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AEW Dynamite: Cole, Storm and Hardy advance in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament

Dale Plummer

The Owen Hart Foundation Tournament kicks off tonight and there are some intriguing first round match ups. Jeff Hardy and Darby Allin face off, while Dax Harwood takes on Adam Cole. Over in the women’s bracket, Jamie Hayter and Toni Storm will come to blows. The tournament will culminate at Double or Nothing in Las Vegas.  Dr. Martha Hart is in the crowd tow witness the tournament that is honoring her late husband. Let’s get right into the action.

Adam Cole vs. Dax Harwood – Owen Hart Tournament Quarter Final Match

 

Dax Harwood gets a Sharpshooter on Adam Cole during their Owen Hart Tournament Quarter Final Match at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

Cole with a disrespectful slap to open the match. The two go back and forth until Cole drop Dax with a neck breaker. Harwood looks for a sharpshooter, but Cole is able to fight him off. Harwood gets whipped into the ring post ribs first, showing the pain. Cole keeps the pressure one, slamming Dax into the ring steps, repeatedly. Adam Cole taunts Harwood with a BAY BAY, so Dax chops him across the chest. Harwood with two German suplex, but Cole with a standing switch to deliver one of his own. The two fight atop the turnbuckle. Cole is knocked the mat, but is able to roll away from trouble. Harwood hits the sling shot powerbomb. Cole kicks out at two and then hits a brain buster. Dax blocks a superkick, following with a cross body, but he jumps right into a super kick. Cole looks for the Panama Sunrise, but Dax blocks it. An up kick prevents Dax rom locking in a sharp shooter. Harwood reverses a Panama Sunrise and hits a pile driver. Cole kicks out. Harwood successfully locks in the sharp shooter. Cole is able to break the hold as Dax is unable to hold on with possibly injured ribs. Cole knocks Dax off the apron, crashing him to the floor. Harwood slips off the apron trying to beat the count, but he is able to scramble back into the ring at the last second. Cole wants the sharp shooter and locks it in. He drags Dax back to the middle of the ring. Harwood taps out.

Winner via submission: Adam Cole

Darby Allin and Jeff Hardy talk about their upcoming match tonight.

CM Punk in a John Tavares New York Islanders jersey — Tavares is still in the playoffs, the Isles are not — at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

The AEW Heavyweight champion, Adam Page, joins commentary as his opponent at Double or Nothing, CM Punk, makes his entrance. Punk is wearing a NY Islanders jersey to get the cheap pop, until he reveals it is a John Tavares jersey. You hockey fans get it.

CM Punk vs. John Silver

Punk forces Silver into the corner as the crowd is fully behind their hometown boy. Silver with a shoulder block and poses. He blocks a hip toss and gets a near fall with a back slide. Punk takes a breather on the floor, baiting Silver into chasing. Punk gains the upper hand in the ring, but Silver is able to beat Punk down in the corner.

John Silver brings down CM Punk at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

After the commercial break, Punk whips Silver into the corner, but then misses a leaping clothesline, crashing into the turnbuckle. Silver with kicks, but Punk is able to trap him in a back slide. Silver quickly kicks out, connects with the triple kick and hits the brain buster. Silver pin, but only for a two count. Sliver stumbles in the corner but recovers to deliver the tornado DDT. Punk with a roundhouse kick and follows with a rising knee strike. A hard shot from a leg lariat drops Silver and Punk stares down the champ. He delivers a Buckshot Lariat to Silver and covers to get the pin.

Winner via pinfall: CM Punk

Adam Page is not pleased. He storms to the ring to confront Punk, who think the champ is taking this a little too personally. For Punk, this is just business. Punk used to wake up and ask himself if he was a good guy, but now he asks if he is champ. Punk is going to force Page to shake his hand. The champ flips Punk the bird.

AEW World champ Adam Page and CM Punk at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

Britt Baker isn’t pleased she doesn’t know who her opponent will be in the Owen Hart tournament, but she is pleased to know that Jamie Hayter will beat Toni Storm. Baker isn’t concerned that she would face Hayter in the second round if they both win.

Danhausen vs. Tony Nese w/ Smart Mark Sterling

Smart Mark Sterling and Tony Nese at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

Danhausen tries to lay the curse on Nese. Well, that doesn’t work as planned. Nese delivers a running knee to Danhausen in the corner. He covers to get the three count.

Winner via pinfall: Tony Nese

After the match, Sterling points out that Nese didn’t even get an entrance. Nese with another running knee and Sterling wants Nese to do it again. Hook’s music hits causing Nese and Sterling to bail out of the ring. Danhausen extends the hand and Hook shakes, before walking off.

Danhausen and Hook at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

Wardlow is escorted to the ring, handcuffed and with a security detail for his contract signing with MJF.

MJF produced a “Dark Side of the Ring” mini-doc about his recent history with Wardlow. I learned that Chris Jericho will do anything for a price.

Max finally makes his way to the ring, also in an Islanders jersey, but this one is a custom MJF shirt. Mark Sterling and Shawn Spears joins MJF in the ring, who gets a hero’s welcome. Max leans into the love and the crowd eats it up. If Wardlow wins at Double or Nothing, MJF will release him from his contract. Max is willing to let Wardlow speak, and asks the crowd not to boo him out of the arena. *WINK*WINK.*

MJF at the contract signing with Wardlow at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

Wardlow can’t get a word in, so MJF takes over. He will whip Wardlow over and over and over and over with his belt. Shawn Spears says it’ll be TEN strikes. First he has to take on Spears in a cage match with MJF as the special referee. If he can get past that, MJF will grant him the match. If he makes it to Double or Nothing and loses, Wardlow will never be allowed to sign a contract with AEW. Wardlow signs the contract after having the cuffs removed. Wardlow tears through the security detail as MJF hides behind Spears. Wardlow drops Spears with one punch. MJF can’t escape, but Mark Sterling leaps on Wardlow’s back to make the save. Sterling gets power bombed through the table for his trouble.

Wardlow sends Mark Sterling through a table at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

Who is the Joker in the men’s tournament? Well, Samoa Joe plans on winning and coming for Jay Lethal.

Absolute Ricky Starks (champion) vs. Jungle Boy (challenger) – FTW Championship Match

Jungle Boy chokes Ricky Starks at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

Both men trade mat wrestling moves to open the match. Starks starts to slap JB around. Jungle Boy with the springboard arm drag and Starks bails out to the floor. Back in the ring, JB breaks a hold with a reverse head butt. Jungle Boys lays into Starks with hard shots and finishes with a lariat. Jungle Boy gets caught on a DDT, but knees his way out of a vertical suplex. JB hits the DDT. Starks with a back slide but JB counters Rochambeau. The two trade pin falls with counters. Jungle Boy locks in the snare trap. Starks is able to pull himself to the ropes and break the hold. Starks rolls out of the ring, grabs his title and starts to walk off. Swerve Strickland runs down and force Starks back into the ring. Jungle Boy with a pin, but the ref is distracted with Swerve. Starks recovers, hits Rochambeau and covers to get the win.

Winner… and still FTW Champion… via pinfall: Ricky Starks

After the match, Luchasaurus and Christian Cage join Jungle Boy in the ring. Powerhouse Hobbs joins Starks at ringside. Keith Lee then joins Swerve on the ramp. We have an old fashioned stand off here, folks.

Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

The Jericho Appreciation Society heads to the ring to give a victory speech. I’m sure nothing will go wrong. Jericho gloats over eliminated Eddie Kingston, Santana and Ortiz. He declares victory, telling Kingston to stay home and take care of his wife. Jon Moxley interrupts the celebration, making his iconic entrance through the crowd.

The Jericho Appreciation Society is surrounded at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

Jericho tells Mox he has one chance to turn around, as he is greatly outnumbered. Or is he? Bryan Danielson, Wheeler Yuta and William Regal make their way down the ramp, but there are still down one. Until Kingston, Santana and Ortiz jump to the apron. Anyway you do the math the JAS is in trouble. Regal stops Jake Hagar from pulling Jericho to safety and he take Jericho down with one punch.

We get a quick preview of the Women’s World Championship match at Double or Nothing between Thunder Rosa and Serena Deeb.

Jamie Hayter vs. Toni Storm – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarter Final Match

Storm takes Hayter to one knee with a head lock. Jamie reverses the hold and shifts to a front face lock. Storm reverses and gets a near fall with a lateral press. Hayter tries to overpower Storm, but when that fails she just chops her. Storm answers with a drop kick that sends Hayter to the floor, but then she gets caught on the apron. A knee from Jamie sends Toni crashing into the ring side barrier.

Toni Storm suplexes Jamie Hayter during their Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarter Final Match at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

After a commercial break, Storm and Hayter trade chops in the middle of the ring. Simultaneous elbow strikes send both women to the mat. Storm recovers and hits a hip attack. She follows with a DDT that sends Hayter to the floor, where Storm hits another DDT. Toni goes up top and connects with a flying cross body, but can only get a two count. Hayter slams Storm on the apron and sets her up on the turnbuckle. Hayter with a superplex, but Storm counters with an inside cradle. Jamie kicks out. Toni delivers Storm Zero and covers to get the pin.

Winner via pinfall: Toni Storm

Scorpio Sky will make everyone put respect on his name and the TNT title. He talks about facing Frankie Kazarian.

Kazarian has his interviewed interrupted by Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti. Sammy tells Frankie he can’t trust Scorpio, which is rich coming from him.

Jeff Hardy w/Matt Hardy vs. Darby Allin w/Sting – Owen Hart Tournament Quarter Final Anything Goes Match

Darby Allin strikes first knocking hardy out of the ring. He follows up by flying over the top rope to take Jeff out on the floor. Allin sets up a phalanx of chairs, but takes too much time. Hardy drops him face first onto the ring steps. Allin runs into a flying clothesline. Hardy wants a DDT off the ring steps, but Allin is able to shove Jeff into the ring post. Hardy is able to hang Darby up on the ropes and pulls out a ladder from under the ring. Allin is slammed onto the chairs he set up. Jeff sets up the ladder in the ring. Allin recovers, knocking Jeff to the floor. Darby climbs the the ladder and delivers a senton onto Hardy through the chairs. Both men are down on the outside.

Darby Allin leaps off a ladder onto Jeff Hardy during their Owen Hart Tournament Quarter Final Anything Goes Match at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

Hardy is rolled back into the rind and Allin is thinking Coffin drop. Jeff is thinking the same thing and rolls to the apron. Darby goes for the Coffin Drop anyway and Hardy rolls out of the way. Darby crashes onto the apron. Jeff climbs the turnbuckle. He launched himself off with a swanton bomb but only catches the steel of the ring steps. Back in the ring, Allin connects with the Coffin Drop. He covers, but Hardy kicks out and quickly rolls Allin up. Jeff gets the three count and the win.

Winner via pinfall: Jeff Hardy

Darby Allin shakes the hand of victor Jeff Hardy after their Owen Hart Tournament Quarter Final Anything Goes Match at AEW Dynamite at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on May 11, 2022. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

Jeff Hardy will face Adam Cole in the semi-finals. See you in seven!

TOP PHOTO: Referee Aubrey Edwards lifts the arm of victor Toni Storm. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com

AEW Dynamite 5/11/22
4

UBS Arena, Elmont, New York

After a mediocre show last week, AEW delivered the goods tonight. It’s fairly easy to do because everyone loves a tournament. It also helps that the match ups were impossible to predict. Either opponent could have won and it would not have been a surprise. The contract signing with MJF and Wardlow was a good time as well as the Jericho Appreciation Society victory speech.

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