Greetings and Salutations! What a week its been for AEW. From interviews to releases, this week has been something. But we aren’t here to talk about all of that. We are here to focus on the AEW product and in particular, we are here to talk about AEW Dynamite. We have quite the show in store tonight as Will Ospreay faces Powerhouse Hobbs, Bryan Danielson will take on Lance Archer, and the Young Bucks will face Best Friends in the Semi-Finals of the AEW Tag Team Title Tournament. So with all this happening, let’s get straight to the show!

AEW Card for April 4, 2024. Courtesy of AEW

AEW Card for April 4, 2024. Courtesy of AEW

TNT Champion Adam Copeland with a Battle Cry

TNT Champion Adam Copeland is out and he says he wants to have fun, but first he has something to say. He says that over the last few days there has been a lot of “negative BS” but “screw that.” Copeland says he wants to focus on the positives, and says that its a great time to be a wrestling fan. He reminds us that wrestling was taken from him and he says that he realized that AEW was where he needed to end his career. Copeland gives praise to the entire locker room. He says he has been able to have Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, Swerve Strickland, Samoa Joe, Jon Moxley, FTR, the Young Bucks, and Malakai Black as opponents. Copeland says he is having a blast in AEW, and he says this is the most fun he has ever had in his 30 year career. Copeland then thanks the people who started the company and says that AEW has made wrestling fun again. Copeland with the company slogan of “Where the best wrestle”. Copeland says that AEW is moving forward and there is a reason that top stars like Okada, Mone, and Ospreay came here. Copeland then introduces Will Ospreay. Ospreay comes out and shakes Copeland’s hands. This leads us into the first match…

Will Ospreay VS Powerhouse Hobbs

Don Callis is on commentary. Hobbs starts the match by mowing over Ospreay, but Ospreay rallies with a flurry of offense that includes a Clotheslines that sendss Hobbs over the ropes. Ospreay over the ropes himself and dives right onto Hobbs. Ospreay sends Hobbs to the steel steps. Hobbs comes back and picks Ospreay up and dumps right on the steps. Hobbs isn’t done as he grabs Ospreay again and slams him right onto the announce table. Ospreay tries to come back and is bale to chop Hobbs a few times and then follow that up with a springboard forearm. Ospreay with a chop and a slap for good measure.

Hobbs didn’t like that slap and he comes back and smashes Ospreay with a Belly-to-Belly. Ospreay hits a Stun-dog Millionaire, but Hobbs gets back on track and delivers a Powerslam. Hobbs u to the top and goes for a Splash, but Ospreay moves out of the way and does a cheeky pin for a 2-count. Hobbs takes control again with a few kicks, but Ospreay is able to hit the Sky Twister Press, followed by a Hidden Blade for the win.

Winner: Will Ospreay

Don Callis raises Will Ospreay’s hand and Hobbs gets in Ospreay’s face, but Callis is able to smooth the situation over. Bryan Danielson comes out and claps for Ospreay as he comes down for his own match…

Bryan Danielson VS Lance Archer

Archer gets things started early and uses his strength to take on Danielson. Archer tosses Danielson around a few times and smacks him around too for good measure. Archer is in firm control of the match until Danielson comes back and hits archer with a Dragon Screw. After that, Archer has a huge target on his legs for Danielson to focus on. Danielson with his kicks on Archer. Danielson with more offense that targes the leg or Archer. With Archer on the outside of the ring trying to create space between him and Danielson, Danielson attempts a dive over the ropes, but Archer catches him and slams him onto the apron. Archer attacks a member of the ring crew and slams him onto Danielson, literally using a human being as a weapon. Archer is back at it and once again takes control of the match until Danielson fights back with some strikes.

Danielson sits Archer down on the ropes, crotch first and then hits some Running Kicks. Danielson gets the LeBell Lock, but Archer reaches the ropes for the break. Danielson hits a running knee off the apron, and then Danielson with a kick, but Archer picks him up and Choke Slams him. Archer follows that up with a Knee Strike of his own. Danielson fights back and hits a Knee Strike, then hits some Kicks for good measure, followed by a Knee strike for the win.

Winner: Bryan Danielson

Chris Jericho is interviewed by Renee Paquette. HOOK is out also. Jericho knows that he has a bad history with tag partners and has a history of pushing people away. Jericho says that at his level, the rules are different. Jericho then tells HOOK to believe in him as much as he believes in HOOK. HOOK says he believes in Jericho and at their match on Collision, he will be keeping his eye on Jericho. Jericho says he wouldn’t expect anything less….

Backstage, Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty say they’re going to make a statement by beating Chris Jericho and HOOK on AEW Collision.

Billy Gunn VS Jay White

Billy Gunn attacks Jay White during his entrance, but White turns things around and slams Gunn into the barricade. White tries to make an escape over the barricades, but Gunn follows him through the crowd. Back at the ringside area, Gunn slams White into the barricade and then sends him hard onto the Steel Steps. Gunn clotheslines White over the ropes, but White makes a bit of a comeback. White with an Uppercut and a punch. Gunn with a slam on White. We cut to the back where The Acclaimed are shown taken out. Back to the ring, Gunn slams White and hits not one but two Fameassers. Gunn gets a chair, but The Gunns run in to make sure the chair isn’t used. White with a Low Blow and the ref calls the match.

Winner via Disqualification: Billy Gunn

The Gunns and White attack Gunn, but The Acclaimed come back and make the save as White runs away. The Acclaimed catch him and everyone is brawling until Bullet Club Gold escapes.

The Young Bucks are shown arriving backstage and then we see The Best Friends as they all prep for their Tag Team Title Tournament Match.

Willow Nightingale Speaks…

Renee Paquette interviews Willow Nightingale. She says she is feeling “mother-fluffin’ great.” Willow reflects on her journey to this exact point in time and talks about Kris Statlander. Statlander is right beside her. Nightingale says that she appreciates the fans’ support and says it helped her become who she is today. Willow then brings up AEW Dynasty and says she knows she will be “the smiling face of TBS.” Stokely Hathaway says that Willow is something special and then Mercedes Moné is out and says that she can’t wait to see Nightingale face TBS Champion Julia Hart at AEW Dynasty because she will face the winner of that match at AEW Double or Nothing.

AEW World Tag Team Championships Tournament Semifinal: The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) VS Best Friends (Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta) (with Chuck Taylor & Sue)

Mamma Sue is at ringside for this one. The Best Friends get the match started and have the upper hand. The Young Bucks come back but its Beretta who ends up taking things through. Nicholas trips Trent up and slams him onto the apron. Next, Cassidy gets hit with a Powerbomb right on the apron. The Bucks aren’t done as they Powerbomb Beretta onto the apron also. Matthew Jackson goes to the commentary table and talks trash. Matthew and Nicholas isolate Beretta for a while, until Beretta rallies back and get the hot tag on Cassidy.

The Young Bucks take control again though and they Double-Team Cassidy, and isolate him until they attempt an EVP Trigger that Cassidy dodges. Cassidy fights back, but the Bucks come back and dominate Cassidy some more using masterful tandem offense. The Best Friends aren’t done yet as they come back and hit a TK Driver-ish move on Matthew Jackson. Later on, Matthew superkicks Cassidy and Beretta. Matthew mocks Sue and teases kicking Sue, but she slaps him, alowwing Cassidy to hit an Orange Punch, followed by Beretta with a Knee strike, and the Best Friends hit a Strong Zero for a 2-count. Cassidy dives onto Nicholas at ringside and Beretta is ready to pout this away, but Matthew pushes him onto an earlier exposed turnbuckle and rolls him up for the sneaky win.

Winners: The Young Bucks

The Best Friends go to hug, but Trent Beretta attacks Orange Cassidy…

#1 Contender’s Match: Thunder Rosa VS Mariah May

Rosa gets the match going and sends May to the corner to chop her a few times. May is able to come back and gets Rosa down in the corner for a Hip Attack. Rosa with a Headscissors that sends May down. Rosa and May are going back and forth on the apron and its May who hits Rosa with a Boot. Rosa fights back and drops May with a Hurricanrana out at ringside, the follows that uo with a Crossbody.

Back in the ring, Rosa takes May down. May comes back and rallies to get the upper hand and momentum on her side. The two go back and forth trading hits until Rosa hits May with a release German suplex, but May comes right back with a Suplex. May with a few hard shots, but Rosa hits her with a backstabber for the win.

Winner: Thunder Rosa

Rosa says she wants her shot at Dynasty and the match is made official!

Contract Signing: Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland

AEW World Champion Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland are in the ring. Joe says that Strickland would be facing doom and destruction if he signs the contract. Joe continues on by saying that he will leave Swerve scarred as if he left Diddy’s party too late. Strickland says he has wanted this moment his whole life and then says that the two of them are building a dynasty together in AEW. Swerve says Joe may be a killer, but he is too and he will show Joe that he is every bit “that man.” Swerve says he has the keys to the dynasty, and AEW will become his house.

Strickland goes to attack Joe, but Joe comes back and eventually hits him with a chain-wrapped fist. Joe continues to hit Swerve with the chain-wrapped fist as officials separate them. Swerve Strickland is now bleeding and he gets a mic and laughs. Swerve says that he loves this S#!T and says if that’s all he’s (Joe) got, he’s taking the title at Dynasty. Swerve then signs the contract with his blood. Joe has heard enough and runs back into the ring and is able to Slams Swerve through a table. The show ends as Joe raises the title over his head.