Double or Nothing is months away but the world title chase was hump started when Jack Perry, Sammy Guevara and Darby Allin crashed MJF’s party last week. There’s plenty of time between now and then, but at least there is an idea of the World Title picture. Tonight, Tony Khan has promised a dream match between Kenny Omega and El Hijo del Vikingo. Let’s get right to the action.
Omega may be in some trouble as we see the Young Bucks being loaded into ambulances. Hangman Adam Page hitches a ride as well.
Orange Cassidy, Darby Allin and Sting vs. Kip Sabien, the Butcher and the Blade w/Penelope Ford
Cassidy goes for an Orange Punch right off the jump, but Sabien easily side steps it. Kip then mocks Orange acting like he is going to put his hands in his pockets. Orange does it for real. The Butcher gets the tag and so does Sting. Butcher misses a splash in the corner. Sting hits him with a Stinger Splash. Sting wants the Scorpion Deathlock, but Blade and Kip jump in to put a stop to that. Darby Allin and Blade brawl on the floor. Allin then takes a tag, hitting Sabien with a Code Red. Penelope Ford tries to enter the ring, allowing Blade to sweep out the legs of Cassidy.
After a commercial break, Darby kicks out of a pin after a powerbomb from the Butcher. Sabien is able to keep Allin from making a tag to Cassidy. Orange eventually gets the tag, enters with a diving cross body and hits a DDT. The Butcher runs over Cassidy, and with some help from Blade that take him down. Sabien only gets a two count. Kip celebrates in the ring, but doesn’t see Sting coming up behind him. The Stinger does his best Orange impression, before locking Kip in the Scorpion Deathlock. The Butcher and Blade have to lay a beating on the Stinger before he finally releases the hold. Cassidy misses an Orange Punch, but is able to deliver the Stundog Millionaire. Allin takes out Butcher and Blade on the floor, while Sting takes down Kip with a Scorpion Death Drop. Sting covers and gets the win.
Winners via pinfall: Sting, Darby Allin and Orange Cassidy
The Gunns (champions) vs. Top Flight (challengers) – AEW World Tag Team Championship
Well, the AEW crowd has decided to ignore the memo from the Gunns about certain names for the champs. In fact, they are so upset that we have to go to commercial.
After the break, Darius Martin gets the hot tag, and takes it to the champs. Austin takes a German suplex. Colten is able to kick out after a standing Spanish Fly. Darius wipes out Colten on the floor and Dante with a moonsault to Austin. Colten breaks up the pin at the last minute. Mike Bennett and Matt Taven attack Darius at ringside. The ref doesn’t see it. Darius makes the save, but then gets hit with the 3:10 to Yuma back in the ring. Austin covers to get the pin.
Winners…and still AEW World Tag Team Champions…via pinfall: The Gunns
After the match, FTR walk down the ramp. The Gunns try to cut them off on the mic, but Cash is just their to talk business. Colten calls them losers. Austin says there is nothing they can do to get a title shot. Wheeler tells them that if they get a title shot and lose they will disband. Austin still isn’t biting. Dax offers up this stipulation. If they can’t win the AEW Titles, they will leave AEW forever.
Renee Paquette asks Jade Cargill about the debut of Taya Valkyrie. Jade had Mark Sterling draw up a cease and desist order for Taya to stop using Jade’s finisher. Leila Grey offers to deliver the order in person.
Stokely Hathaway vs. Hook – No Disqualification Match
Oh, and the Firm has been banned from ringside. Before the match can begin, Stokely claims he has not been medically cleared to compete and he is officially retiring tonight. He even has a doctor’s note to make it official. He gives the note to Justin Roberts, who tells him this is a receipt from WingStop. The bells rings and Hathaway takes off through the crowd. Hook chases him down and drags him back to the ring. Stokely delivers a running uppercut, but Hook just shrugs it off. Hook hits a suplex on the floor and tosses Stokely back into the ring. Hook pulls out a steel barricade from under the ring, as the Firm looks on from the back. Hooks sets the barricade up in the ring. Hathaway blinds Hook with a fire extinguisher. Hook rips a chair away from Hathaway and suplex him onto the barricade. Hook makes the cover, but pulls him up at the two count. Hook locks in Redrum and Hathaway goes out. The ref calls for the bell.
Winner via submission: Hook
It’s story time with Adam Cole, Bay-Bay! We are seven days away from his in ring return and he feels great. But who is his opponent going to be next week? I think we are going to get an answer and the answer is Daniel Garcia. He walks out and wants to tell his own story. He calls himself a locker room leader and with that position it is up to him to put Cole in his place. Garcia lists everyone his has beaten since Cole has been gone. He also claims that he has main evented more shows than anyone. Garcia calls himself a pro wrestler, but quickly catches himself. He’s a sports entertainer. Cole tells Garcia that the JAS is holding him back. He is willing to face Garcia next week. Next week will be statement that his back, bay bay!
Alex Marvez is trying to get an update on the Young Bucks. Kenny thinks he should have gone with them, but Don Callis reminds Omega he has a match tonight. Don also says those two going to the hospital could be the best thing that has ever happened.
Jon Moxley w/Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Stu Grayson w/Evil Uno, John Silver and Alex Reynolds
Grayson drives Mox into the corner. Mox reverses and chops away at Stu. Mox goes to the floor, only to have Grayson bring him back. Stu with a head scissors, but then gets caught with a suplex. A shoulder tackle sends Grayson flying into the barricade.
After a commercial break, Mox is stomping away at Grayson. Stu gets back to his feet and delivers an elbow strike. Grayson with corkscrew moonsault off the middle rope. Grayson goes up top to wipe of Claudio and Wheeler on the floor. Mox hits Grayson with a suicide dive. Stu takes down Mox in the ring and hits a 450 splash. He can’t get the pin. Mox locks in the Bulldog choke. Grayson gets to his feet and slams Mox into the corner. Grayson ducks the Paradigm shift and connects with a kick. Mox catches Stu up top. He delivers a head butt. Mox with an Avalanche Death Rider and covers to get the pin.
Winner via pinfall: Jon Moxley
The Dark Order immediately hit the ring to protect Grayson.
Ricky Starks is sick of talking about Juice Robinson. Starks isn’t happy he had to cut his vacation short to deal with this. He tells Robinson he can find him on Rampage.
Oh great, its another episode of QTV. They show footage of Rey Fenix getting destroyed by Powerhouse Hobbs and have a good laugh about it. And the crew claims that they stole Wardlow’s identity and ruined his life. IDENTITY THEFT IS NOT A JOKE!
Sky Blue vs. Toni Storm w/Saraya and Ruby Soho
Storm charges Blue, knocking her into the corner. Blue fights back with an elbow strike. A drop kick sends Storm to the floor. Blue with a hurricanrana. Storm knocks Blue off the top rope with a haymaker and follows with a hip attack. Soho and Saraya attack behind the ref’s back. Blue tries to fight back, only to take a shot in the back from Toni.
After a commercial break, Blue is tossing Storm around the ring. She connects on a roundhouse kick and follows with a driving cross body. A rising knee strike finds it target, but Sky only gets a two count after an enziugiri. Saraya avoids a cheap shot from Saraya and hits the Code Blue. Soho distracts the ref from making a count. Blue nearly gets the pin on a rollup, but Storm knocks her into the corner. Toni with the hip attack and follows with a German Suplex. Not that it’s needed, but Toni hits Storm Zero and covers to make the pin.
Winner via pinfall: Toni Storm
After the bell, Riho and Willow Nightingale run down to save Blue from getting spray painted.
Mox and the rest of the BCC attack Stu Grayson as he is treated by AEW trainers.
El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Kenny Omega w/Don Callis
Vikingo with a suicide dive before the match even starts. He follows with a another splash over the top rope. Vikingo beats Omega into the corner. Kenny reverses positions and delivers shots of his own. The ref finally calls for the bell to start the match.
Vikingo connects with a corkscrew kick and hit a knee strike through the ropes. El Hijo with shooting star press off the apron. He rolls Kenny back into the ring. Vikingo with a 450 splash off the ropes. Omega is able to kick out. The two trade chops and Vikingo hits the mat. Omega stomps him into the corner. He follows with a tilt-a-whirl back breaker. Omega dumps Vikingo out of the ring and slams him into the ringside barrier. Kenny sets up a table at ring side.
After break to pay the bills, Omega has Vikingo on the ropes. El Hijo with a rana and the two fight on the apron. They trade chops. Omega with a thrust kick and then a monkey flip on the apron. Kenny eyes the table. Vikingo counters the snapdragon suplex and goes up top. He hits a dragonrana from apron to the floor. Omega gets set up on the top turnbuckle, but fights back with body shots. Kenny wants a powerbomb, but Vikingo counters and spikes Omega on his head. Vikingo hits the Phoenix Splash from the middle rope but only scores a two count. Omega catches Vikingo springing off the ropes and powerbombs him. Kenny connects with a knee strike, but only gets a two count. Omega lines up the V Trigger and connects. Omega wants the One WInged Angel. Vikingo escapes and delivers diving reverse hurricanrana. Omega rolls onto the table at ringside. Vikingo with a 630 splash, putting Omega through the table. Both men are down and the ref starts the count. They both beat the count and Vikingo covers, but Omega is able to kick out.
The two trade shots from their knees. Vikingo unloads with forearm shots and kicks, but then runs into a knee strike. El Hijo hits a sunset flip power bomb and Omega kicks out. Vikingo goes back to the high rent district. He misses on the 630 splash. Omega with a knee strike and plants him with the One Winged Angel. There’s no kicking out from that and Omega gets the win.
Winner via pinfall: Kenny Omega
After the match, Omega gives Vikingo a pat on the chest in a show of respect.
Tony Schiavone gets a word with Kenny Omega. The interview is cut short by the Blackpool Combat Club. The beat Omega down, until sirens ring out. Hangman Adam Page is back with weapon in hand. The BCC gets their shots and they are ready for the cowboy. Mox and company bail out when they see Page has a weapon. Don Callis almost gets hit by Page and throws himself down on the mat. Callis tells Kenny that Page knocked him down. Adam pleads his case, but Kenny won’t hear it.
That’s the show, see you in seven!
AEW Dynamite 3/22/2023
Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Missouri
The main event was over a year in the making and Omega and Vikingo did not disappoint. That main event bumped the show up an entire star. Not that the rest of the show was bad, it was just kind of average. That’s what happens when the world champion isn’t on every week.
