‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (March 30th 2022)
It’s Thursday, so you know what that means… It’s time for our review of this week’s AEW: Dynamite, which emanates from Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina!
Match #1: CM Punk def. Max Caster
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Caster and Punk tied up in the center of the ring. Caster reversed a wrist lock. Punk took down Caster and worked over Caster’s taped up shoulder. Punk shoulder tackled Caster, but then Caster caught Punk out of midair and hit a rib breaker on Punk. Max Caster whipped CM Punk sternum-first into the turnbuckles. Caster tried again but Punk flipped over and then fired back with a snap suplex on Caster. Punk charged in with a knee strike but Caster dodged it. Caster chopped Punk on the side of the neck and followed up with a fisherman’s buster for a near fall. Max Caster was looking for the Mic Drop off the top rope but Punk had it scouted. Punk defended himself with a hurracanrana, bringing Caster down the hard way. Punk used a running bulldog on Caster for a near fall. Punk attempted a springboard clothesline but Bowens grabbed Punk’s leg. Caster jumped off the top turnbuckle and hit Punk with a dropkick. Caster went for the homerun shot with the Mic Drop but Punk moved out of the way. Punk followed up with a tombstone piledriver and then transitioned into the Anaconda Vice, forcing Caster to tap out!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Jon Moxley def. Jay Lethal
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Lethal extended his hand to shake hands with Moxley but Moxley slapped it away. Moxley had a tight side headlock on Lethal but Lethal scissored the head of Moxley. Lethal was searching for a figure four leglock early but Mox shoved him away with his combat boots. Moxley and Lethal traded stiff forearms until Lethal faded down. Mox went for a backdrop but Lethal countered with a kick. Mox German suplexed Lethal and followed up with a wild, swinging lariat! Lethal shoved Mox off the top turnbuckle and Mox landed on the top rope, crotching himself. Lethal hit a tope suicida to the floor on Moxley! And then a second tope suicida! Both men went for a crossbody and they collided into one another. Lethal and Mox began trading strikes again. Moxley turned Lethal inside-out with a King Kong lariat. Jay Lethal rallied back with the Lethal Combination for a near fall! Moxley nailed Lethal with a rolling elbow strike. Mox attempted the Paradigm Shift but his knee gave out! Lethal stopped Moxley in his tracks with a thrust kick! Lethal smashed Mox with a brainbuster! Jay Lethal dropped an elbow off the top rope for a near fall on Moxley! Lethal tried for the figure four but Moxley rolled him up for a near fall. Moxley finally connected with the DDT and pinned Lethal! After the match, Moxley extended his hand to shake Lethal’s hand, and Lethal accepted.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: FTR def. The Gunn Club
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Before the match began, MJF’s music began to play. Max walked out and joined the commentary team for this match. Dax and Colten began for their respective sides. Colten quickly tagged out to Austin and Austin walked over Dax’s back. Cash tagged in and used a fireman’s takeover on Austin. Cash Wheeler connected with two arm drags and then a dropkick on Austin. Harwood tagged in and took his forearm and began to grind it into Austin’s forehead. Austin rolled to the outside, out of bounds, to give himself a breather. Colten grabbed the boot of Cash and then Billy Gunn blasted Cash with a big haymaker! Colten stomped a mudhole into Cash and followed up with a big splash for a near fall. Austin tagged in and so did Dax, and Dax Harwood slugged away at the Gunn Club! Dax “the Ax” nearly decapitated Austin with a lariat! Wardlow entered the arena and wiped out a whole team of arena security! Wardlow walked through the arena, charging towards MJF. About fifteen more security guards swarmed Wardlow and finally pulled him Wardlow away. Back in the ring, despite Billy Gunn’s interference, FTR hit the Big Rig on Austin and pinned him!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Bryan Danielson def. Wheeler Yuta
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
On commentary, Regal said he was very interested in Wheeler Yuta. Danielson blasted Yuta with a forearm. Danielson tried to pin Yuta but Yuta bridged out. “The American Dragon” slapped Yuta across the jaw. Yuta charged out of the corner with a dropkick to Danielson! Yuta applied an inverted figure four on Danielson until Danielson grabbed the ropes to break the hold. Danielson hit a dragon suplex on Yuta but Yuta kicked out! Danielson used the hammer and anvil elbow strikes to the side of Yuta’s head. Danielson was looking for the cattle mutilation but Wheeler Yuta had it scouted and he began hitting Danielson with hammer and anvil elbows! Yuta applied a “seatbelt” pinning attempt and got a near fall on Bryan! Bryan blasted Yuta with the running knee! Yuta spat in Bryan’s face! Bryan Danielson nailed Yuta with the Gotch style piledriver! Danielson put Yuta in the cross face and the ref had no choice but to stop the match with Danielson scoring the victory!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: The Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Qualifier – Toni Storm def. The Bunny
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The Bunny took a swing at Toni but Toni knocked the Bunny off her feet. Toni followed up with an elbow strike and then a suplex for a near fall. The Bunny thumbed Toni in the eye. The Bunny connected with a big knee. The Bunny charged in with a lariat and Toni Storm hit the arena floor from the impact. The Bunny whipped Toni into the steel ring post! Back in the ring, the Bunny and Toni Storm traded forearms. Toni headbutted the Bunny and followed up with a hip attack! Toni got a near fall after a fisherman’s suplex. The Bunny managed to connect with the Death Valley Driver on Toni but Toni kicked out before the three-count! The Bunny blasted Toni with two thrust kicks! The Bunny was looking to take Toni down the rabbit hole but Toni countered with Storm Zero and pinned the Bunny!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #6: Andrade El Idolo def. Darby Allin
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Andrade got the early advantage with a huge tornillo over the top! Andrade threw Darby Allin over the timekeeper’s table and into the barricade. Andrade charged at Darby but Darby dodged Andrade. Darby hit Andrade with the skateboard! Darby jumped off the ring steps but Andrade caught Darby in the air! Darby fired back with a massive right hand. Andrade hoisted up Darby and then planted him hard on the metal ring steps! Darby managed to crawl into the ring and the match officially began. Andrade sent Darby crashing hard into the turnbuckles! Andrade rattled Darby’s brains with running double knees in the corner! Andrade backdropped Darby Allin and turned Darby inside-out! Andrade absorbed a Code Red from Darby! Darby and Andrade teed off on one another! Andrade’s weight advantage was a bit too much and Andrade finally took Darby off his feet with a hard open palm strike. Darby nailed Andrade with a stunner for a near fall! The momentum shifted again when Andrade connected with a back breaker! Andrade hoisted Darby on his shoulders on the second turnbuckle but Darby flipped back with a crucifix! Darby attempted an arm bar but the Butcher and the Blade ran down to take out Sting! Darby hit the Coffin Drop on the Butcher, the Blade and Jose the Assistant to come to help out his friend Sting! Andrade grabbed Darby from behind and smashed him into the mat, finally pinning Darby! Private Party ran to the ring and along with Butcher and the Blade, they began to attack Sting! The Hardys sprinted to the ring to even up the odds! Matt Hardy gave a Twist of Fate to Marq Quen and then Jeff followed up with a swanton bomb!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4.5/5
Well, this was one of the best episodes of Dynamite we’ve seen in a while, this thing started off strong and kept its foot to the floor delivering banger after banger. Plus we got the debut of Toni Storm who should add a TON to the women’s division in AEW. There was also some great storytelling this week both in promos and matches – in particular the Moxley/Lethal match which felt like some kind of “Pure” match from ROH; FTR looking like they’re turning face (with the audience REALLY behind them); and then that Wheeler Yuta/Bryan Danielson match which, hopefully, gives Yuta the push he needs after floundering as the Best Friends sidekick… If Yuta doesn’t ultimately join the Regal stable I’ll be disappointed.
