‘AEW Dynasty 2024’ PPV Review
Welcome to this review of AEW’s new Dynasty pay-per-view, which was broadcast live from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO and featured Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone on commentary… The PPV opened with the usual Zero Hour pre-show, so let’s get right into the action!
ZERO HOUR
Match #1: Trent Beretta def. Matt Sydal
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Trent started out aggressively with a chop to Sydal’s windpipe. Matt rallied back with a dropkick and then a splash off the apron to Trent. Back in the ring, Trent nailed Matt with a brain buster. Trent yanked Sydal off the turnbuckles and planted him with a side suplex. Sydal dropped Trent with a question mark kick for a near fall. Trent sent Sydal soaring with a half and half suplex. Sydal blasted Trent with an Air Raid Crash. Sydal smashed Trent with the meteora, but Trent kicked out at the two-count. Trent spiked Sydal with a Gotch style piledriver for a near fall. Trent cracked Sydal with a flying knee strike. Trent applied a choke hold submission on Matt, and Matt tapped out. Trent didn’t relinquish the hold until Mike Sydal jumped in the ring.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Katsuyori Shibata & Orange Cassidy def. Shane Taylor Promotions (Lee Moriarty & Shane Taylor)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Shibata grappled Lee to the mat. Shibata invited Taylor into the ring. Taylor and Shibata traded chops and forearms. Orange tagged in and connected with an elbow drop off the turnbuckles to Taylor. Orange flew out of the ring with a tope suicida to Moriarty. Ogogo was going to attack Orange outside the ring, but Shibata ran out to protect Cassidy, who had his back turned. Taylor cracked Shibata with a cheap shot from behind. Taylor squashed Cassidy with a massive leg drop on the edge of the ring apron. Shibata staggered Taylor with strikes in the ring. Shibata and Orange double teamed Taylor in the corner with double dropkicks. Orange rocked Lee with a Stun Dog Millionaire. Orange pulped Lee with a DDT. Taylor headbutted Cassidy. Shibata grabbed Taylor from behind with a rear naked choke. Moriarty jumped in the ring but couldn’t avoid the Orange Punch! Orange clocked him with the Orange Punch and then scored the pin!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Titles for Titles – ROH World Six-Man Champs The Bang Bang Gang (Jay White & The Gunns – Austin & Colten Gunn) def. AEW World Trios Champs The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens, Max Caster, & Daddy Ass)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Bowens back body dropped Colten. Austin grabbed a blind tag and tripped up Bowens. Daddy Ass tagged in and used a side headlock takeover on Austin. Daddy Ass clubbed Austin with a clothesline. Jay White tagged in and battered Billy Gunn in the corner. Colten grabbed a blind tag and hit Billy from behind. Billy didn’t budge. Billy clocked Colten and tagged Max Caster. “Platinum” Max held Austin while Bowens hit the Scissor Me Timbers. Colten cracked Billy with the Fame Asser. Jay White struck Billy with the baseball bat as the ref had his back turned. The Gunns nailed Billy with the 3:10 to Yuma but Billy kicked out of Colten’s pin attempt! White planted Bowens with a uranage. Billy countered a dragon suplex by Jay White with a Fame Asser. Jay White avoided a second Fame Asser and countered with the Blade Runner on Billy, scoring the pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
DYNASTY
Match #1: AEW Continental Championship Match – Kazuchika Okada def. “The Bastard” PAC
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Pac took down Okada with a hurracanrana. Okada slid out of the ring, but Pac flipped over the top rope and landed on Okada on the arena floor. Pac whipped Okada into the barricade. Okada clutched his right shoulder. Pac brought Okada into the ring with an avalanche brain buster for a near fall! Pac climbed back up but Okada dropkicked Pac off the turnbuckles. Okada’s force knocked Pac to the arena floor. Okada whipped Pac into the barricade. Back in the ring, Okada blasted Pac with a textbook dropkick. Okada draped Pac’s legs over the barricade and then spiked Pac with a DDT onto the arena floor! Okada stunned Pac with another DDT in the ring for a near fall. “The Bastard” used a springboard moonsault to wipe out Okada on the floor. Pac connected with a flying forearm in the ring. Pac knocked the wind out of the champion with a shotgun dropkick. Pac flung Okada to the mat with a German Suplex, but Okada’s momentum carried him through to his feet. Okada landed a shotgun dropkick on Pac. Okada drilled Pac with a neck breaker. Okada hit an elbow drop from the top rope. Okada flipped off the crowd with the middle finger. Pac cradled Okada for a near fall. Pac hit a thrust kick and then dropped Okada with a lariat. Pac stunned Okada with a deadlift German Suplex for a two-count! Pac attempted the Black Arrow, but Okada rolled out of the way! Okada targeted the neck of the challenger and spiked Pac with a tombstone piledriver. Okada hoisted up Pac, but Pac transitioned into the Brutalizer! Okada escaped by gouging Pac’s eyes. Somehow Pac managed to tombstone Okada! Pac climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Okada grabbed the ref’s leg, delaying the game. Pac went for the Black Arrow, but Okada raised his knees into Pac’s jaw. Okada leveled Pac with the Rainmaker and pinned Pac!
My Score: 4.5 out of 5
Match #2: The House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King & Buddy Matthews) def. Adam Copeland, Eddie Kingston & Mark Briscoe
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Copeland and Black squared off, but Black quickly tagged out to Brody King. Kingston grabbed a tag and traded chops with Brody. Kingston stagged Brody with a kick to the back of the neck. Eddie fired off machine gun chops in the corner. Brody splashed Kingston in the corner with a cannonball. Buddy Matthews dropkicked Kingston. The House of Black worked Eddie over in their corner. Briscoe entered the fray with some redneck kung fu to Buddy Matthews. Mark catapulted off a steel chair on the apron, flipped over the post, and crashed onto Brody on the floor! Brody retaliated with a Death Valley Driver to Briscoe against the barricade. “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland tagged in. Copeland hammered Brody with shots on the top turnbuckle. Brody chopped Copeland, knocking him to the mat. Briscoe and Kingston went to double suplex Brody but Black and Matthews ran in, and power bombed Briscoe and Kingston. Copeland seized the opportunity and superplexed Brody King. Brody took Briscoe off his feet with a discus lariat. Kingston fired back with a spinning back fist. Copeland spiked Brody with the Impaler. Briscoe tried to finish things off with the Froggy Bow, but Buddy slid in to break up Copeland’s pin attempt on Brody. Copeland went to spear Malakai, but Malakai sprayed the mist into Copeland’s eyes! Malakai cracked Copeland with the End kick and pinned Copeland!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: TBS Championship Match – Willow Nightingale def. Julia Hart
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Willow showed serious aggression, battering Julia with shots right out of the gate. Willow climbed up the turnbuckles, but Julia knocked Willow to the floor with a thrust kick. Julia mounted Willow and bounced Willow’s head against the mat repeatedly. Willow tried for a dropkick from the second turnbuckle, but Julia dodged it. Julia applied Heartless, but Willow held on and stood up. Julia escaped Willow’s grip and ate a few chops from Willow for her troubles. Willow countered Julia’s moonsault by lifting her boots into Julia’s face! Willow planted Julia with the Doctor Bomb and pinned Julia Hart!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: AEW International Championship Match – Roderick Strong def. Kyle O’Reilly
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kyle, a submission specialist, went for an arm bar, but Roddy reach the ropes. Roddy retaliated with a back breaker. Kyle took down Roddy with a flurry of offense. Kyle went for a knee strike, but Roddy countered with another break breaker. Roddy smashed Kyle with a back breaker on the top turnbuckle. Roddy punished Kyle with more back breakers! Roddy asked his former close friend Kyle, “Is this what you wanted?” Kyle changed levels and went for a knee bar, but Roddy reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Roderick got to his feet, hoisted up Kyle, and planted him down hard. Roddy staggered Kyle with running elbow strikes. Roddy’s leg got caught in the ropes and O’Reilly dropped a guillotine knee on the champion. O’Reilly applied another knee bar. Roderick used the flat of his boot, kicking Kyle, forcing Kyle to release the hold. Roddy baited Kyle in and dropped Kyle with another back breaker. Roderick superplexed O’Reilly. Both men collided with lariats, having the same idea, knowing one another very well. Kyle hit a German Suplex, but Roderick blasted Kyle with a jumping knee strike. Kyle yanked on Roderick’s arm, dropping him shoulder first on the apron. Wardlow walked down the ramp and got onto the apron. Ref Paul Turner saw Wardlow and ordered him to get away from the ring. O’Reilly swung for the fences with a lariat. Kyle followed up with a brain buster! Roddy fired back with the End of Heartache and pinned Kyle O’Reilly!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: FTW Championship Match – Chris Jericho def. Hook
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Jericho got thrown by Hook with a Northern Lights suplex, and then a T-Bone suplex. Jericho grabbed Hook by the head and bounced Hook’s head off the announcers’ desk. Jericho pulled a table out from under the ring. Jericho went to power bomb Hook on the table, but Hook countered with a suplex. Hook whacked Jericho with a trash can lid onto Jericho’s head. Jericho kicked Hook in the midsection and then DDT’ed Hook onto the trash can lid. Hook T-bone suplexed Jericho off the apron and down onto the table on the arena floor. Jericho regained momentum with a hurracanrana off the top turnbuckle. Jericho grabbed a trash can, but Hook countered with a German Suplex, disarming Jericho in the process. Hook put the trash can over Jericho’s head and torso and hit Jericho with a kendo stick. Hook suplexed Jericho with the trash can trapped on Jericho’s head. Hook propped a table against the turnbuckles. Hook was looking for another T-Bone, but Jericho escaped with a high boot and then the Code Breaker to Hook! Hook jumped on Jericho’s back and locked in Red Rum. Jericho broke the hold by jumping backwards, sending Hook crashing through the table. Jericho went for the cover, putting his legs on the ropes for leverage, but Hook kicked out. Hook avoided the Judas Effect! Hook applied a knee bar. Jericho transitioned into the Walls of Jericho! Hook escaped and cradled Jericho for a near fall. Hook was looking for the Red Rum again, but this time Jericho countered with a nasty low blow. Jericho followed up with the Judas Effect and covered Hook, but Hook kicked out! Jericho grabbed his baseball bat from underneath the ring. “Stay down! Don’t make me do this Hook!” yelled Jericho. Hook flipped off Jericho with the middle finger! Jericho KO ’ed Hook with the baseball bat and pinned Hook!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #6: AEW Women’s World Championship Match – Toni Storm def. Thunder Rosa
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Storm and Thunder Rosa duked it out to begin the match. Thunder Rosa chopped Toni Storm. Thunder Rosa wiped out Storm and Luther with a tornillo! Thunder Rosa followed up with a snap suplex for a near fall on the champ. Thunder Rosa hammered the chest of “Timeless” Toni Storm with clubbing shots. Toni Storm caught off Thunder Rosa with a back breaker. Thunder Rosa power bombed Toni Storm from off the turnbuckles for a near fall. Thunder Rosa turned the champion inside out with a dropkick. Thunder Rosa rocked Toni with a crucifix bomb! Thunder Rosa charged at Toni and smashed her in the face with a running dropkick. Thunder Rosa drilled Storm with a Death Valley Driver on the apron. Thunder Rosa attempted a package piledriver, but Thunder Rosa’s back gave out. Toni blasted Thunder Rosa with a back stabber and then a DDT. Toni planted Thunder Rosa with a pop up power bomb, but Thunder Rosa kicked out at the two-count. Toni Storm lured Thunder Rosa into a head butt. Storm sent Thunder Rosa flying with a German Suplex. Thunder Rosa got right up and dished out a German Suplex of her own. Mariah May jumped onto the ring apron, but Deonna Purrazzo ran down and they began to brawl outside the ring. Toni Storm rag dolled Thunder Rosa with a suplex, and then a hip attack. Storm spiked Thunder Rosa with the Storm Zero but Thunder Rosa kicked out! Toni Storm applied the Texas Cloverleaf, but Thunder Rosa crawled her way to the ropes, causing the ref to break the hold. Thunder Rosa rocked Storm with a back stabber. Thunder Rosa applied a cobra clutch, but Storm got to the ropes and grabbed the ring skirt. As the ref was adjusted the ring skirt, Storm connected with a low blow and then nailed Thunder Rosa with the Storm Zero, grabbing the pin!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #7: Will Ospreay def. Bryan Danielson
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The entire crowd was on their feet in anticipation of this match as the bell rang! Chants of “AEW! AEW! AEW!” echoed throughout the arena. Danielson and Ospreay both had a flurry of offense, with each man countering and blocking the other. Will chopped out the leg of Danielson. Danielson flipped off Ospreay and Ospreay answered with a chop. Danielson grabbed Ospreay’s ankle. Ospreay got to his feet, but Danielson went for a snap mare. Ospreay landed on his feet and dropkicked Bryan. Danielson staggered Ospreay with a European Uppercut. Ospreay charged in with a high boot to Bryan’s jaw. Ospreay elevated over the top rope and landed on Danielson on the floor. Ospreay jumped off the top, but Danielson countered with a kick to Ospreay’s body. Bryan dug in with knee strikes, backing up Ospreay. Bryan tied up Will in a submission, but Will managed to reach the ropes. Danielson targeted Will’s ribs with rights and lefts. Ospreay connected with a corkscrew kick out of nowhere. Danielson blocked the Hidden Blade with a kick. Danielson followed up with a Tiger Suplex for a near fall. Danielson rocked Will with the hammer and anvil attack. Bryan put Will in the cattle mutilation submission hold. Ospreay managed to reach the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Bryan Danielson punished Ospreay in the corner with a charging kick. Danielson went for a hurracanrana off the top rope, but Ospreay landed on his feet! Ospreay planted Danielson with a Tiger Driver for a near fall! Ospreay was going to attempt the Sky Twister Press, but Danielson shoved Will, forcing Will to lose his balance. Bryan Danielson decimated Will Ospreay with an avalanche tiger suplex! Danielson walloped Will with kicks to Will’s right arm and shoulder. Danielson nailed Will with the PK, right on target! Will showed his fighting spirit, getting to his feet and clocking Danielson with a powerful palm strike to the face. Ospreay was looking for a Tiger Drive on the apron, but Danielson escaped. Instead, Ospreay connected with the Os Cutter on the apron! Ospreay cracked Danielson with the hidden blade off the apron. Danielson got back in the ring, but Will was waiting for him with a powerbomb, Danielson kicked out at the two-count! Danielson countered an Os Cutter and was looking for a Le Bell Lock, but Ospreay powered up Danielson. Bryan Danielson escaped Ospreay’s grip and managed to apply the Le Bell Lock! Ospreay reached the ropes. Bryan leveled Will with a round kick to the head. Danielson blasted Will with the charging knee, covered Will, but Will kicked out at the two-count! Danielson captured Will’s wrists and began to stomp on Will’s head. Ospreay mounted Danielson and pounded him with elbow strikes. Danielson was playing possum and put on a triangle choke. Will escaped, standing up and planting Danielson face first. Danielson grabbed Will and headbutted him. Danielson staggered Will with open palm strikes. Danielson stunned Will with a shoulder capture suplex! Ospreay popped right up and smashed Bryan with the hidden blade! Will went for the Os Cutter, but Danielson countered with the charging knee strike, perfectly timed. Will removed his elbow pad. Danielson charged at Ospreay, but Ospreay was ready with the hidden blade! Ospreay followed up with a Tiger Driver! Danielson appeared to be injured, clutching his neck and shoulder. The referee called for the ringside physician. Ospreay wasted no time, finishing off Danielson with the hidden blade and pinning Danielson!
My Score: 5 out of 5
Match #8: AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Final Ladder Match – The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) def. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The Bucks smashed a ladder into Dax. Cash used a sliding baseball dropkick, knocking the ladder into the faces of the Bucks. Matthew and Nicholas served up superkicks to FTR. The Bucks wiped out Cash with a ladder shot. Dax grabbed Nicholas off the top rope and body slammed him onto the ladder. Dax body dropped Nicholas onto the ladder. Nicholas crashed onto Cash with a cannonball senton onto the ladder! Dax was busted wide open from a drop toehold into the edge of the steps. The Bucks battered Dax with chair shots to the back. Dax was sandwiched between the ladder while Nicholas whacked him with the steel chair. Cash tried to get into the ring, but Nicholas whipped the chair right at Cash’s head. The Bucks propped up a ladder between the ring and the time keeper’s table and whipped Dax into it. Cash moonsaulted off the ladder and wiped out the Bucks! The Bucks retaliated with an EVP Trigger to Cash on the ladder. Somehow Cash found the energy to unleash a flurry of offense on the Bucks in the ring! Cash hoisted up Nicholas on his shoulders while Dax came down with a bulldog from the top! Cash speared Matthew through the ropes, sending Matthew off the apron and crashing through a table on the floor. Dax went for a powerbomb on the apron, but Nicholas countered with a hurracanrana, sending Dax hurling through the air and down through a table on the arena floor. Matthew climbed the ladder, but Dax pulled off Matthew’s shoe and FTR neutralized Matthew with the Shatter Machine off the ladder! Nicholas rammed Cash into a ladder. Dax superplexed Nicholas off the ladder and Cash followed up with a dive off the ladder. Nicholas wiped out Cash with a 450 splash onto the ladder! Meanwhile, Dax drilled Matthew with a piledriver through a propped up ladder! Dax began to climb the ladder in the ring, but Nicholas was there to powerbomb Dax off the ladder! Nicholas climbed the ladder, but Cash pulled Nicholas back down and sent Nicholas over the top rope with a clothesline. Cash rocketed out of the ring with a tope, but Nicholas dodged it and Cash crashed through a table. Dax and Nicholas traded shots on top of the ladder. Dax knocked Nicholas off the ladder! Dax was about to grab the title belt hanging overhead when someone wearing a mask jumped into the ring and knocked Dax off the ladder! Security jumped in the ring to grab the fan, but his mask was removed, and it was revealed to be…Jack Perry! Nicholas pulled the belts down and the Bucks won!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #9: AEW World Championship Match – Swerve Strickland def. Samoa Joe
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Samoa Joe backed Swerve into the corner. Samoa Joe cracked Swerve with a knee to the midsection, taking the wind out of Swerve’s sails. Swerve wasted no time with a dropkick. Swerve went for a tope, but Swerve caught him and countered by planting Swerve onto the announcers’ desk. Samoa Joe stripped back the padding from the arena floor. Swerve flipped over the top rope and rocked Samoa Joe with a knee to the head. Samoa Joe powerslammed Swerve onto the concrete! Back in the ring Samoa Joe battered Swerve with stiff shots. Samoa Joe headbutted Swerve. The champion swept out Swerve’s legs with a low kick. Swerve got back up, but Joe wiped him out with a back elbow. Outside the ring, Joe swung at Swerve, but Swerve dodged the strike, and Samoa Joe connected with the steel ring post! Swerve went to work on Samoa Joe’s injured arm. Swerve planted Samoa Joe with a German Suplex. Swerve chopped Samoa Joe, who was teetering on the top turnbuckle. Swerve took Samoa Joe’s arm and drove it into the mat below! rammed him against the turnbuckles. Samoa Joe followed up with the Muscle Buster for a near fall! Samoa Joe grabbed his World title and was about to bring it into the ring, but Swerve cut him off with the House Call kick! Swerve followed up with a 450 guillotine onto Samoa Joe’s neck! Swerve climbed back up to the top turnbuckle and smashed Samoa Joe with the Swerve Stomp! Swerve covered Samoa Joe, but Samoa Joe kicked out at the two-count. Samoa Joe dug his thumbs into Swerve’s eyes. Samoa Joe picked up the championship belt and Prince Nana jumped onto the apron, trying to alert the referee. As the referee had his back turned, Swerve picked up the title belt and swung it at Samoa Joe, but Samoa Joe countered with his Coquina Clutch submission. Swerve grabbed the thumb of Samoa Joe and managed to get to his feet. Swerve isolated the arm of Samoa Joe. Swerve grabbed one of Joe’s arms and pulled back on the other arm. Swerve cracked Samoa Joe with the House Call and covered Samoa Joe, but Samoa Joe kicked out at the two-count! Samoa Joe and Swerve jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle. Swerve jumped over Samoa Joe, landed on his feet, and then power bombed Samoa Joe off the turnbuckles! Swerve sprung off the top turnbuckle and landed on Samoa Joe with the Swerve Stomp! Swerve Strickland covered Samoa Joe and pinned Samoa Joe!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4.5/5
Just when you think AEW can’t do it better, they do. What can you really say about a PPV this good? Yes there are some low points – in particular the Jericho/Hook match (as you’ll hear from the fans in attendance) – but overall this was an amazing pay-per-view, Of course we ALL knew that the Danielson/Ospreay match was going to be an instant classic but there were matches on this card that really over-delivered… Like the main show opener between Okada and Pac and the tag match between Copeland and co. and the House of Black. Then there’s the women’s title match which knocked it out of the park, with Thunder Rosa and Toni Storm showing why they are some of the best female wrestlers working today. Oh, and let’s not downplay the main event, which saw the reign of Samoa Joe end and the reign of Swerve Strickland begin. I saw someone mention on X (aka Twitter) that without Joe’s relatively short but VERY strong title reign, this wouldn’t have worked as well and I have to agree. Joe put the kudos back on the title and I can see Swerve, hopefully, continuing that trend.
Definitely an instant classic pay-per-view, Dynasty raised AEW out of the doldrums it has been in for a lot of 2024 – wiping away any stink of THAT episode of Dynamite. Though with the return of Jack Perry in the ladder match I’m not sure how long it will be before AEW shoot themselves in the foot again!
