AEW Dynamite: Stoke ‘copes’ with loss

Sully Khan

Promo poster for Cope vs. Stoke. Aug 13 Aew Dynamite.

Is it seriously already Wednesday again?

It must be, because AEW Dynamite is apparently on again tonight.

Jon Moxley is in his hometown of Cincinnati, OH to take on Kevin Knight, Mercedes Mone, Skye Blue, and Thekla will take on Alex Windsor, Willow Nightingale, and Queen Aminata in a trios match, and Cope faces off against Big Stoke.

Let’s get to it!

MJF’s music hits to a chorus of “boos” from the Ohio faithful.

Excalibur notes that Mark Briscoe is not in Cincinnati this week due to injuries sustained from his match last week.

It’s also noted that, if there is any physicality between MJF and “Hangman” Adam Page, they will receive a six-figure fine and a suspension. MJF calls himself the antagonist. He says ‘Seabiscuit’ is most vulnerable when he’s angry and that he’s going to make the AEW Men’s World Champion very angry.

Page snaps, getting right into MJF’s face. He reminds MJF that Seabiscuit wins at the end of the story.

MJF is reminded that he has to earn the title shot or execute his Casino Gauntlet contract shot. The crowd erupts into a chant I won’t type here, regarding MJF. Page says that, if MJF isn’t gonna do that, he can leave the ring.

MJF says Page isn’t all good and that he intends on showing the world that the AEW Men’s Champion is a fraud. MJF would rather be called the devil that be a “false” idol like Page. He says Page isn’t real and he is.

MJF says Page is a wolf in sheep’s clothing and he intends on crucifying the ‘god’ the fans think Page is. Page is more aware of his own shortcomings than anyone else. He won’t make excuses like MJF would. Page says MJF doesn’t have a match with him at Forbidden Door. He again reminds MJF that he has a contract shot. He says MJF wants the insurance. Page says the fans might respect MJF if he executes the contract shot he has.

Page dares MJF to prove to everyone – including himself – that he’s not a coward.

MJF gets riled up and executes his contract for Forbidden Door. He immediately seems regretful. Page is ready as can be.

MJF. “Hangman” Adam Page. AEW Men’s World Championship. Forbidden Door.

A recap of Jon Moxley’s match from last week is show, followed by Darby Allin’s challenge for Forbidden Door.

Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, and “The Problem” Marina Shafir enter the arena and Mox tells Allin that he’s not accepting the challenge.

1. Jon Moxley vs. “The Jet” Kevin Knight (with Mike Bailey)

The bell rings and Mox turns around to a boot in the face from Knight. Knight eventually steps back when the ref directs him to, and Moxley takes control.

Moxley takes control as he moves the fight outside the ring but Kevin Knight uses his athleticism to land a number of missile dropkicks, the first coming off the apron to the outside of the ring.

The two later up the physicality and take turns biting each other on the forearm. As the two fight on, the crowd erupts into dueling chants of “Let’s go Moxley! Yuta sucks!”

Knight gets a Superplex off the top rope, forcing Moxley to kick out at two.

Knight nails a DDT. He goes for a Splash but Moxley gets the knees up and counters into an Inverted Triangle choke.

Winner: Jon Moxley via submission.

Mike Bailey enters the ring to get Moxley off of Knight but Wheeler Yuta gets him from behind. Marina Shafir injects herself. The beatdown comes to a halt as Darby Aliin’s music hits.

Knight gets Moxley out of the way. Darby Allin lays out Yuta and zips him up into a body bag. He goes for a Coffin Drop but Claudio Castagnoli makes the save. Gut Wrench to Allin and seals him into the body bag. Castagnoli goes for a spin with Allin on his shoulders. Castagnoli and Yuta get him out of the body bag and get his neck into a chair. Castagnoli gets surprised from behind by Will Ospreay! The Aerial Assassin makes the save.

The last time we saw Ospreay was when he mentioned his own neck injury. He challenges Moxley to a Lights Out Steel Cage match in London!

2. “The CEO” Mercedes Mone, Skye Blue, and Thekla vs. Alex Windsor, Willow Nightingale, and Queen Aminata

Mone tries to interject herself into the Triangle of Madness in the ring but they don’t seem too thrilled. It seems like Mercedes Mone really grasps this “subtle comedy” thing. Take notes, aspiring wrestlers.

After Willow Nightingale comes out, “Timeless” Toni Storm’s music hits and she’s immediately interrupted by Athena’s music. Storm and Athena are in the upper bowl.

Mone and Windsor start but Mone quickly cedes to Skye Blue. Windsor uses her power to gain an early advantage for her side.

Queen Aminata said she would give Mone eight chocolate kisses but connects on ten.

Nightingale hits Blue with a Death Valley Driver. Windsor throws some headbutts at her opponents and it culminates with Nightingale landing a huge Cannonball on all three opponents in the corner.

The action is palpable.

Windsor gets Skye Blue in the center of the ring and cinches in the Sharpshooter. Skye Blue taps!

Winners: Alex Windsor, Willow Nightingale, and Queen Aminata.

Storm and Athena fight up on the top and Julia Hart gets involved in the ring, giving the Triangle and Mone the advantage. Athena brings Storm down to the ring. Storm fires back and Windsor surprises Mone from behind.

Storm and Windsor stand tall. Storm challenges Mone and Athena in a tag-team match for next week in Glasgow!

Renee Paquette is backstage with Will Ospreay. He mentions that he chatted with Tony Khan. Ospreay adds Hiroshi Tanahashi to the fold. He then tells Paquette to tell her husband he’d like to chat with him in Glasgow.

3. Cope vs. Stokely Hathaway

The Cincinnati crowd serenades the ending of Cope’s entrance theme.

FTR’s music hits and Stoke is carried to the ring by two security guards, very understandably unwilling to fight.

Stoke charges at Cope as the bell rings but he falls himself. After numerous failed attempts, Stoke goes for a fist bump. Cope accepts but smacks him outside the ring and gets some fan involvement. Tony Schiavone mentions pantyhose.

Back in the ring, Cope spears Stoke a few more times.

The restraining order is null and void as Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood enter the fray. Stoke evades another Spear by blowing powder in Cope’s face and the Livign Legends take control.

Winner: Cope via disqualification.

Christian Cage’s music hits and he makes the save!

The matriarchy try to surprise him but he fights them off. Cope and Cage stare each other down. Cage hands Spike back to Cope before going to walk away. The crowd chants “Hug it out! and they do! Cage looks like he’s still mulling it over.

A short video of a darkened skyline plays. A Bat-signal-like contraption flashes a big “H” in the night sky. Stylized the way some might be picturing in their heads right now.

We come back from commercial and the pyro and fireworks hits. The PA announcer informs everyone that there is no music available tonight. The trolling continues.

4. Kyle Fletcher, Josh Alexander, and “Mr. Instant Replay and Slick Nick” vs. Brody King, Hologram, Tomohiro Ishii and NJPW wild card… HIROMU TAKAHASHI!

As the Founding Fathers knock Brody King down outside the ring, they threaten Justin Roberts with a Stereo Superkick but don’t hit it… Until they do!

Here’s hoping Roberts is okay! If you didn’t know any better, you might say Matt and Nick aren’t dealing well with the weekly disrespect.

The broadcast team relays that Tony Khan has fined each of the Jacksons $10,000.

Takahashi gets his team back in it but Fletcher neutralizes him and the heels land a Tombstone Piledriver on Brody King, getting him on his back on the entrance ramp. During the commercial break, they single out Hologram, isolating him in their corner.

Fletcher gets Takahashi down with a Tombstone Piledriver but he gets flattened with a Clothesline. Alexander gets spiked with a Flatliner and Fletcher has to make the save.

Bordy King recovers and lays out the bad guys before Takahashi pins Josh Alexander.

Winners: Brody King, Hologram, Tomohiro Ishii and Hiromu Takahashi.

Takahashi will challenge Fletcher for the AEW TNT Championship at Forbidden Door.

After sorting out some technical issues, Renee Paquette introduces Swerve Strickland.

He says nothing’s going to stop him from getting to Forbidden Door, even an injured knee. Kazuchika Okada interrupts and the crowd resumes the “Whose House?” chants. Swerve asks Okada “Whose House?” and the crowd lets Okada know.

Alicia Atout is backstage with the Death Riders and Mox is taken aback. He finds Matt and Nick Jackson in a room labelled “AEW Extras”. Everyone else clears out. He closes the door and Castagnoli, Yuta, and Shafir stand guard. At the risk of saying it as easily as possible… something’s up.

Tony Schiavone is back in the ring with a major announcement.

5. The Opps vs. LFI

It’s been a wild last few segments. Let’s take a breath. Get up for a moment. Stretch your legs.

Or. Wait. Don’t. This match is going to slap.

Rush takes control of Katsuyori Shibata during the commercial break, securing him in a tight hold. But The Opps are Trios Champs for a reason.

After weeks of being banged up, Samoa Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch on Dralistico and The Opps earn the win in this heavy-hitting match to close out the show.

Renee Paquette catches up with “Hangman” Adam Page in the garage and he gets jumped by MJF. The challenger says the champion hasn’t seen anything yet.

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