‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Apr 26th 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: AEW International Championship Match – Orange Cassidy def.. Bandido
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Bandido and Cassidy chain wrestled in a great exchange in the early goings of the match. Cassidy connected with a hurracanrana (with his hands in his pockets) and followed up with a dropkick to Bandido. Bandido caught Cassidy, who was attempting for a tope. Bandido dropped Orange throat-first across the guardrail. Bandido drove his shoulder into Orange’s midsection. Bandido applied a stretch muffler to Orange Cassidy. Cassidy managed to crawl to the ropes to force the ref break. Bandido flew over the top rope with a tope con hiro. Back in the ring, Bandido chopped at Cassidy’s chest. Bandido connected with a thrust kick and then a pump kick, knocking Cassidy back into the ropes. Orange rattled Bandido with a diving cross body press. Orange knocked Bandido to the barricade with an elbow suicida. Bandido lured Orange back into the ring and rocked him with a kick. Bandido used a one-arm suplex and then a cutter for a near fall on Orange. Bandido smashed Orange with a frog splash for a two-count. Orange rolled up Bandido with a mousetrap but Bandido escaped. Orange hit the Beach Break and pinned Bandido!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #2: Jeff Jarrett def. Dax Harwood
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
AEW Officials came out to the ramp and forced Lethal, Dutt, and Singh to the back. Jarrett grabbed a wristlock on Dax, but Dax turned things around with a side headlock takeover. Jeff Jarrett used a shoulder tackle and then an arm drag takeover. Double J followed up with a body slam. Dax took Jarrett down with a snap suplex. He followed up with a leg drop on Jarrett’s throat. Dax was looking for a superplex but Jarrett shoved Dax to the mat. Dax and Jarrett traded strikes. Jarrett hit a knee breaker on Dax, but Dax managed to connect with a diving headbutt on Jarrett. Dax nailed Jarrett with a piledriver for a near fall. Jarrett rolled outside the ring to create some space between him and his opponent. It worked because Jarrett grabbed Dax in a catapult as Dax chased Jarrett back inside the ring. Harwood rocked Jarrett with a short arm lariat. Sonjay Dutt appeared ringside and tripped up Dax. Dutt distracted Dax and as Dax got back into the ring, Jarrett spiked Dax with the Stroke and then pinned him! Jarrett held Dax’s title after the match.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: Wardlow def. Ariel Levy
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Wardlow headbutted his opponent and followed up with a lariat. Wardlow used the Powerbomb Symphony and pinned his opponent.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #4: Four Pillars Tournament Final – Sammy Guevara def. Darby Allin
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The winner of this match was face AEW World Champion MJF at Double Or Nothing in Las Vegas. AEW World Champion MJF joined the broadcast booth for this match. Sammy slapped Darby in the face. Darby applied a side headlock. Sammy fired back with a dropkick. Sammy spat at Darby and then hit a knee to Darby’s back. Darby was looking for a German suplex off the apron but Sammy used a low blow while the ref was distracted. Sammy followed up with a moonsault to Darby on the arena floor! Darby tried for a tope suicida but Sammy countered with a cutter. Sammy set up a table outside the ring. Darby clocked Sammy with a strike and then climbed to the top turnbuckle. Tay Conti ran to the ring and distracted Darby. Sammy surprised Darby with a Spanish fly for a near fall. Sammy put Darby on the table and then crashed through with a 630 senton, driving Darby through the table. MJF was ticked that Darby managed to crawl back into the ring. MJF stormed to the ring. MJF threw Darby’s skateboard into the ring and Darby caught it. Sammy fell to the mat, pretending that Darby hit him with the skateboard. Ref Paul Turner disqualified Darby because he thought Darby used the skateboard on Sammy.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: TBS Championship Match – Jade Cargill def. Taya Valkyrie
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Taya used a clothesline and then grounded and pounded Jade. Taya booted Jade but then Jade swept out Taya’s legs. Jade set up Taya for a superplex but Taya fought her off. Jade sprung back up and superplexed Taya. Jade crushed Taya with a Canadian Destroyer for a near fall. Cargill was looking for Jaded but Taya escaped. Taya used a double stomp for a two-count. Taya was about to use the Road to Valhalla but the ref informed her that she couldn’t use the move. Cargill rolled up Taya and pinned her!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #6: Kenny Omega & Konosuke Takeshita def. The Butcher & The Blade
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kenny hit a moonsault on Blade and Takeshita followed up with a senton! Omega used a hurracanrana on the Blade. Omega was looking for the Terminator Dive but Kip Sabian tripped Kenny and then hit a moonsault while Butcher held Omega. Takeshita grabbed a tag and connected with the Takeshita-Line on Butcher. Takeshita spiked Butcher with a brainbuster. Butcher and the Blade double teamed Takeshita with tandem offense. Omega swept out Blade’s leg and Takeshita managed to take down Butcher with a hurracanrana. Takeshita followed up with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Omega nailed the Blade with a snap dragon suplex! Takeshita walloped the Butcher with a powerdrive knee and then pinned the Butcher!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Well this was an all-round great episode of Dynamite. There were a few stumbling blocks as usual, which stopped this weeks show from rating any higher but what we did get was a fantastic example of the various styles of wrestling that AEW has to offer – high flying, comedy, old-school, women’s and tag team wrestling, it was all on show and all worked as a great “advert” for AEW’s alternative style; with something LITERALLY for everyone to enjoy.
