‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Aug 30th 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the NOW Arena in Chicago. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Jon Moxley def. Komander
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Moxley wiped out Komander with a big boot as the bell rang. Moxley jabbed and chopped at Komander in the corner turnbuckles. Komander fired back with head scissors. He jumped off the top rope and connected with a high cross body press to Moxley on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Moxley dug his nails into Komander, clawing at his back. Komander missed a Cancun Tornado, as Moxley moved out of the way. Komander countered a powerbomb with a facebuster to Mox. Komander nailed Moxley with clotheslines, but Moxley didn’t budge. Finally, Komander connected with a dropkick to the inside of Moxley’s knee and then DDT’ed him. Komander cracked Mox with a lung blower for a near fall. Komander walked the ropes and jumped off with a 450 but Mox countered by raising his knees. Mox spiked Komander with a piledriver for a near fall. Moxley pounded Komander with the hammer and anvil elbows and then applied the rear naked choke, forcing Komander to tap out!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: NJPW Strong Openweight Championship Match – Eddie Kingston def. Wheeler Yuta
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kingston and Yuta locked up. Yuta slapped Kingston. Yuta began to work over Kingston’s taped up elbow. Moxley and Claudio were watching the match on a monitor backstage. Kingston used an exploder suplex on Yuta for a near fall. Yuta blocked the spinning back fist and fired back with a German Suplex for a two-count on Eddie. Kingston chopped Yuta until Yuta blocked one. Yuta nailed Eddie with repeated elbows. Kingston came back with a half and half suplex. Eddie rocked Yuta with two spinning backfists and pinned Yuta! ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli walked to the ring and helped Yuta to his feet. Claudio didn’t look at Kingston once, showing a complete lack of respect.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Kris Statlander, Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. & Hikaru Shida def. Nyla Rose, Emi Sakura & Marina Shafir
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Baker bludgeoned Sakura with forearms and then took her down with a sling blade. Shafir distracted the ref while Nyla hit Baker with a knee. Rose, Shafir, and Sakura employed quick tags to work over Baker in their corner, isolating her. Statlander grabbed a tag and cleaned house, hammering Shafir. Statlander slammed Shafir onto the mat from off her shoulders. Baker inadvertently connected with a thrust kick to Shida. Nyla chokeslammed Baker. Statlander climbed to the top and jumped onto the pile of opponents on the arena floor! Kris nailed Shafir with the Wednesday Night Fever tombstone piledriver and pinned Shafir. After the match, Ruby Soho jumped into the ring, ambushed Kris, and leveled her with the No Future kick! Ruby walked away with Statlander’s TBS championship!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: AEW International Championship Match – Orange Cassidy def. Penta El Zero Miedo
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The winner faces Jon Moxley this Sunday at All Out on pay-per-view. Orange and Penta had a stale mate early in the match, each countering one another’s moves. Orange tried for a tope, but Penta caught him, and press slammed him into the steel barricade. Cassidy finally connected with a tope suicida. Cassidy went for the Orange Punch, but Penta countered with a thrust kick. Penta flipped over the top rope and crashed right down onto Orange’s hand. Orange countered a suplex with a Stun Dog Millionaire and then a DDT on Penta for a near fall. Penta punted Orange in the ribs. Penta followed up with a backstabber for a two-count on the champ. Penta chopped down the champ with thrust kicks, and continued the assault on Orange’s right arm, looking to neutralize the threat of the Orange Punch. Orange and Penta traded Canadian Destroyers! Penta blasted Orange with the Made in Japan for a near fall! Orange nailed Penta with the Beach Break for a near fall. Orange went for the punch, but Penta countered with a thrust kick to Orange’s hand. Cassidy ate a thrust kick on the apron. Penta smashed Orange with the Made in Japan on the ring apron! Somehow Orange kicked out of the pin attempt at the last possible moment. Penta stomped on Orange’s right arm. Penta pulled back on Orange’s arm. Penta crushed Orange with the Fear Factor for a near fall. Orange held on, cradled Penta, and pinned him!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
Another week with only four matches? On a two-hour show? OK, OK. I get it, there was a LOT to unpack from All In at Wembley and they had to build to All Out at the same time so we got a lot of promos, interviews, etc. to keep the myriad of stories in AEW moving. Unfortunately for AEW some of those promos didn’t work – especially the Roderick Strong one. I don’t know if AEW are purposefully making Strong into a whiny bitch or that’s the way he’s coming across in his promos but goddamn none of that promo worked in the slightest!
