It’s Wednesday, you know what that means!
AEW Dynamite was live tonight from the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, the same place Dynamite started back in 2019. Tonight’s show would be headlined by ‘Hangman’ Adam Page and The Young Bucks of the Elite up against Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta of the Blackpool Combat Club. That would be the main event, but we had a world championship eliminator match to open the show!
AEW World Championship Eliminator Match: MJF vs. Adam Cole
MJF grew up looking up to Adam Cole, but now Cole was looking to defeat him in order to earn an opportunity at MJF’s World Championship. The match began with both men being quite witty and MJF actually ended up in the crowd arguing with fans. Once MJF actually began to take the match seriously he was all over Cole and took the early advantage.
Cole manages to throw MJF to the outside, but MJF then trapped him in the ring apron to beat him down. MJF was now focusing on the arm of Cole, he stomped on his hand that was resting on the steel steps and locked in a wrist-lock. Cole was really out of it and MJF hit a pump handle driver before posing in the middle of the ring like the Heartbreak Kid. He then began to tune up the band and went for Sweet Chin Music, but Cole caught him with a superkick.
Cole was starting the comeback, he hit an enzigiri, a backstabber and went for the Boom, but it was reversed. MJF then hit a shoulder breaker, but Cole came right back with a brainbuster onto his knee and an ushi-goroshi. Both men were now on the ring apron and MJF dropped Cole head-first with a tombstone piledriver on the apron. MJF continued to go after Cole’s arm and he screamed in Cole’s face, “You’re a nobody!”
That fired Cole up as he then hit MJF with a trifecta of superkicks and then bounced off the ropes only to be met with a lariat from MJF turning him inside-out. MJF then locked in the Salt of the Earth arm bar, but Cole made it to the ropes. The offence continued for MJF, he hit Cole with a knee strike and a heatseeker. MJF then laid Cole onto the time-keeper’s table outside the ring and he leaped from the top rope driving Cole through the table with an elbow drop.
MJF then got back in the ring hoping for a countout win, but Cole made it back in the ring just before the ten-count. Both men were now back on the apron, this time it was Cole hitting MJF with a superkick and then a straitjacket suplex on the hardest part of the ring. MJF now avoided a Panama Sunrise, but he then launched Cole into the referee. With the ref down MJF went to get his title, but he went Eddie Guerrero style passing the title to Cole and lying on the mat. Unfortunately for MJF, the ref did not get up so he never saw Cole and with the ref still down Cole hit MJF between the eyes with the title and followed that with a Boom.
It seemed like Cole had the match won, but to the surprise of all MJF managed to kick out at two sparking the crowd into a fight-forever chant. MJF then distracted the referee again and low-blowed Cole before putting on his Dynamite Diamond Ring. As he tried to hit Cole with the ring, he was stopped by the referee and Cole super-kicked him. Cole finally hit the Panama Sunrise and then a second Boom, and as the referee was about to count three the bell rang. The 30-minute time limit expired and this match ended in a draw, meaning Cole has not earned a championship match.
Cole quickly grabbed the microphone and said, “Five more minutes!” But, of course, MJF said nothing and instead walked to the back holding his championship.
Winner: Time-limit draw
AEW then aired a video hyping up the return of CM Punk this Saturday on the debut episode of Collision. I am not sure anyone outside of Chicago is actually excited about this return.
The return of @CMPunk this SATURDAY on #AEWCollision LIVE this SATURDAY on TNT at 8pm ET /7pm CT. pic.twitter.com/5BPl3hdsZa
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 15, 2023
It was now time for the return of Sammy Guevara, he has not been seen on AEW since Double or Nothing where he came up short for the World Championship. He said the past couple of months have been crazy, he has had the high of his wife, Tay Melo, being pregnant and the low of not winning the title. The goal remains the same for Guevara he plans on having his wife and child with him when he holds the title. He was about to let us know of some changes he wants to make in AEW, but he was interrupted by Darby Allin.
Allin first said congratulations, and he then asked Sammy if he has realized the people are starting to love him again. But, Allin wants to know if Sammy will stand on his own two feet or in the shadows of the Jericho Appreciation Society. That question drew Chris Jericho out of the back and he told Alin he needs to stand there and shut his mouth.
Jericho said the entire time Sammy was chasing the world title, he did not call him once for any help or advice. He believes that if he had asked for help he would be standing here as the World Champion, but Sammy responded by saying if Jericho had called him maybe he wouldn’t have lost to Adam Cole twice. Jericho demanded an apology for that remark, but Sammy said he is not apologizing for sh**.
That was not what Jericho was looking for and he said Sammy needs to remember who his boss is and they need to bring Le Sex Gods back in a tag match. Allin interjected by saying Jericho has lost all his magic in the ring, so Jericho threatened that he and Sammy would beat Allin down right now. So, now Sting made his way out and he went face-to-face with Jericho both men with a bat in hand. Jericho retreated from the ring, but Sammy did not go with him.
There was now a massive announcement for Forbidden Door from the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, SANADA. He said that he will be coming to Canada to show the world the strength of the IWGP Champion and he will be issuing an open challenge for his title at Forbidden Door to all AEW superstars!
Later in the show, another NJPW star announced they will be at Forbidden Door, Hiroshi Tanahashi! He said that at Forbidden Door he will be facing MJF for the AEW World Championship.
The Mogul Embassy (Swerve Strickland, Brian Cage, Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. Sting, Darby Alin, Keith Lee & Orange Cassidy
Alin and Cassidy got this match started quickly with two suicide dives, but only Alin connected and Cassidy ended up in a bear hug from Cage. Sting got to work on Strickland, but once Alin was tagged in the Mogul Embassy took full control. It was a four-on-one ambush and Alin desperately needed a tag.
Alin managed to hit Strickland with a stunner and tag in Keith Lee, and he came in on fire. He took out the entire Mogul Embassy single-handedly, but then the numbers game caught up to him as well. Cage, Kaun and Liona held Lee up and Strickland jumped from the top rope stomping Lee into the mat. It was now an all-out brawl, but Cage ended up alone in the ring. Cassidy hit Cage with an Orange Punch and Sting followed that with a Scorpion Death Drop to get the victory.
Winners: Sting, Darby Alin, Keith Lee & Orange Cassidy
The Gunns now got the opportunity to talk about why they helped Jay White last week and if they have joined Bullet Club Gold. However, they refused to talk about that and instead challenged The Hardyz to a match next week on Dynamite.
TNT Championship Match: Wardlow (C) vs. Jake Hager
Hager actually attacked Wardlow in the middle of his entrance in order to get the early advantage, but that did not last long. Wardlow quickly hit some lariats, a German suplex and then threw him over the top rope into the steel steps. After a commercial break, Hager had Wardlow in an ankle lock and was focusing on the foot of Wardlow.
On the outside of the ring, Arn and Brock Anderson took out the JAS and this led to Wardlow hitting Hager with a Senton Bomb. Wardlow then finished the match off with the Powerbomb Symphony to retain his title.
Winner: Still TNT Champion, Wardlow
After the match, Christian Cage and Luchasaurus appeared on the screen and Cage reminded Wardlow that a few weeks ago he offered a TNT title match to Luchasaurus. Luchasaurus will be accepting the challenge this Saturday at Collision, but Wardlow will have to compete without Arn Anderson in his corner. Christian then showed us a busted-open Arn Anderson out cold on the stairs.
Orange Cassidy then got some interview time to talk about his next challenger for the International Championship. He was quickly interrupted by Zack Sabre Jr. of NJPW who challenged him for the title at Forbidden Door. Daniel Garcia then also appeared and he asked Cassidy where Katsuyori Shibata is because he wants a shot at his ROH Pure Championship. Cassidy said that Shibata will be at Dynamite next week and they can all have a tag match, Cassidy and Shibata against Sabre and Garcia!
AEW Women’s Championship Match: Toni Storm (C) vs. Skye Blue
Blue was off to a ridiculously fast start, she was beating down Storm and took out the Outcasts at ringside. Storm then got into the head of Blue by spraying Blue’s mom who was sitting ringside with spray paint in the eyes. That allowed Storm to gain control over Blue, but it was not long before Blue was back in the driver’s seat.
She hit Storm with a running knee and a few kicks, but then Storm grabbed the spray pain while Ruby Soho distracted the referee. But, Blue was one step ahead and sprayed Storm in the eyes with blue spray paint. She then hit Storm with Code Blue, but Soho grabbed the referee to avoid there being a pin. Storm now hit Blue with Storm Zero and made her submit with the Texas Cloverleaf.
Winner: Still AEW Women’s Champion, Toni Storm
After the match, Storm and Soho started to beat down Blue, but out from the back came Willow Nightingale to make the save!
Jungle-Hook then got some time backstage, and Jungle Boy said he is feeling jealous of Hook walking around with the gold. So, he is officially accepting SANADA’s open challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship and he will have Hook in his corner!
Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta) vs. The Elite (Adam Page, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)
This match began with all six men squaring off with forearms, but The Elite then hit all three members of BCC with a superkick. Matt then dropped Yuta with an apron powerbomb, while Nick and Page hit Mox and Claudio with dives to the outside. The Bucks then held Yuta up while Hangman jumped off the apron hitting him with a shooting star press.
There was so much action in this fight, Nick attempted a moonsault on Claudio, but he was caught with a forearm. Page then hit Claudio with a lariat and Mox came right after Page with a suicide dive, and that was all followed by a diving crossbody from Matt onto Mox and Claudio.
After a commercial break, BCC managed to get control over Nick Jackson and it was a three-on-one assault. Nick was able to break free from the attack and tag in Hangman, who quickly took out both Yuta and Castagnoli by himself. Matt hit Yuta and Mox with locomotion, but then we were back to a three-on-three brawl. Mox and Castagnoli worked together to hit Matt with a Doomsday Device and Mox then locked Matt into a bulldog choke that was broken up by Nick.
The Young Bucks then had a superkick party before hitting Yuta with a BTE trigger that Hangman followed with a Buckshot Lariat to get the win for The Elite!
Winners: The Elite
Following the loss, BCC started to beat down The Elite, but then to the shock of all out came Eddie Kingston! He has returned to AEW and he went right after Castagnoli, but Mox then got in his way. He and Mox are good friends so they refused to hit each other, but out from the back came Takeshita who had no problem taking Kingston out. As Takeshita stood alone in the ring, we got the return of Kenny Omega and he was after Takeshita. Omega was getting all his shots in on Takeshita and he was looking for a Terminator Dive, but he was met in the middle of the ring with a superkick from WILL OSPREAY!
Absolute mayhem has been unleashed as Konosuke Takeshita blindsides Eddie Kingston and Kenny Omega takes aim at Takeshita, but Will Ospreay sets the tone for Forbidden Door!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@takesoup | @KennyOmegaManX | @WillOspreaypic.twitter.com/5Rx0KyFfeb— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 15, 2023
Ospreay proceeded to hit Omega with two Hidden Blades and then a Stormbreaker, he sent a big message to his opponent at Forbidden Door. What a crazy ending to a great episode of Dynamite!
TOP PHOTO: Will Ospreay. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com
RELATED LINK
https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2023/06/15/george-tahinos-aew-dynamite-washington-photo-gallery-2/
