‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Feb 8th 2023)

Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the El Paso County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!

Match #1: AEW World Championship Eliminator Match – MJF def. Konosuke Takeshita

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Takeshita clobbered MJF with nearly 10 punches in the corner and then followed up with a jumping knee. MJF pulled the ref in the way and then blindsided Takeshita. MJF countered a clothesline by yanking Takeshita’s arm and then driving his shoulder into the mat. MJF followed up with a DDT, then chomped down on Takeshita’s fingers. Takeshita fired back with an exploder suplex on MJF, sending MJF flying into the turnbuckles. Takeshita rocked MJF with two running boots. Takeshita nailed MJF with a brainbuster for a near fall. Takeshita hit a frog splash on MJF for a two-count. Takeshita reversed a piledriver from MJF and planted MJF with a deadlift German suplex. MJF rolled to the outside, taking a breather. Takeshita whipped MJF headfirst into the steel ring post. Takeshita climbed to the top rope, looking for a moonsault, but MJF lunged at the ropes to disrupt Takeshita’s balance. Takeshita landed a lariat to MJF on the top rope but MJF landed on his feet! Takeshita wasted no time and reared back and then landed a lariat on MJF. MJF baited Takeshita in and applied the Salt of the Earth arm bar. Takeshita rolled up MJF for a near fall. Takeshita launched himself over the top rope and crashed down onto MJF on the arena floor. Takeshita blasted MJF with elbow strikes. MJF powerbombed Takeshita across his knee. MJF crumbled to the mat, clutching his knee. Takeshita grabbed MJF and spiked him with the Blue Thunder Bomb and then covered him after a running knee. MJF stopped the pin by touching the bottom rope with his boot. Takeshita attempted a senton atomico off the ropes but MJF dodged it! MJF cranked an arm bar on Takeshita and Takeshita had no choice but to tap out!

My Score: 4 out of 5

Match #2: AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator Match – Jamie Hayter def. The Bunny

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Hayter showed her power with running shoulder blocks to the Bunny, taking the Bunny off her feet. The Bunny caught Hayter off guard with an elbow. Hayter suplexed the Bunny back into the ring. The Bunny turned the tables with a suplex to Hayter on the floor. Hayter’s calf hit the steel ring steps on the way down. Hayter smashed the Bunny with a rip cord lariat and then pinned her after the Hayter-Ade!

My Score: 2 out of 5

Match #3: Garcia-Guevara Gauntlet – The Jericho Appreciation Society def. Ricky Starks

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Angelo Parker and Matt Menard came to the ring first. Angelo Parker gouged Starks in the eyes. Starks pinned Parker after a spear. The next opponent was Matt Menard. Starks ducked a punch from Menard, rolled him up and pinned him. Garcia was out next! Sammy distracted Starks until Garcia attacked Starks from behind! Starks tried for a spear but Daniel Garcia countered with a body lock front guillotine. Ricky Starks fired back with a Northern Lights Bomb. Starks and Garcia traded strikes on the apron until Starks speared Garcia! A fan in a mask in the front row blasted Starks with…the Judas Effect. Garcia grabbed an unconscious Starks and pinned him. The fan unmasked and it was Chris Jericho!

My Score: 2 out of 5

Match #4: Bryan Danielson def. Rush

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Danielson’s head was driven into a steel chair. Danielson was busted wide open. Rush rocked Danielson with an elbow and then a boot as blood streamed down Bryan’s face. Danielson rallied back with chops as they stood on the apron. Danielson charged at Rush but Rush countered with a suplex, sending a bloody Danielson crashing hard onto the cold arena floor. Back in the ring, Danielson applied the Le Bell Lock but Rush managed to make it to the ropes. Rush went outside the ring but Danielson connected with a tope! Danielson charged at Rush with a running dropkick. Rush suplexed Danielson but Danielson rolled through. Danielson fired back with the charging knee and then pinned Rush!

My Score: 4 out of 5

Match #5: AEW World Trios Championship Match – The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks – Matt & Nick Jackson) def. AR Fox & Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Dante and Nick started for their respective sides. Top Flight used tandem offense on Nick and then Matt. AR Fox took down the Cleaner with a dropkick. The Young Bucks used combination offense on Top Flight. Kenny came in and dunked AR Fox’s head onto the mat. Kenny landed heavy strikes on Darius Martin. Omega clobbered Darius with a backbreaker. Darius avoided a superkick from Matt and then came back with a Spanish fly. AR Fox rolled through with a senton splash on Nick Jackson. AR Fox dished out three cutters to the Elite! Fox jumped over the top rope and connected with the Bucks, then Omega, and then hit the Bucks again! Fox followed up with a senton atomico onto Omega for a near fall! Matt Jackson caught Dante and drilled him with two Northern Lights suplexes. Matt almost pinned all three men after a double Northern Lights! Nick Jackson was spiked by a DDT from Darius. Top Flight hit the nose dive on Nick Jackson! AR Fox splashed Nick with the 450! Fox almost pinned Nick but Kenny made the save. Dante smashed Omega with a flying lariat. Matt superkicked Darius and then Dante. Nick Jackson neutralized Top Flight with a springboard moonsault to the arena floor. Kenny rocked AR Fox with a gut wrench doctor bomb! AR Fox countered Kenny’s One Winged Angel. Omega rolled up AR Fox with a crucifix and pinned him!

My Score: 4 out of 5

Match #6: AEW World Tag Team Championship Match – The Gunns (Austin & Colten) def. The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

The Acclaimed utilized quick tags to maintain control over the Gunns. Bowens cleaned house on the Gunns, taking the fight to both brothers. Bowens was looking for the rolling elbow strike but Colten shoved the ref into the way. Austin landed the Quick Strike on Bowens. Austin picked up the tag title and was perched to use it on Bowens. Billy Gunn ran to the ring and stopped Austin from using it. Colten smashed Billy in the head with the belt. The Acclaimed used the Arrival and then the Mic Drop on Austin. Caster went outside to grab the referee and help him back to the ring. Colten pulled Bowens off the pinfall attempt. The referee was still dazed. Colten cracked Bowens with the belt and then Austin pinned him!

My Score: 2 out of 5

Final Verdict: 3.5/5

Honestly, this would have been a four-star show if not for the overabundance of MJF on the show and some clumsy and clunky promos. In terms of in-ring action, we got three fantastic matches, one once again featuring the always awesome Takeshita; a brilliantly brutal match between Rush and Bryan Danielson and a trios match that was almost an instant classic. Speaking of multi0-man matches, what was that bullsh*t main event? The Acclaimed shouldn’t really have lost to The Gunns however… hear me out. They had to lose so someone, either a heel team everyone hates OR a face team that would be more popular than The Acclaimed. And as I’ve been saying for weeks now, the ONLY face team that, I think, could have taken the titles off Caster and Bowens without uproar would be Top Flight but they’re in a series of matches for the Trios titles; so losing to heels was the only option – and isn’t it then plausible that The Gunns lose the titles at Revolution to a face team or to The Acclaimed in a rematch? Overall this was a quality episode of Dynamite that, I think, showed why AEW truly is the alternative choice!