‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Mar 22nd 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, Missouri. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Orange Cassidy, Darby Allin & Sting def. Kip Sabian, The Butcher & The Blade
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Orange used an arm drag on Sabian but Sabian landed on his feet and then cartwheeled to create distance. Orange dropkicked Sabian, and Sabian tagged out to Butcher. Sting tagged in. Butcher nailed Sting with forearms but Sting didn’t budge. Sting lit up Butcher with backhands. Butcher thumbed Sting in the eye. Butcher went for a splash but Sting move and then countered with the Stinger Splash! Sting was looking for the Scorpion Death Lock but Blade and Sabian ran in to swarm Sting. Darby grabbed a tag and connected with an explosive Code Red on Kip Sabian! While Penelope Ford distracted the ref, the Blade swept out Darby’s leg from the apron. Orange came in to the ring with a diving cross body and then a DDT on Kip Sabian. The Butcher and the Blade double teamed Orange Cassidy. Kip jumped to make the cover but Orange kicked out at two. Sting tagged in and walloped Kip with a lariat! Sting put Kip in the Scorpion Death Lock but Butcher and Blade double teamed Sting. Darby took down Butcher and Blade with a double Coffin Drop off the middle rope. Orange wiped out Kip with the Stundog Millionaire. Sting finished off Kip with the Scorpion Death Drop and pinned Kip!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: AEW World Tag Team Championship Match – The Gunns (Austin & Colten) def. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Top Flight used tandem offense and really took it to the champs during the opening minutes of the match. From the apron, Austin grabbed a handful of hair and guillotined Dante on the ropes. Colten began to stomp on Dante in the corner turnbuckles. Austin made a blind tag but Dante planted him with a power move for a near fall. Dante hit the nosedive but Colten made the save, breaking up the pin at the last possible movement. The Kingdom—Matt Taven and Mike Bennett came out of nowhere and ambushed Darius. The Gunns blindsided Dante with the 3:10 to Yuma and then pinned Dante. Top Flight chased the Kingdom through the fans.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: HOOK def. Stokely Hathaway
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Stokely got on the mic before the match and said Doc Sampson didn’t clear him to wrestle tonight. Stokely also announced his retirement and handed his doctor’s note to Justin Roberts to make it official. It was a receipt for Wingstop and the ref tore it up. Stokely ran away from Hook but Hook chased him down. Stokely attempted a flying uppercut. Hook sent Stokely for a ride with a shoulder capture suplex on the arena floor. Hook pulled out a steel ring guardrail from beneath the ring. Hook propped the guardrail up against the corner turnbuckles. Stokely blasted Hook with a fire extinguisher in the eyes, temporarily blinding Hook. Hathaway tried to hit Hook with a steel chair but Hook countered and then suplexed Hathaway into the steel guardrail. Hook locked in Redrum and the ref stopped the match, with Hook victorious!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #4: Jon Moxley def. Stu Grayson
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Grayson charged at Moxley, taking the fight right to him! Mox turned Stu around and began to chop away at him. Mox hammered at Grayson with forearms. Moxley used a side headlock takedown on Stu Grayson. Stu hit Mox with a hurracanrana. Moxley sent Grayson flying with a suplex and then a shoulder tackle, sending Stu tumbling to the arena floor. Grayson battled back with a flip-dive off the middle rope onto Moxley. Wheeler and Yuta began to jaw-jack with the Dark Order outside the ring. Grayson somersaulted off the ring post onto the BCC. Grayson was looking for the Knight-fall but Mox transitioned to the bulldog choke. Grayson fought out of the choke and then connected with a backflipping kick to Mox. Moxley dug his fingernails into the back of Grayson. Moxley spiked Stu with an avalanche Death Rider and then pinned Stu Grayson!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: Toni Storm def. Skye Blue
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Storm charged at Blue and began to kick her in the corner. Skye Blue made a comeback with elbow strikes and a dropkick. Skye Blue used a diving hurracanrana on Storm. Skye took a moment to get her footing on the top turnbuckle but Toni Storm knocked her down. Storm then sent Skye flying out of the ring with the hip attack. Skye rallied back with offense to Storm, including several thrust kicks. Storm rocked Skye with a DDT! Skye connected with a Code Blue but Storm nailed Skye with the hip attack. After nailing her with the Storm Zero, Toni pinned Skye Blue. The Outcasts were about to spray-paint Skye after the match but Riho and Willow Nightingale ran down to even up the odds for Skye Blue. The Outcasts retreated!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #6: Kenny Omega def. El Hijo del Vikingo
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Vikingo went over the top and crashed onto Omega right out of the box! Omega hammered back at Vikingo with forearms and kicks. Vikingo came back with an implosion hurracanrana and then a knee strike through the ropes. Vikingo used a shooting star press off the apron and onto Omega on the arena floor! Vikingo tried for a pin after a 450 splash on Omega. Kenny came back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on Vikingo. Omega pulled a table out from beneath the ring. Omega set up the table on the arena floor. Vikingo took down Omega with a rana. They began to trade chops on the ring apron. Omega sent Vikingo crashing onto the apron with a monkey flip. Vikingo sent Omega flying out of the ring with a dragon rana! Vikingo countered an Awesome Bomb and then hit the Phoenix Splash for a near fall on Omega. Omega caught Vikingo with a powerbomb and then the V-Trigger for a two-count! Omega hoisted up Vikingo for the One-Winged Angel but Vikingo escape and then hit Omega with a swan diving reverse hurracanrana! Vikingo crashed down onto Kenny through a table after a 630 senton from the middle rope. Vikingo grabbed a near fall after a sunset bomb on Omega! Vikingo climbed to the top for a 630 senton but Omega dodged it this time! Omega rocked Vikingo with the V-Trigger and then pinned him with the One-Winged Angel!
My Score: 5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4.5/5
So that’s TWO back-to-back fantastic episodes of Dynamite, something we haven’t had in a loooong time! A great opening trios match, a story-driven squash, Stu Grayson really giving it to Jon Moxley (it’s great to see him back in AEW!) and that UNMISSABLE main event! Good god, how can AEW top that 5-star match? I don’t see anything coming close for the rest of the year!
