‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Mar 1st 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: AEW All-Atlantic Championship Match – Orange Cassidy def. Big Bill
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Cassidy walked out of the ring and invited Big Bill onto the floor, playing mind games with Big Bill. Cassidy was looking for a sunset flip in the ring but Big Bill grabbed him and hurled Orange into the corner. Big Bill planted Orange with a high side slam and followed up with a running splash in the corner. Big Bill booted Orange out of the ring! Stokely Hathaway cleared off the timekeeper’s table. He and Big Bill moved the table toward the ramp. Big Bill wanted to chokeslam Orange through the table but Cassidy fought back. Cassidy jumped off the ring steps, trying for the Orange Punch, but Big Bill blocked him and countered with a chokeslam through the table. Danhausen came down to the ring to keep Stokely’s antics at bay. Big Bill rag dolled Orange Cassidy with a full nelson. Cassidy dropped to the mat to escape. Danhausen was going to curse Stokely outside the ring but Big Bill held Danhausen back while Stokely clubbed him with his arm cast. Orange jumped outside with a tope and dazed Big Bill with a dropkick, sending Bill Big bard into the metal ring steps. Back in the ring, Orange connected with the Stun Dog Millionaire and the spiked Big Bill with a DDT! Orange connected with two Orange Punches! Orange jumped off the top and blasted Big Bill with a third Orange Punch, pinning Big Bill!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Face of the Revolution Ladder Match – Winner: Powerhouse Hobbs
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Samoa Joe was on commentary for this match. Ortiz and Kingston brawled outside the ring. Komander wiped out AR Fox with a tope suicida. Kingston and Ortiz continued to brawl up the ramp. Action Andretti dropkicked a ladder into Sammy’s face. Powerhouse Hobbs hurled AR Fox into a ladder that was propped against the turnbuckles. Takeshita and Hobbs traded forearms. Takeshita threw Hobbs with a German suplex. Don Callis was seen watching Takeshita on the monitor backstage. AR Fox launched himself with an implosion senton to the outside! Komander ran across the top rope and flipped onto the pile outside the ring! It was a spectacular display of high-flying agility. Hobbs tried to suplex Komander out of the ring but AR Fox whacked Hobbs with a steel chair! Hobbs and Takeshita collided outside the ring with lariats! Action Andretti spike Sammy with a Falcon Arrow off the top of the ladder! Komander climbed to the top of the ladder, reaching for the brass ring, but Takeshita met him up there and blasted him with a Blue Thunder Bomb off the ladder! Takeshita climbed up the ladder but Action Andretti spring boarded to the top. Daniel Garcia jumped into the ring and shoved the ladder down. Sammy climbed to the top of a ladder and hit a senton onto Action Andretti below! Garcia picked up Sammy and carried him up a ladder in the center of the ring. Takeshita shoved them off the ladder! Takeshita climbed up the ladder but Powerhouse Hobbs ran in and plowed into the ladder, knocking Takeshita down. Hobbs climbed up and grabbed the brass ring and won the match!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: Chris Jericho def. Peter Avalon
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Avalon went right after Jericho! “The Ocho” went outside to collect himself but Peter Avalon rocketed out to Jericho with a tope suicida! Avalon shocked Jericho with a swinging DDT for a near fall! Jericho grabbed Avalon and rocked Avalon with the Code Breaker, grabbing the pinfall victory!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #4: FTW Championship Match – HOOK def. Matt Hardy
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hook grappled Hardy to the mat. Hardy fired back with right hands, rattling Hook. Hook grabbed a knee bar but Hardy grabbed the bottom ropes. Outside the ring, “All Ego” Ethan Page shoved Hook into the steel ring post. Hook T-boned Matt Hardy! Hardy countered a charging Hook with the snake eyes in the corner. Hardy dropped Hook with the Side Effect for a near fall. Hathaway removed his arm cast, handed it to Ethan Page, and Page rocked Hook with it with a huge shot to the head! Hardy attempted the Twist of Fate but Hook transitioned into a submission and made Hardy tap out!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #5: Riho def. Toni Storm
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Riho dropkicked Storm. Riho charged at Storm in the corner with a jumping knee. Storm landed a knee to Riho after Saraya distracted Riho. Storm smashed into Riho with the hip attack, sending Riho crashing onto the arena floor. Storm rammed Riho into the steel ring post. AEW Women’s Champ Jamie Hayter and Dr. Britt Baker walked down to the ring to keep an eye on Saraya who kept interfering in the match. Riho connected with a diving cross body off the top and onto Toni on the arena floor! Riho followed up with diving foot stomps and then a Northern Lights suplex for a near fall on Toni. Storm blasted Riho with the John Woo dropkick and then the hip attack in the corner for a two-count on Riho! Toni Storm locked on the cloverleaf but Britt Baker jumped onto the apron. As Storm was distracted, Riho rolled her up and pinned her!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #6: Revolution Casino Tag Team Battle Royale – Winners: Orange Cassidy & Danhausen
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The Blackpool Combat Club attacked the Dark Order as the Dark Order were making their entrance. The third team out were Preston Vance and Rush! Claudio and Rush slugged it out with overhand chops! The Lucha Bros were the next team to enter the match. Penta El Zero Miedo dished out sling blades. Aussie Open came out to the ring! The Blackpool Combat Club eliminated the Dark Order! Top Flight were the next team to enter! And then came the Kingdom. They double teamed Dante Martin and then went after Darius Martin. Aussie Open wiped out the Kingdom. Josh Woods, Ari, and Tony Nese came to the ring and whipped the Lucha Bros into the barricades. Rush eliminated Penta El Zero Miedo. Darius dropkicked Rush out of the ring! Aussie Open and Top Flight paired off and duked it out. Danhausen and Orange Cassidy came out to the ring next. Angelo Parker decked Danhausen but Orange Cassidy eliminated Parker! The Butcher and the Blade stalked their way to the ring. Dark Order ran back down and distracted the Blackpool Combat Club. Danhausen and Orange eliminated Claudio and Wheeler! Butcher and the Blade hit the Drag The Lake on Danhausen. Butcher and the Blade double teamed Orange Cassidy. Danhausen snuck up from behind and shoved Butcher and the Blade over the top rope. Danhausen and Orange Cassidy won the match!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
Well this week’s show was an improvement. But then it should have been given this was the go-home show for AEW’s Revolution pay-per-view this weekend. This episode opened strong with a great match between Orange Cassidy and Big Bill – in fact this felt like one of the best matches from the latter since coming to AEW, with both men’s styles really gelling to give us quality action. The Face of the Revolution match was a spot fest and I absolutely LOVED it for that very reason! Unfortunately, the rest of the show coasted along in an average manner – nothing terrible (apart from the Avalon/Jericho squash) but nothing that really was too exciting. One thing that really piqued my interest at the end of the show was, surprisingly, Danielson swearing at MJF to close the show… Unexpected was not the word. Bryan Danielson getting super-angry and foul-mouthed? I’m here for it!
