‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Oct 4th 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the Stockton Arena in Stockton, California. We’ve just got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary this week, so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: AEW International Championship Match – Rey Fenix def. Nick Jackson
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Rey Fenix and Nick Jackson traded and countered a flurry of offense. Rey Fenix rolled out to the edge of the ring, checking on his injured back. Nick tried to powerbomb Rey onto the floor, but Rey Fenix countered with an arm drag off the post and onto the arena floor. Nick stood up clutching his back. Nick took down Fenix with a hurracanrana off the guardrail. Nick nailed Fenix with a backstabber in the ring. Rey Fenix kicked Nick Jackson’s leg out from beneath him, with Nick landing on the crown of his head on the ring apron. Fenix connected with a thrust kick, but Nick answered with two superkicks of his own. Both men had the same idea, Fenix with a strike, Nick with a round kick, and they knocked one another down. Fenix got a near fall with a hurracanrana. Nick blasted Fenix with a cutter on the arena floor. Nick planted Rey with a facebuster for a two-count! Nick rocked Rey with a roundhouse kick. Nick drilled Fenix with an avalanche cutter but somehow Fenix was able to kick out! Nick had Fenix rattled after a poison rana and then a destroyer, but Fenix kicked out at two! Nick nearly took off Fenix’s head with a running knee strike. Nick smashed Fenix with a BTE Trigger to the back of the head for a near fall! Rey Fenix rallied back with a punt kick to the side of Nick’s head. Fenix used a frog splash on Nick Jackson for a near fall. Nick rolled up Rey Fenix, but Fenix countered with a roll-up of his own and pinned Nick Jackson!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Wardlow def. Griff Garrison
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Wardlow charged Griff when the bell rang! Wardlow stomped Garrison in the corner. Wardlow powerbombed Griff! He hit Griff with a second powerbomb, and then a third! Wardlow powerbombed Garrison a fourth time! Griff was hearing the notes of the powerbomb symphony! After five consecutive powerbombs, the ref stopped the match and awarded the match to the returning Wardlow!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #3: AEW Trios Championship Match – The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass def. The Butcher, The Blade, & Kip Sabian
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Butch dropped a leg on the chest of Caster. Kip Sabian moonsaulted onto the Acclaimed, wiping them out on the arena floor. Bowens cleaned house on Sabian, the Butcher and Blade. Bowens dropped the Scissor Me Timbers on Blade. After tandem offense, Bowens pinned Sabian!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: The Golden Jets (Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega) def. The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Don Callis joined the broadcast booth for this match. Takeshita hit Jericho with a shoulder block. Jericho got back up to his feet and traded strikes with Takeshita. Jericho fired back with a shoulder block of his own. Omega tagged in and he and Jericho hit tandem offense on Takeshita. They double suplexed Takeshita. Takeshita blasted Jericho with the Takeshita-line. Jericho drilled Kyle with a lionsault! Omega tagged in and Omega dished out Polish Hammers to the opposition. Omega hoisted up Takeshita, vaulted off his chest, and nailed Fletcher with a backstabber. Fletcher sent Omega flying with a half and half suplex. Fletcher rocked Jericho with a thrust kick. Takeshita and Fletcher used a Blue Thunder-Michinoku Driver combo on Omega and Jericho. Kenny planted Kyle with a snap dragon suplex. Jericho tagged in and dazed Fletcher with a running clothesline. Jericho sent Fletcher flying with a hurracanrana. Takeshita laid out Jericho with a lariat. Omega cracked Takeshita with a jumping knee strike. Fletcher fired back with a thrust kick to Omega and followed up with a brainbuster. Jericho and Fletcher had the same idea—going for lariats—and they knocked one another down. Omega tagged in and powerbombed Fletcher. He followed up with a knee strike to Kyle for a near fall. Omega got wiped out with a leg lariat from Fletcher. Jericho rattled Fletcher with the Code Breaker and Omega was there to finish off Fletcher with the One-Winged Angel, pinning Fletcher!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #5: Toni Storm def. Skye Blue
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Toni hit Skye with a short arm lariat. Toni Storm whipped Skye across the ring by the hair! Skye fired back with a dropkick. Skye slugged Storm with a forearm. Toni sent Skye crashing to the floor with a hip attack. Skye Blue was relentless with elbow strikes to Toni Storm. Skye connected with a high roundhouse and then a big cross body press for a near fall. Toni rattled Skye with a powerbomb. Toni sent Skye flying with a German Suplex. Storm cracked Skye with the hip attack and finished her off with the Storm Zero for the pin!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
For an anniversary show this week’s Dynamite kinda sucked… Well, when there wasn’t wrestling going on of course. The quality of the matches is what kept this special episode falling apart completely because the rest of the two hour run time was filled with far too many backstage interviews – was Renee being paid overtime this week? I appreciated seeing Wardlow return to TV this week but I appreciated seeing Griff Garrison on TV even more – even if it was just to get beatdown. Once again The Acclaimed’s match was underwhelming – they really need some more quality trios opponents and soon! All in all this wasn’t one of AEW’s best.
