‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Sep 14th 2022)

Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which follows an “interesting” post All-Out time for AEW, an event that has had massive repercussions for the company – hence the Grand Slam Tournament of Champions… So with that said, let’s get to the review!

Match #1: Grand Slam Tournament of Champions Semi-Finals Match – Jon Moxley def. Sammy Guevara

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Lord William Regal joined the broadcast booth for this match. Mox went to grab Sammy and Sammy immediately jumped out of the ring. Moxley grabbed a headlock and took Sammy down to the mat. Mox backed Sammy into the corner but Sammy escaped and began to beat down Mox with strikes and boots. Mox fired back with a King Kong Lariat, turning Sammy inside out. Mox and Sammy traded chops. Sammy went over the top rope to Mox on the arena floor with a tope con hiro and followed up with a tornillo! Sammy rammed Moxley’s skull into the steel ring steps. Sammy was looking for a piledriver but Moxley defended with a headbutt. Mox planted Sammy on the ring apron. Moxley blasted Sammy with lariats. Moxley dug his fingers into Sammy’s back and then bit on Sammy’s forehead. Moxley took Sammy down with a butterfly suplex for a near fall. Moxley applied an arm bar but Sammy transitioned out with a crab. Mox escaped but ate a springboard cutter from Sammy for a near fall! Sammy hoisted Mox for the GTH but Mox countered by transitioning into the bulldog choke. Mox went for the King Kong Lariat but Sammy countered with the Spanish Fly for a two-count! Tay Melo and Anna Jay stormed out to the ring! Anna jumped on the ring apron and distracted the ref. Tay entered the ring from the other side and kicked Moxley with a low blow. Sammy tried to cover Moxley but Mox kicked out. Sammy jumped with a senton atomico but Moxley dodged it. Sammy fired off forearms to Moxley and then caught Mox under the jaw with a thrust kick! Sammy went for the GTH but Moxley countered with the Death Rider and then pinned Sammy! Jon Moxley is advancing in the tournament!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #2: Jungle Boy def. Jay Lethal

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Jay Lethal answered the open contract challenge from “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry earlier in the day. Lethal and Jungle Boy traded strikes. Jungle Boy hit a beautiful dropkick on Jay Lethal. Jungle Boy countered a figure four with an inside cradle for a near fall. Dutt jumped on the apron to misdirect Jungle Boy. Lethal punished Jungle Boy’s spine, dropping him from the top rope and down onto the turnbuckle. Jay Lethal was about to hit the Lethal Injection but Jungle Boy had it scouted. Jungle Boy was about to counter with the Kill Switch but Lethal escaped and countered with the Lethal combo. Lethal dropped an elbow off the top rope for a near fall! Jungle Boy stopped a pump kick from Jay Lethal and put on the Snare Trap! Sonjay Dutt jumped to the apron and distracted Jungle Boy. Jay grabbed Jungle Boy but Jungle Boy escaped, putting Lethal in the Snare Trap again. Jay Lethal finally tapped!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #3: Powerhouse Hobbs def. Matt DiMartino

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Hobbs planted DiMartino with a spinebuster and pinned him right away! Ricky Starks came down the steps of the arena, out of the crowd. Ricky jumped into the ring and hit Hobbs with a barrage of shots! Starks used the microphone and smacked Hobbs in the mouth with it, getting some measure of revenge!

My Score: 1 out of 5

Match #4: AEW World Tag Team Championship Match – Swerve In Our Glory (Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee) def. The Lucha Bros (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

The winners will have to defend next week against The Acclaimed. Penta kicked Swerve in the stomach and then tagged in Rey Fenix. The Lucha Bros double teamed Swerve for a near fall. Penta hit the sling blade and then the backstabber on Swerve! Keith Lee threw Rey Fenix like a lawn dart to break up the pin Penta had on Swerve! Keith Lee tagged in and rammed Penta El Zero Miedo with a shoulder tackle. Rey Fenix connected with a springboard Spanish Fly on Swerve! Penta rocked Keith Lee with a Canadian Destroyer for a near fall! Keith Lee came back and planted Penta El Zero Miedo and then pinned him! The Acclaimed walked onto the ramp! Max Caster said if Swerve ever interrupted his rap again, he’d have to answer for it. The Acclaimed vowed to win the AEW World Tag Team Championship next week!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #5: Serena Deeb & Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. def. Toni Storm & Athena

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Deeb shoved Storm into the corner and then blasted her with hard chops. Storm turned things around on Deeb and countered with her own chops. Athena tagged in and hit a shotgun dropkick and then a vaulting elbow strike on Deeb. Baker distracted Athena which allowed Deeb to chop block Athena. Storm swept out Baker’s leg. Storm tried for the hip attack but Baker escaped the ring with help. Baker rallied back with the Sling Blade. Athena and Deeb tagged in for their respective teams. Athena hit a springboard but Deeb countered with an arm bar. Athena escaped and crashed down onto Deeb with the meteora. Storm tagged in but Deeb applied a single crab. Athena tried to break it up with elbow strikes but Baker blasted Athena with a thrust kick. Baker sent Athena hard into the steel ring steps. Rebel distracted the ref while Britt held up a steel chair. Deeb rammed Storm into the steel chair and then Deeb pinned Storm!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #6: Grand Slam Tournament of Champions Semi-Finals Match – Bryan Danielson def. Chris Jericho

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

William Regal joined the broadcast booth again. Danielson fired off chops and kicks to Jericho. Danielson followed up with a running kick in the corner on Jericho. Danielson rocked Jericho with another running kick in the corner. ROH Pure Champion Daniel Garcia was watching the match backstage. Danielson nailed Jericho with a running knee off the ring apron! Danielson jumped off the top turnbuckle with a dropkick. Bryan followed up with a diving headbutt for a near fall! Jericho ducked a kick from Danielson and then sent Danielson flying with a German Suplex. Jericho sent Bryan to the arena floor with a dropkick. Jericho slapped at Bryan with hard palm strikes. Both men collided in the center of the ring with double cross body blocks. Jericho sent Danielson flying with a hurracanrana off the top turnbuckle. Bryan retaliated with a German Suplex. Bryan Danielson locked in the Cattle Mutilation. Bryan dropped the hammer and anvil elbow strike. Jericho managed to land a left hand to Bryan’s temple. Danielson shocked Jericho with the running knee. Jericho suplexed Bryan over the top rope and Bryan landed hard on the arena floor. Bryan Danielson immediately grabbed his ankle. The doctor went to check on Bryan but Jericho wasted no time to go on the assault. Jericho ripped off Bryan’s wrestling boot. Jericho wrapped Danielson’s legs around the steel ring post and then applied the figure four. Jericho chop blocked Danielson’s leg. Jericho followed up with a knee breaker. Danielson fought back on one leg! Danielson hopped forward but he played right into Jericho’s hands. Jericho locked in the Walls of Jericho! Chris Jericho transitioned into a heel lock. Danielson was making the army crawl to the ropes but Jericho pulled Danielson back to the center of the ring. Bryan shoved Jericho away with his foot! Jericho applied the figure four to Danielson. Bryan captured the arm and transitioned into the LeBell Lock on Jericho and then Jericho tapped out!

My Score: 4 out of 5

Final Verdict: 4/5

Another great episode of Dynamite and one that kind of proves if you put good wrestling on who cares about the backstage drama? And also, who cares if some of those involved never appear for the company again? It’s weird that it feels like they’re NOT missed but at the same time AEW was originally about its “homegrown” talent and that got lost along the way. But that talent is, with some industry vets, bringing that “alternative” feel back to AEW once again. Thankfully.