Over the past couple of weeks Dynamite has been focusing on the pillars that have challenged MJF for his AEW World title. Jack Perry and Sammy Guevara have had a chance to shine, but Darby Allin has been watching from the shadows. Literally, last week he was up in the rafters. That’s get right to the action.
Darby Allin vs. Swerve Strickland
Well, I guess this is Darby’s week. Allin hits a stunner and Serve retreats to the floor. Darby catches him with suicide dive and follows with a Coffin Drop to the floor. Strickland crashes into the security barrier. Allin knocks Swerve off the top barrier and whips him across the floor. Strickland kicks Darby into the ring steps. Swerve rips off Allin’s belt, whipping him with it. Swerve connects on a leaping back heel kick. Allin fights from apron. Swerve sweeps the leg, kicks Allin in the face and sends him to the floor with a double foot stomp.
After a commercial break, Strickland hits a flatliner. Allin cuts down Strickland on the top turnbuckle and hangs him in the tree of woe. Darby works over the ankle, going as far as biting it. Darby applies a knee bar. Swerve catches Allin coming off the ropes and counters with a German suplex. Allin with the knee bar again, btu Swerve is able to get to the ropes. Swerve catches Allin up top, but Darby counters with a reverse-rana off the apron to the floor. Darby rolls Swerve back into the ring and hits the Coffin Drop. Prince Nana runs down and puts Swerve’s foot on the ropes. Allin chases Nana back up the ramp, until Brian Cage walks out. Swerve lands a kick and hits the double stomp, but injures his ankle. Strickland only gets a two count. Cage sweeps the leg on Darby. The ref throws both Cage and Nana out. The distraction allows Swerve to grab a chair, but Darby kicks into away. Allin hits the Code Red and follows with the Last Supper to get the three count.
Winner via pinfall: Darby Allin
After the match, the champion, MJF, walks to the ring. The champ admits that was an incredible match. Even without Sting at ringside. MJF admits that they have had one of the greatest matches in AEW history and Darby might be the greatest he has ever faced. MJF tells Allin he is not on is level. Allin just wants to know if Max is happy. Allin talks of how he checked himself into therapy. Darby started giving back; he bought his parents a house and helped his dad retire. That Darby Allin is a good dude. Darby won’t compromise his morals to be someone in this world.
MJF calls him arrogant. Morals kill careers. The champ calls Darby a gutless coward and MJF doesn’t care if he dies alone as long as he has that title belt with him. MJF wants to be the greatest of all time. Darby’s legacy will be Sting’s b*tch. Well, that got Sting’s attention.
Sting gets in the champs face and doesn’t understand the Daddy talk. Sting sees himself as a cheerleader, rubbing a pom pom in his face. Sting keeps tossing pom poms at him. Sting accidently says Cody, and that support system is no longer there for the champ. Showtime is just starting for Darby and he will become AEW World Heavyweight Champion. MJF spits on Darby and escapes the ring.
Powerhouse Hobbs (champion) w/QTV vs. Silas Young (challenger) – TNT Championship Match
Hobbs spikes Silas with a spinebuster and then gets him up for the backbreaker. Hobbs slams him to the mat and gets the pin.
Winner…and still TNT Champion…via pinfall: Powerhouse Hobbs
After the match, QT and Hobbs drag Silas up the ramp. Wardlow pops up on the video screen and he is destroying Hobbs new car. He takes the rope stanchion and breaks the windshield. He then lifts and flips the car with a forklift. Hobbs looks to powerbomb Young off the stage, but Wardlow runs out and attacks. The AEW lockerroom run out to separate the two. Wardlow powerbombs Aaron Solo of the stage.
Orange Cassidy (champion) vs. Buddy Matthews (challenger) w/Julia Hart – AEW International Championship Match
Orange looks bored sitting in the corner waiting for the bell. Matthews attacks before Orange can put his hands in his pockets. Orange sends Matthews out of the ring with a head scissors. Cassidy follows with a suicide dive. He rolls Buddy back into the ring, but gets caught on a diving cross body. Orange with a DDT and connects with the Orange Punch, but Cassidy hurts his hand in the process. The doctor checks on Orange.
After a commercial break, Matthews is trying to focus on the injured hand. Matthews blocks a DDT, but Orange smashes him into the turnbuckle. Cassidy goes up top and leaps into a super kick on the apron. Cassidy delivers a super kick. Matthews answers with a knee strike. Cassidy hits the Beach Break on the apron. Both men hit the floor and scramble back into the ring to beat the count. The two exchange blows on their knees. Matthews with a combinations of strikes and then stomps on Cassidy’s injured hand. Buddy mocks Orange, who stops him to put his hands in his pockets. Matthews hits Orange with an unprotected knee strike. The champ hits back with Stundog Millionaire. An elbow strike rocks Buddy on the top turnbuckle. Orange with a DDT off the top rope. Matthews goes to the floor and Cassidy with a diving DDT to the floor. He rolls Buddy into the ring for another DDT. Matthews kicks out. Buddy dodges the punch and connects with a knee strike. Cassidy hits the Orange Punch, but only gets a two count. Buddy catches the fist and hits with a knee strike. Orange plays possum, but Buddy stops himself on the ropes. Cassidy surprises Matthews with the mouse trap pin and gets the three count.
Winner…and still International Champion…via pinfall: Orange Cassidy
Somethings have changed, according to Christian.
The Best Friends tell Renee Paquette that Orange is fine. Chuck Taylor calls out Aussie Open and they want a fight on Friday.
Ethan Page is in the ring, saying he is in a bit of a rough patch after getting hit in the head by Matt Hardy. Page wants answers. He needs to know what is in that contract. Isiah Cassidy tells Page that he played himself. Hardy tells him he should have read the fine print. With Hook’s win, Hardy and Cassidy are free of the dominion of Firm. Hardy says if they win their next match they are free. Big Bill and Lee Moriarty attack from behind. Hook walks out to make the save. Hook clears house, until running into Big Bill. The numbers over come Hook. They Jeff Hardy runs down. Jeff Hardy is back! With a chair. Jeff saves his brother and friends.
Kenny Omega vows to take down the Blackpool Combat Club for messing with Don Callis. You crossed the line when you messed with family.
Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley w/Wheeler Yuta vs. Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa
Cutler and Nakazawa are attacked on the ramp. They beat them around the ring. The match finally starts. Nakazawa goes for a swing. Cutler eats a King King lariat and then a Death Rider. Mox stomps away at Cutler until the ref calls for the bell.
Winners via knockout: Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli
After the match, Mox calls out the Elite. Kenny Omega answers the bell, while the Young Bucks sneak in from behind. Matt and Nick Jackson take it to the BCC. Mox takes a BTE trigger. Omega pulls out a screwdriver. Wheeler pulls Mox to safety. The Combat Club escapes through the crowd.
Swerve Strickland is trying to take credit for Darby Allin’s success. Swerve has unfinished business in AEW.
Riho and Sky Blue vs. Ruby Soho and Toni Storm w/Saraya
Well, this is all about the post match beat down. Storm gets the pin on Sky after hitting Storm Zero.
Winners via pinfall: Toni Storm and Ruby Soho
After the bell, Riho is attacked by all three women. Saraya pulls out the spray paint; tagging Riho. She then takes a triple power bomb. Jamie Hayter runs down and immediately gets overwhelmed. Britt Baker evens the odds. Laying out Soho and Storm on the ramp. Baker wants the stomp, but Saraya is pulled from the ring.
Keith Lee vs. Chris Jericho w/Daniel Garcia
Jericho opens with chops to Lee, who lays him out with a shoulder block. Jericho blocks the overhand chops, but can’t block a knee strike. A chop sends Chris to the floor. Lee splashes Jericho in the corner. Lee goes up the turnbuckles, only to get distracted by Garcia. Jericho pushes Keith to the apron and drop kicks him to the floor.
After the break, Jericho chops away at Lee. He connects with a drop kick and follows with the Lionsault. Lee kicks out at one. Garcia grabs Lee by the ankle. Lee stops Jericho from delivering a lariat. Jericho goes up and over on a power bomb attempt and nearly gets the pin on a roll up. Lee hits the pounce, sending Jericho flying across the ring. Lee goes to the middle rope, but Jericho gets his knees up on the moonsault; that does more damage to Jericho than Lee. Jericho escapes the power bomb and looks for the Walls. He gets Lee over and locked in. Lee is able to get to the ropes to break the hold. Lee tosses Jericho across the ring. Garcia eats an elbow on the apron and Lee brings him into the ring. Lee with a double clothesline. Lee misses a splash in the corner, but blocks the Code Breaker. Keith with a powerbomb. Garcia distracts the ref, allowing Swerve Strickland to run down and nail Lee with the ring bell. Jericho rolls over and gets the cover and three count.
Winner via pinfall: Chris Jericho
After the match, Adam Cole walks down to help Keith Lee. He never even looks Jericho’s way. That’s the show.
AEW Dynamite 4/12/2023
Milwaukee Panther Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Another wrestling focused episode of Dynamite, but when people needed to talk, they delivered. Check out the opening match between Darby Allin and Swerve Strickland. And I’ll never say no to Keith Lee in the main event. And Orange Cassidy delivers every week with that International title. Oh, Jeff Hardy is back.
