12th May2022

‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (May 11th 2022)

by Phil Wheat

Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the UBS Arena at Belmont Park in Long Island, New York. As usual, we have Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, and Jim Ross on commentary and ANOTHER stacked card including THREE Owen Hart Tournament matches!

Match #1: Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Quarterfinal – Adam Cole def. Dax Harwood

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Dr. Martha Hart was in attendance watching the show! Cole shoved Dax with an open palm to the face, trying to get under Harwood’s skin. Dax didn’t take the bait and grappled Adam Cole to the mat. Dax chopped at Adam Cole’s chest. Cole answered with a knee to Dax Harwood. Cole began a ground and pound attack on Dax, followed by a hanging neck breaker. Adam Cole fought out of an early sharpshooter attempt. They traded cradles. After a misdirect, Cole rammed Harwood rib-first into the steel ring post. Adam Cole followed up by whipping Dax into the steel ring steps, using them to his advantage. Dax Harwood muscled Adam Cole over with two German suplexes. Cole snuck in a suplex of his own, but then Harwood, possibly with a cracked rib, nailed Cole with a third German suplex! Cole and Harwood slugged it out on the top turnbuckle. Dax delivered a head butt and then followed up with a slingshot powerbomb to Cole for a near fall! Cole dropped Dax with a brainbuster on the knee for a near fall. Cole was looking to land a superkick but countered it and connected with a crossbody to Cole. Harwood jumped off the turnbuckles but Cole landed a superkick! Cole tried for the Panama Sunrise but Dax countered, looking for the sharpshooter, but Cole up kicked out of it. Harwood spiked Cole with a piledriver for a near fall! Dax locked on the sharpshooter! Dax couldn’t hang on due to his damaged ribs. Cole body blocked Dax off the apron and onto the arena floor, seemingly knocking the wind out of Harwood. Adam Cole applied the sharpshooter, targeting the lower back, the knees, and the ribs of Dax! Dax Harwood tried to bridge out but had nowhere to go and was forced to tap out! Adam Cole advances in the tournament!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #2: CM Punk def. Dark Order’s John Silver

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

AEW World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page joined the commentary team for this match. Punk walked out wearing an Islanders hockey jersey (John Tavares). Silver knocked down Punk with a shoulder tackle. Punk attempted a hip toss but Silver countered with a backslide pin for a near fall. Silver connected with rapid forearms and then kicks, battering Punk in the corner. Silver tried a swinging DDT but Punk tossed him off and then hit Silver with a stiff lariat. John Silver punished Punk with vicious leg kicks followed up by a brainbuster! Punk countered with a roundhouse kick to Silver, and then followed up with a rising knee strike. Punk dropped John Silver with a leg lariat and then stared at Adam Page from the ring. Punk used Page’s Buckshot Lariat and then pinned John Silver!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #3: Tony Neese def. Danhausen

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Danhausen cursed Tony Neese but Tony Neese blasted him with a running knee! Tony quickly pinned Danhausen! Tony Neese nailed Danhausen with another running knee! Sterling told Neese to do it again! Long Island’s own HOOK walked out to the ring and Neese and Sterling bailed out of the ring. Danhausen extended his hand and HOOK accepted!

My Score: 1.5 out of 5

Match #4: FTW Title Match – Ricky Starks def. Jungle Boy

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Taz joined the commentary team for this match. Starks slapped the back of Jungle Boy’s head after countering a hammer lock. Jungle Boy used a snap mare and then a headlock takedown on Starks. The FTW Champ nailed Jungle Boy with a knee to the back. Jungle Boy spring boarded off the ropes and hurled Starks across the ring with an arm drag and his own momentum. Jungle Boy nearly decapitated Ricky with the comebacker lariat! He tried for a DDT but Starks put the brakes on. Still, Jungle Boy snuck in the DDT to ring Starks’ bell for a near fall. Jungle Boy clocked Starks with a big thrust kick, having the Roshambo scouted! Starks speared Jungle Boy, but Jungle Boy fought back with the snare trap! Starks dug his fingernails into the mat and finally reached the ropes. Starks grabbed the FTW Championship but Swerve Strickland ran down and pulled the belt away from him. Ricky Starks blasted Jungle Boy with the Roshambo while Jungle Boy was looking at the distraction, and Starks pinned Jungle Boy. Christian Cage and Luchasaurus came down to the ring. Christian Cage was upset and began yelling at Swerve. Keith Lee stormed out to the ring, coming to stand by Swerve’s side. Christian Cage approached Jungle Boy and offered him some support.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #5: Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Quarterfinal – Toni Storm def. Jamie Hayter

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Toni Storm applied a headlock to Hayter but Hayter escaped. Hayter applied her own headlock on Storm. Toni Storm dropkicked Hayter but Hayter followed up with a big boot, knocking Storm to the arena floor! Hayter used a twisting, snap suplex on Storm on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Storm planted Hayter with a DDT. She followed up with a second DDT to Hayter, taking her to the outside of the ring. Storm connected with a big cross body to Hayter for a near fall. Hayter delivered a big backbreaker to Toni. Storm countered a ripcord lariat with a German suplex to Hayter! Jamie Hayter dropped Storm spine-first on the apron! Hayter superplexed Storm! Toni Storm spiked Hayter with the Storm Zero out of nowhere and pinned Hayter! Toni Storm advances in the tournament!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #6: Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Quarterfinal – Jeff Hardy def. Darby Allin

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

This match was declared an Anything Goes Match! Darby blasted Jeff with a shotgun dropkick and followed up with a tope suicida. Darby grabbed steel chairs from beneath the ring and then set them up in a row. Darby tried to grab Jeff but Jeff hoisted him up and dropped Darby on the steel ring steps. Jeff jumped off the stairs with a huge clothesline to Darby! Darby pushed Jeff into the steel ring post out of sheer desperation. Jeff used a Twist of Fate in the ropes on Darby. Jeff pulled out a giant ladder from beneath the ring. Jeff pushed the ladder into the ring, which must have been a 15-foot-tall ladder! Darby jumped off the ladder and crashed down onto Jeff on the chairs outside the ring! Darby climbed the turnbuckles, looking for the Coffin Drop! Jeff moved as Darby landed hard on the edge of the ring. Jeff climbed to the top turnbuckle and went for the swanton bomb but Darby moved! Jeff crashed and burned on the ring steps! Darby hit the Coffin Drop but Jeff Hardy countered, rolling up Darby for the pin! Jeff Hardy advances!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Final Verdict: 4/5

Head to toe this was a solid episode of Dynamite. Every match delivered, from the opener to the quick squash match/promo with Danhausen, to the two closing Owen Hart Tournament matches, this was a well-performing show in the ring and the promos only added to the fun and the strength of the show. The main event delivered EXACTLY what you’d expect from these two high flying madmen. Meanwhile, Toni Storm and Jamie Hayter showed just why many people, myself included, are invested in the future of the AEW women’s division – give it a year or two and Hayter will be fighting for the Championship, believe me (if not we riot!!). Another winning episode for AEW!

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