‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (May 18th 2022)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas. As usual, we have Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, and Jim Ross on commentary and a show AEW have dubbed “Wild Card Wednesday”… Let’s get into it.
Match #1: Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Quarter-Final Match – Samoa Joe def. Johnny Elite
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Johnny Elite grappled Samoa Joe to the mat. Joe came in for a collar and elbow tie-up but Johnny Elite was looking to stick and move. Samoa Joe shoved Johnny Elite into the corner and clocked him with stiff chops. Samoa Joe nailed Johnny Elite with a swift kick. Joe cranked on Johnny’s neck. Johnny got to his feet and blasted Joe with a thrust kick. Joe tried for a backdrop but Johnny Elite cartwheeled and then used a lariat on Joe. Johnny Elite, perched up on the top rope, somersaulted down onto Joe on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Samoa Joe turned Johnny Elite inside out with a shoulder block. Joe hit a high boot and then a massive senton on Johnny Elite for a near fall. Johnny rallied back with body shots to Samoa Joe. Samoa Joe hoisted up Johnny Elite for the muscle buster but Johnny Elite escaped. Johnny climbed to the top turnbuckle and splashed Joe with a 450 for a near fall. Johnny Elite followed up with a knee strike. Johnny attempted a split legged moonsault but Joe got his knees up. He bull rushed Johnny into the corner and then finished him off with the muscle buster, scoring the pin! Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh blindsided Samoa Joe after the match with a steel pipe! Trent, Rocky Romero, and Chuck Taylor ran down to even up the odds with steel chairs.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: “Hangman” Adam Page def. Konosuke Takeshita
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
CM Punk was on commentary for this match. Takeshita rushed Page at the start of the match, trading elbow strikes with Page. “Hangman” hit him back with a fallaway slam. Takeshita jumped over the top rope with a body press to Page. “Hangman” chopped Takeshita on the apron. Takeshita clubbed Page with a forearm. Takeshita charged in but Page made him pay, dropping him on the apron! Page hit a moonsault off the steel post down onto Konosuke Takeshita on the arena floor! Page planted Takeshita with a tombstone piledriver for a near fall! Page attempted the Buckshot Lariat but Takeshita ducked it and rocked Page with a hard shot and then a powerbomb for a near fall! Takeshita nailed Page with a knee strike. Takeshita used a stalling German suplex on Page. Takeshita couldn’t cover Page as his shoulder and neck were tweaked from the tombstone piledriver from Page earlier in the match. Takeshita went for the flying lariat but Page countered with a rolling elbow! Page set Takeshita up on the top rope. Page climbed up but Takeshita clotheslined him off the tope—but Page landed on his feet. Page used the Buckshot Lariat and then CM Punk’s own GTS to pin Takeshita! After the match, CM Punk and “Hangman” Page had a stare down on the ramp.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland def. The Workhorsemen (JD Drake and Anthony Henry)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
JD Drake chopped Keith Lee but Keith Lee barely budged. Swerve tagged in but Drake chopped Swerve and then tagged out to Anthony Henry. Henry grabbed a waist lock on Swerve but Swerve backed him into the corner and connected with a heel kick. Swerve followed up with a flying uppercut. He rolled through and flatlined Anthony Henry. Keith Lee tagged in and used a body press on Drake. Lee pounced Henry! Keith Lee pinned Anthony Henry after the combo move called Fall from Glory!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Quarter-Final Match – Kyle O’Reilly def. Rey Fenix
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kyle went for an arm bar but Rey Fenix fought out of it. Kyle hit a rising elbow strike on Rey Fenix but Rey Fenix blasted Kyle with a kick from the ropes. Rey Fenix rocketed with a tope con hiro onto Kyle. Rey Fenix tried for the frog splash but Kyle countered with a rear naked choke. Rey Fenix escaped but Kyle O’Reilly followed Fenix outside and rammed Rey Fenix’s shoulder into the steel ring post! Rey Fenix tried to use a hook kick off the ropes but Rey’s arm gave out. Rey Fenix managed to springboard up and kick Kyle in the face! Rey Fenix powerbombed Kyle but Kyle kicked out. Rey Fenix took down Kyle with a hurracanrana for a near fall. Kyle elevated Rey Fenix and blasted him with roundhouse kicks. Kyle used a butterfly suplex on Rey Fenix but Rey Fenix pushed Kyle into the corner. Rey Fenix used a half and half suplex but Kyle came back with a lariat! Both men were knocked to the mat with kicks. Kyle ate a thrust kick from Rey Fenix! Rey Fenix walked the top rope and then took down Kyle with a hurracanrana. Rey Fenix was looking for a cutter but Kyle countered with a submission and forced Rey Fenix to tap!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Quarter-Final Match – Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. def. Maki Itoh
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Maki shoulder blocked Baker. Maki cradled Baker for a near fall. Baker came back with a sling blade. Baker taunted Maki Itoh but Maki fired back with a headbutt to Baker! Maki Itoh drilled Baker with a tornado DDT for a near fall! Britt Baker tied up Maki, applied the Lock Jaw and forced Maki to tap!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #6: Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Quarter-Final Match – Adam Cole def. Jeff Hardy
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Adam Cole assaulted Jeff from behind as Jeff was making his entrance. Jeff Hardy jumped off the ring apron and collided into Adam Cole! Back in the ring, Adam Cole regained his momentum, stomping a mudhole into Jeff Hardy in the corner. Cole and Hardy traded shots. Hardy countered with a Russian leg sweep. Jeff Hardy jumped off the top rope but Cole rocked Hardy with a thrust kick! Adam Cole dropped the knee pad and tried to lower the boom but Jeff countered with a stunner! Jeff hardy climbed to the top rope and attempted the swanton bomb but Adam Cole dodged it. Adam Cole lowered the boom and nailed Jeff with the knee strike! Adam Cole covered Jeff Hardy and scored the pin! Adam Cole advances!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
I’ve got to say, it’s unfortunate that this episode opened with THAT Joker in the Owen Hart tournament… John Morrison is not that kind of wrestler that will a) get me invested in a match or b) get me excited at all. Don’t get me wrong, his match with Samoa Joe was good, it’s just that Morrison is, for me, now a better action movie actor than wrestler. Mainly due to his last run in WWE with The Miz, which put me off BOTH wrestlers for life. Loved Takeshita getting another marquee match in AEW… Meanwhile, Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland basically re0enact their match from Dark but with The Workhorsemen. I do wonder if all these matches are just to iron out issues between their differing styles before a push into the REAL tag-team scene? Kyle O’Reilly and Rey Fenix put on a great match, the best of this week’s Owen Hart tournament matches in fact. The latter two of which felt like a comedown following O’Reilly and Fenix, especially the main event – which I felt was a tad disappointing considering those involved.
