‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Nov 16th 2022)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, CT. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Ian Riccaboni and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli def. Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The match immediately broke down into a brawl between both teams! Danielson went right after Sammy and Claudio clocked Chris Jericho! Bryan captured Sammy’s arms and applied the Romero special. Claudio tagged in and Sammy backflipped over him and then took him down with a dropkick. Claudio hit Sammy with a delayed vertical suplex and followed up with a suplex to Jericho. Claudio splashed both of them at once. Jericho flipped off Danielson but Danielson grabbed Jericho’s hands and twisted them. Danielson charged into the corner with a running knee to Sammy! He tried again but Sammy countered with a drop toehold. Jericho smacked Danielson in the injured eye with his baseball bat as the ref was distracted. Danielson ducked a lariat attempt from Jericho and fired back with a running strike of his own. Claudio tagged in and sent Sammy flying into Jericho! Claudio connected with a series of European Uppercuts to Jericho. Claudio grabbed Jericho, looking for the swing, but Sammy blasted Claudio with a thrust kick. Jericho locked on the Walls of Jericho. Danielson blasted Jericho with a shotgun dropkick off the top rope to give Claudio the assist. Danielson and Sammy both tagged in and Danielson rocked Sammy with multiple round kicks! Sammy went to Bryan’s eyes and then hit him with a knee strike. Danielson countered the GTH with the LeBell Lock but Sammy escaped by reaching the bottom rope. Sammy walloped Danielson with a cutter off the top turnbuckle. Jericho followed up with the lionsault for a near fall but Claudio was there to make the save. Danielson and Jericho collided in the center of the ring. Claudio grabbed Jericho in the Giant Swing and then locked in the Scorpion Deathlock, forcing Jericho to tap out!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #2: Swerve Strickland def. Anthony Bowens
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Daddy Ass jumped Swerve as Swerve was making his entrance. Back in the ring, Bowens booted Swerve. Swerve wrenched on Bowens’ arm and then dropkicked Bowens in the face. Swerve jumped and flipped over the top rope, landing on Bowens. He followed up with a boot off the apron to Swerve. Swerve threw Bowens over the guardrail. Bowens swept out the leg of Swerve who was on the middle rope. Bowens took Swerve off his feet with a shoulder tackle. Swerve retaliated with a brainbuster on Bowens. Swerve caught Bowens with a kick to the head. Swerve hit the Swerve Stomp right on the money for a near fall! Swerve drilled Bowens with the Driver and then pinned him!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: AEW World Trios Championship Match – Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) def. AR Fox & Top Flight (Dante Martin & Darius Martin)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Darius flipped Rey over the top rope but Rey Fenix jumped right back in. Darius followed up with an arm drag and then avoided a kick from Rey Fenix. PAC and AR Fox tagged in for their respective teams. PAC ducked a lariat attempt but then AR Fox turned PAC inside out with a leg lariat. AR Fox landed a cutter on PAC. AR Fox vaulted off the ring post and landed a moonsault on PAC. AR Fox followed up with a senton atomico. Top Flight launched PAC into a waiting cutter from AR Fox! The Lucha Bros came in with thrust kicks. Darius connected with a running boot to PAC. Darius followed up with a brainbuster for a near fall. Top Flight wiped out Death Triangle with an aerial assault, and then AR Fox followed up with a huge dive himself! Fox connected with a 450 splash on Rey Fenix for a near fall. Penta El Zero Miedo kicked AR Fox in the ribs. The Lucha Bros smashed Fox with the Fear Factor. PAC bombed Fox with the Black Arrow and then pinned him!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #4: Men’s World Title Eliminator Semi-Final Match – Ethan Page def. Bandido
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Page blocked a suplex from Bandido but then Bandido rallied back and hit the vertical suplex. Stokely grabbed Bandido’s boot and Page blindsided Bandido. Bandido fought back with a moonsault off the ring post down onto Ethan Page on the arena floor. Bandido wiped out Ethan Page with a tornillo inside the ring! Bandido tried for the 21 Plex but Page had it scouted and fired back with a cutter for a near fall. Ethan Page set up Bandido for the avalanche Ego’s Edge. Bandido countered with a hurracanrana and then powerslammed Page with one hand! Bandido smashed Page with a frog splash for a near fall! Bandido climbed to the top turnbuckle but Page knocked him down, sending Bandido crashing and clutching his knee. Page bodyslammed Bandido off the ropes. Ethan Page launched Bandido with the Ego’s Edge and then pinned him!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: AEW Interim Women’s World Championship Eliminator – Toni Storm def. Anna Jay A.S.
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Toni put a strong side headlock on Anna and then took her down to the mat. Toni hit a shoulder tackle on Anna Jay. Toni knocked Anna back with a big boot. Anna Jay kicked Toni Storm in the head and then began stomping on her back. Storm was able to come back with a fisherman’s suplex. Toni sent Anna to the floor with the hip attack. Anna planted Toni on the arena floor! Toni countered the Queen Slayer from Anna with a shotgun dropkick. Toni landed her second hip attack of the match. Toni locked on the Texas Cloverleaf and Anna immediately tapped out!
My Score: 1.5 out of 5
News of the Night:
- The Elite will make their return to AEW in a trios match against Death Triangle at Full Gear
Final Verdict: 3/5
I get what this episode of Dynamite was doing, obviously it was building to the full Gear pay-per-view this weekend. However… who thought it was a good idea to end with a ridiculously long promo segment? Really? This week’s show opened strong and continued to stay strong for the first half but after the trios match – in which AR Fox proved he should be signed by AEW immediately – it all kind of petered off and slowed to a crawl with that final promo. I get it, I do. You’ve got to plant seeds for PPVs but AEW have done it much better and more succinctly than this in the past.
