‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Jul 5th 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament Quarterfinal Match – Orange Cassidy & Darby Allin def. Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Keith Lee hurled Darby Allin halfway across the ring! Orange Cassidy tagged in, and played mind games with Keith, trying to get in his head. Keith Lee blasted Orange with a double overhand chop. Darby attempted a Coffin Splash, but Keith Lee caught him! As Keith was holding Darby, Orange fired off and Orange Punch! Swerve tagged in and rocked Darby with a diving uppercut. Keith Lee assisted Swerve with a suplex-powerbomb combo on Darby Allin! Orange jumped off the turnbuckles and Keith Le intercepted him and applied a bear hug. Outside the ring, Swerve sandwiched Darby under the steel ring steps. Orange jumped on Keith Lee’s back, but Keith walked up the steps with Orange on his back (and Darby underneath the steps)! Keith Lee blocked a DDT from Orange, but Orange countered with a Stun Dog Millionaire. Keith Lee hung on, but Darby came over with the Code Red! After things began to break down between the team of Swerve and Keith Lee, Orange Cassidy seized the moment and nailed Swerve with a diving DDT! Darby pinned Swerve with the Last Supper! Keith Lee smiled and offered fist bumps to Darby and Orange as a sign of respect.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: The Acclaimed (Max Caster and Anthony Bowens) & Daddy Ass def. The Blade & Bollywood Boyz (Gurv & Harv)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Billy Gunn applied a side headlock on the Blade. Gunn took Blade off his feet with a shoulder block. Billy landed a big haymaker. Max body slammed both Bollywood Boyz, and then did it to Blade! Bowens connected with the Scissor-Me-Timbers. Billy Gunn tagged in and planted Gurv. Caster hit the Mic Drop and pinned Gurv!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament Quarterfinal Match – MJF & Adam Cole def. The Butcher & Matt Menard
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Butcher and Daddy Magic blindsided MJF and Cole at the start of the match. MJF thumbed Matt Menard in the eye. Adam Cole reluctantly gave MJF assistance with an abdominal stretch behind the ref’s back. Menard locked MJF in an abdominal stretch. MJF pleaded with Cole to help him. MJF hip tossed his way out of the hold after going south of the border with a cheap shot. Cole tagged in and cleaned house on Butcher and Daddy Magic. Cole connected with a neck breaker on the knee to Daddy Magic. Cole blasted Butcher with a superkick. Cole dropped Daddy Magic with a superkick. Cole lowered the boom and pinned Menard after a running knee to the back of Menard’s head!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarterfinal Match – Ruby Soho def. Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Baker had a hammerlock on Ruby. Baker hit a shoulder block on Ruby. Baker connected with the Sling Blade. The Outcasts circled Baker outside the ring and then Ruby Soho planted Baker on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Baker dished out lariats and then a neck breaker to Ruby. Baker put on her surgical glove. Ruby tried for the No Future, but Britt blocked it. Toni Storm grabbed Britt’s boot and Ruby nailed Baker with a suplex for a near fall. Baker dodged a double foot stomp and landed a thrust kick to Baker. Britt applied the Lock Jaw. Saraya distracted the ref while Toni held up Britt’s title that she earned last year by winning the tournament. Ruby smashed Britt into the title belt face first! Soho connected with the No Future Kick, but Baker kicked out at the two-count! Ruby went for the Lock Jaw on Baker. Britt Baker kicked off the ropes and transitioned into applying the Lock Jaw on Ruby. The Outcasts grabbed Ruby’s leg and pulled her out of the ring to save her. Britt Baker hoisted up Ruby, but Ruby cradled her with the victory roll. Ruby grabbed the hands of the Outcasts and with their help, Ruby Soho pinned Britt Baker!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: Kenny Omega def. Wheeler Yuta
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Yuta ambushed Omega before the bell rang. Wheeler Yuta chopped at Omega. Kenny hit back with strikes and kicks. Yuta bit down on Omega’s head. Omega sent Yuta flying with a backdrop. He followed up with a back breaker for a near fall. Omega went for a moonsault, but Yuta lifted up his knees in defense. Yuta blasted Omega with a dropkick from the turnbuckles. Yuta followed up with a suicida, sending Omega crashing into the barricade. Omega countered a sit-down senton. Omega connected with a big elbow strike and then a fisherman buster for a near fall! Yuta avoided the V-trigger and rocked Kenny with a shot to the back of Kenny’s head. Omega superplexed Yuta for a near fall. Omega and Yuta traded forearms. Yuta planted Omega with two German Suplexes! Omega hit Yuta with a front snap kick. Omega nailed Yuta with a snap dragon suplex. And then a second snap dragon suplex! Omega connected with the V-Trigger. Omega tried for the One-Winged Angel, but Yuta escaped and put Omega in the seatbelt for a near fall. Omega walloped Yuta with a V-Trigger for a near fall. Don Callis walked to the ring, but security held him back. Takeshita snuck behind Omega and planted Omega with the Blue Thunder Bomb! Yuta splashed Omega but Kenny kicked out at two! Omega scored the pin after the One-Winged Angel on Wheeler Yuta!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
Another solid week of wrestling for AEW: Dynamite and I mean JUST the wrestling… The rest of the show was padded out with far too many promos and vignettes that made this feel more like WWE product than AEW. Which is NOT what you want to be saying about the “alternative” product. I do think, however, that there’s a real issue with AEW running two tournaments at once too – both the Owen Hart and the Blind Tag tournaments are making for lacklustre TV if I’m truly honest. This week’s Dynamite is a real come down from the post-FOrbidden Door 2 excitement that’s for sure!
