‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Jan 11th 2023)

Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!

Match #1: “Hangman” Adam Page def. Jon Moxley

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Both men slugged it out, with Mox rocking Page with three consecutive shots. Hangman fired back with a big boot in the corner. Page ducked a lariat from Moxley but Page’s backdrop was countered by Moxley. Mox dug his nails into Page’s back and then superplexed Adam Page onto the mat. Mox went for an armbar but Hangman Page rolled into it, attempting a pinning predicament. Moxley sent Page flying with a German Suplex, and then a second release German Suplex. Hangman Page rallied back with an overhead throw to Moxley. Hangman was looking for the Buckshot Lariat but Mox charged at him and knocked him to the steel barricades on the arena floor. Moxley fired a lariat at Jon Moxley on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Moxley nearly decapitated Hangman Page with the King Kong Lariat! Hangman retaliated with a clothesline of his own. Hangman nailed Moxley with a fallaway slam. Hangman had one lariat blocked by Moxley but then Hangman reared back with the other arm! Page followed up with a moonsault off the ring post to Moxley on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Moxley countered the Buckshot Lariat with the Death Rider for a near fall! Moxley transitioned into the hammer and anvil elbows. Moxley applied the bulldog choke. Moxley spiked Page with a piledriver but Page kicked out at the one-count! Moxley tried a round kick but Page caught it and then rocked Mox with the Dead Eye! Moxley got up and curb stomped Hangman Page. Hangman came up with a headbutt off the mat at Moxley. They traded palm strikes! Page landed a lariat and then the Buckshot Lariat for the pin over Moxley!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #2: “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry & HOOK def. The Firm’s Big Bill & Lee Moriarty

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Jungle Boy and Lee Moriarty locked up. They traded chops in the corner. Hook tagged in and he and Jungle Boy hit double elbows on Lee. Hook applied the short arm scissors on Lee but Lee escaped. Jungle Boy tagged back in and he and Hook used tandem offense on Lee Moriarty. Jungle Boy tried a tope suicida but Big Bill caught Jungle Boy and tried to choke slam him. Luckily Hook was there to stop the chokeslam. Big Bill booted Jungle Boy and then Lee dropped a knee on Jungle Boy, sending Jungle Boy spilling to the arena floor. Hook made the tag and hit Lee with a Northern Lights Suplex. Big Bill got in the ring but Hook t-boned Big Bill overhead! Jungle Boy locked on the snare trap on Lee and forced Lee to tap out!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #3: Bryan Danielson def. Konosuke Takeshita

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

The match began and Takeshita knocked Danielson down with a shoulder tackle. Danielson countered a Blue Thunder Bomb. Danielson tripped up Takeshita with a toehold. Danielson hoisted up Takeshita with the Romero Special, and then transitioned to a dragon sleeper. Takeshita escaped and hammered Bryan with forearms. Danielson rocked Takeshita with round kicks. Takeshita connected with the Takeshita line, launching off the ropes. Takeshita forced a break before Danielson could apply the LeBell Lock. Danielson charged into the corner with a dropkick to Takeshita. Danielson tried again but Takeshita countered with the Blue Thunder Bomb. Takeshita blasted Danielson with a brainbuster on the floor! Takeshita tried for a senton atomico but Danielson raised up his knees to block it. Bryan had the LeBell Lock on Takeshita but Takeshita made it to the ropes. Bryan fired off a series of kicks to Takeshita but Takeshita rallied back with a big strike of his own. They exchanged forearms until Takeshita cracked Danielson with a lariat. Takeshita sent Danielson flying with a German Suplex for a near fall! He tried again but Bryan landed on his feet! Danielson hit a knee strike for a near fall on Takeshita! Danielson stomped on Takeshita’s head. Danielson trapped Takeshita’s arms and ref Aubrey Edwards stopped the match as Takeshita fell unconscious!

My Score: 4 out of 5

Match #4: Jamie Hayter & Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. def. Saraya & Toni Storm

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Hayter chopped at Toni Storm but Storm came back with a shotgun dropkick and then the hip attack, sending Hayter to the floor. Saraya tripped up Jamie Hayter and then tagged out to Toni Storm. Hayter double suplexed Toni and Saraya! Baker nailed Toni with a neck breaker outside the ring. Shida came down to the ring with a kendo stick. Saraya planted Baker with the Knight Cap! Britt was looking for the Air Raid Crash but Saraya escaped and tagged out to Toni. Storm landed the hip attack on Baker and then a DDT for a near fall! Storm put on the Texas Cloverleaf on Baker but Hayter was there to boot Storm in the face, freeing up Baker. Britt planted Toni with the avalanche Air Raid Crash for a near fall on Toni! Hayter smashed Toni with the Hayte Breaker. Storm planted Hayter with a piledriver. Storm clocked Britt with a thrust kick. Toni and Jamie traded forearms in the center of the ring. Shida slid the kendo stick into the ring. Baker grabbed it and whacked Storm in the back. Hayter hit Storm with the Hayter Aid and then pinned Storm.

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #5: Escalera De La Muerte Match – The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks: Matt & Nick Jackson) def. Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Kenny and PAC traded strikes and then Penta El Zero Miedo and Matt Jackson slugged it out! Nick sat out with a face buster on Rey Fenix. Matt Jackson tried to climb the ladder but PAC pulled him down. Matt cracked Penta with a destroyer! Kenny snapped Rey Fenix back with a half and half suplex. Omega nailed Penta El Zero Miedo with a snap dragon suplex! PAC blasted Omega with a shotgun dropkick off the top turnbuckle. Omega fired back with a snap dragon suplex on PAC! Matt Jackson jumped over the top and smashed PAC through a table. Matt Jackson backdropped Penta El Zero Miedo onto the ladder! Rey Fenix sent Nick flying with a top rope rana onto the ladder. PAC spiked Omega with a poison rana! The Lucha Bros smashed Kenny with the Made in Japan. Matt and Nick served up superkicks all around! Matt used his locomotion suplexes on Rey Fenix right onto the ladder! Nick Jackson went flying with a 450 splash to the outside, through a table on Penta El Zero Miedo. Matt climbed the ladder but Alex Abrahantes shoved the ladder! Cutler sprayed Alex in the eyes! PAC cracked Kenny’s hand with the hammer! PAC dropped Kenny on the floor with the Falcon Arrow! PAC made the climb up the ladder but Matt Jackson met him up there! Penta decimated Matt with the Fear Factor on a ladder. Rey Fenix climbed to the top of the ladder but Kenny Omega met him up top! Kenny hit the One-Winged Angel from the ladder on Rey Fenix! PAC jumped off the top turnbuckles for the Black Arrow but Kenny raised his knees! Kenny climbed to the top of the ladder and pulled the belt down! And new AEW World Trios Champions..The Elite!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Final Verdict: 4.5/5

A really, REALLY, great episode of Dynamite this week. Whilst the promos were sometimes too long (Adam Cole I’m looking at you) or boring (JAS I’m looking at you), the matches more than made up for it. And even when the matches were short or lacking some great wrestling, each and every one had a huge crowd-pleasing spot that, for me personally, made me smile from ear-to-ear. As usual the Takeshita match was my match of the night, with Danielson giving the up-and-comer what he needed in an great opponent – someone that delivered competition but also made Takeshita look good even in defeat. I honestly can’t wait for the day Takeshita gets a massive win over one of the big “names” on the AEW roster… I’ll probably jump out my seat in excitement! AEW are seemingly on a roll right now, with a roster that are delivering each and every week. If this keeps up I have no idea how Tony Khan is going to book his massive crowd-pleasing PPVs and make them the huge events they have been – regular programming is feeling like a huge event every week in 2023 so far!