs Private Party and Shibata vs The Bucks and Perry on Rampage. 

Renee interviews MVP. Prince Nana comes in. He says MVP was talking real spicy about them. Nana said MVP forgot he used to be a wrestler. MVP says he doesn't deal with complaints but he does - we then see Shelton Benjamin. MVP says he's the president of the complaint departmnet. Shelton then drinks Nana's coffee and says it's pretty good coffee.

Thoughts: I'm not a big Shelton fan. I'm not surprised AEW picked him up and I'm sure he will be a variety of various workrate style matches. 

Champion vs Champion - Okada's Continental Title is on the line for the first 20 minutes - Kazuchika Okada vs Bryan Danielson

The stip here is clearly stupid. This was not well built to at all despite this potentially being a double title match.

They stare down and lock up. They back off. Bryan wristlocks him. Okada rolls through it and trips him. Bryan keylocks him and then avoids a dropkick. Okada misses a rainmaker. Bryan armdrags him and headlock takeovers him. They then stand off.

We go to PiP break and full break. Okada hits forearms then Bryan forearm flurries him. Bryan dropkicks him through the ropes and Okada flapjacks him. Okada neckbreakers him.

Bryan's head is banged off the buckles. Okada flying back elbows him. They trade shots. Bryan hits some headbutts and bangs his head off the buckles. Bryan headbutts Okada while he's on the 2nd rope. Bryan misses a top rope headbutt. 

Okada ddt's him and rakes the eyes. Bryan misses a corner charge and is put on the top rope. Okada dropkicks him down to the floor. Bryan is sent into a rail outside. Okada facekicks him over the rail. Okada is sent into the rails then Bryan flying dropkicks him into the rails.

Bryan top rope dropkicks him out. Bryan topes him then top rope dropkicks him. Okada rolls him up and Bryan goes for the Lebell lock. They each try pin attempts  and trade euros.

They go head to head and slap each other. Okada hits a dropkick and slams him. Okada top rope elbow drops him.  Bryan triangles him and hits elbows to the head. Bryan puts him in the Lebell lock. Bryan flying knees him and Okada rolls out. Bryan top rope flip dives Okada and sends him into the rails. Okada tombstones him on a chair outside.

We go to PiP break and return. Bryan hits kicks and chops. Bryan flying kicks him in the corner then germans him. Okada shotgun dropkicks him. Bryan headkicks him. Okada hits a big dropkick. Okada hits a rainmaker.

They trade forearms on their knees. They get up and keep trading. Bryan piefaces him and spinning forearms him. Okada facekicks him. Bryan flips out of a german and hits a flying knee then Okada hits a flying knee. Bryan ducks a rainmaker then hits his own for 2.

Bryan hits downward forearms. Okada hits a nasty cradle shock. Claudio Castagnoli and Pac come out. Okada hits a short arm lariat. Bryan backslides him and wins.

Thoughts: I didn't like the finish at all here. They took some of the attention off of it with Pac and CC coming down and it just wasn't built up to well with nearfalls and stuff. The match started off slow and it was obvious it was going over 20 minutes. I didn't think there was a great story here either. The stipulation was totally stupid and it really wasn't necessary. It's not like this being champ vs champ drew any extra viewers over a normal match between these two. I didn't love the last match between these two and didn't think this was that great either.

Okada rainmakers Bryan after. Pac and CC grab Bryan. Mox and Shafir come down. Mox says this isn't about him and says he's simple minded. He says none of this is what he wants. He says he's planning something much bigger. Wheeler Yuta comes out with a hammer to save Bryan. The heels all get out except for Mox who dares him to hit him. The heels eventually leave.

Yuta gets on the mic and says he's tired of them treating him like a child. He says he's his own man and can make his own decision. Yuta says if they want Bryan, they have to go through him too and they set up Bryan/Yuta vs CC/Pac match. 

Overall thoughts: They had a heavy workrate line-up here with Bryan vs Okada and Will vs Ric. The show was a bit long at almost 2 and a half hours and it was mostly in-ring focused. I thought it was a decent show overall. It wasn't perfect though.