‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Jan 17th 2024)

Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast from North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina. We’ve got Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni and Taz on commentary this week, so let’s get into the review!

Match #1: TNT Championship Match – Christian Cage def. Dustin Rhodes

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Christian Cage hit Dustin with a cheap shot, kicking him in the abdomen. Rhodes fired back with a scoop slam. Christian rolled out of the ring, swept out Dustin’s legs, and was about to pull Dustin by the legs into the ring post. Instead, Dustin pulled back, sending Christian headfirst into the steel ring post. Dustin flew off the ring steps with a clothesline, taking the fight to the champion outside the ring. Rhodes hit Christian Cage with a haymaker. Christian Cage took a huge risk and jumped off the turnbuckles and landed on Dustin Rhodes outside the ring. Back in the ring, Dustin strung together a flurry of offense and punctuated it with a bulldog for a near fall! Dustin rocked Christian with a Code Red for a two-count! Christian played possum, begging off Dustin but then pulling him down onto the ropes. Dustin went for a tope, but Christian countered with a stiff strike. Christian connected with a frog splash for a two-count on Rhodes. Christian grabbed his title from the timekeeper’s table. Christian was about to smash the title against Dustin’s head, but ref Aubrey Edwards grabbed it away. As the ref was distracted, Dustin rolled up Christian in a small package. Nick Wayne jumped in the ring and reversed the cradle attempt, rolling Christian on top of Dustin. “The Natural” managed to kick out. Dustin slugged Christian. Dustin superplexed Christian Cage as more interference from Nick Wayne backfired. Dustin Rhodes rocked Christian with the Cross Rhodes for a near fall! Nick Wayne grabbed at Dustin’s ankle. Dustin met Wayne outside the ring while Christian distracted the ref. Killswitch diverted Dustin’s attention this time, and Nick Wayne climbed to the top turnbuckle. Nick went for Wayne’s World, but Dustin countered with a Canadian Destroyer on the arena floor. Dustin got back into the ring and Christian speared him! Christian smashed Dustin with the Killswitch but Dustin kicked out at the two-count! Dustin got back up, but Christian connected with a second Killswitch and pinned Dustin!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #2: Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta def. Komander & Penta El Zero Miedo

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Orange and Penta El Zero Miedo had a stare down in the center of the ring. Penta blasted Orange with round kicks. Orange attempted a DDT, but Penta countered with a massive thrust kick. Penta was about to fly out of the ring, but Trent cut him off. Komander tagged in and hit a missile dropkick on Trent. Trent suplexed Komander with a half-and-half and then returned Orange back to the ring. Orange covered Komander for a near fall. Komander took Trent over the top rope with his legs. Komander up kicked at Cassidy. Penta tagged in and stunned Orange with a sling blade, and then a second sling blade! Penta pulped Orange with the Made in Japan, good for a two-count. Orange spiked Penta with a DDT. Trent tagged in and pie faced Komander. Trent hammered Komander against the ropes. Komander cradled Trent for a near fall. Trent chopped Komander, backing him up to his corner. Penta tagged in, jumped off Komander’s back, and walloped Trent with an assisted Canadian Destroyer! Komander walked the ropes and splashed Trent. Komander covered Trent for the pin, but Orange jumped in to break it up. Komander climbed to the top turnbuckle and tried for the Phoenix Splash. Trent dodged it and returned fire with a knee strike! Penta popped up out of nowhere and nailed Trent with a thunderous thrust kick. Penta springboarded off the ropes but Orange jumped in, shoved Trent out of the way, and rocked Penta with the Beach Break! Cassidy cracked Komander with the Orange Punch! Trent hoisted up Komander, hit the Crunchy, and pinned Komander!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #3: ROH World Six-Man Championship Match – Bullet Club Gold (Jay White and The Gunns — Austin & Colten) def. The Mogul Embassy (Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona & Brian Cage)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Toa backed up Jay White. Toa tried for a chop, but Jay ducked it. Jay blistered up Toa’s chest with chops of his own. Toa retaliated with a heavy chop and then multiple knee strikes to Jay’s lower back. Bishop Kaun tagged in and continued the assault on White. Jay White landed a dragon screw leg whip and tagged out to Colten. Colten stomped on Kaun and then Austin tagged in. Cage grabbed a tag but ate some right hands from Austin. Brian Cage retaliated with a German Suplex. The Gates of Agony double teamed Austin, double teaming him. Colten tagged in and cleaned house on the Mogul Embassy! Colten nailed Cage with a neck breaker. Toa ran in and sent Colten for a ride with a wicked pounce! The Gates of Agony hurled Colten into Cage and Cage power bombed Colten! Kaun connected with an Air Raid Crash, but Austin and Jay ran in to make the save and break up the pin. Jay White shoved Cage into the steel ring post! Jay White lit up Bishop with heavy chops, sending thunderous echoes throughout the arena. The Gunns blasted Cage with the 3:10 to Yuma! Bishop Kaun split leg dropkicked the Gunns. Kaun distracted the ref while Prince Nana tripped up Jay White. Kaun hit a lung blower on Jay White for a near fall. Prince Nana jumped in the ring with the belt, ready to hit White while Kaun distracted the ref. Anthony Bowens sprinted to the ring and pulled the belt away from Prince Nana! Jay White rocked Kaun with the Blade Runner and pinned him!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #4: Deonna Purrazzo def. Anna Jay

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Deonna hit an uppercut to Anna’s arm. Anna fired back with a neck breaker over the ropes on Deonna. Deonna rocked Anna with clotheslines. Deonna pump kicked Anna for a near fall. Anna cracked Deonna with a backstabber for a two-count. Anna tried to lock in the Queen Slayer, but Deonna rolled through. They traded forearms. Deonna flattened out Anna, locked on the Venus de Milo, and Anna was forced to submit!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #5: Private Party (Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy) def. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Kassidy and Darius exchanged a flurry of offense, each countering the other, going hold for hold! Dante and Marq grabbed tags. Marq Quen went after Dante’s ankle. Kassidy hit a big springboard crossbody on Dante. Marq Quen hit two planchas on both members of Top Flight! Quen went to the top turnbuckle and connected with a 450 splash, but Dante managed to kick out! Top Flight rocked Marq Quen with a quick combination. Dante cracked Quen in the nose with a knee strike. Isiah stunned Dante with a step over kick. Private Party served up Gin & Juice on Dante! Darius ran in to make the save but Marq Quen rolled him up, and with the help of the ropes, scored the pin!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #6: AEW World Championship Match – Samoa Joe def. HOOK

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Hook charged into battle, peppering the champ with shots. Samoa Joe immediately sent Hook to the outside. Samoa Joe whipped Hook at the barricade, but Hook jumped onto the barricade and then jumped back at Joe with a shot. Back in the ring, Samoa Joe sent Hook into the ropes and then drove him hard to the mat with a running back elbow. Samoa Joe jabbed at Hook with right hands! Samoa Joe pummeled Hook in the corner with more strikes. Samoa Joe walloped Hook with a kick and then an elbow drop for a two-count. Hook was looking for a T-bone suplex, but Samoa Joe stopped him with an elbow strike. Hook tripped Samoa Joe and then clobbered him with a wild ride hand from off the apron! Samoa Joe spiked Hook onto the announcer’s desk, and it collapsed under Hook. Hook flipped off Samoa Joe. Samoa Joe power bombed Hook onto the ring apron! The ref had Doc Sampson examine Hook at ringside. Hook wouldn’t stay down; he shoved the doctor away and got back into the ring. Samoa Joe powerslammed Hook for a near fall! Samoa Joe nailed Hook with a Death Valley Driver for a two-count! Hook was still alive, despite being put through hell! Samoa Joe planted Hook with a muscle buster and Hook kicked out at the one-count! Hook blasted Samoa Joe with three consecutive lariats. Hook sent Samoa Joe for a ride with a T-bone suplex! Hook tried to lock in the Red Rum, but Samoa Joe blocked it! Samoa Joe countered with his own submission. The ref raised Hook’s arm three times, but Hook didn’t respond. The ref ended the match, declaring Samoa Joe the winner.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Final Verdict: 3.5/5

A decent episode of Dynamite this week, not on a par with last week’s nostalgia-fest but we still got some good in-ring action. And this episode was marked by having an incredibly diverse roster of talent – young up-and-comers, veterans and everything in between – all of whom made sure this show had something for everyone. Oh, and screw the complainers… That main event was great and there’s NO WAY I’m ever going to complain about Samoa Joe giving an opponent too much leeway like some of the IWC. I saw it more of Joe giving HOOK a chance to showcase what he’s got against a champ who’s respected for his entire oeuvre in many a company. And for me, it worked. The highlight of the week though, for me, was the Private Party/Top Flight tag match – two great young talented teams going at it just enough to be exciting but leaving just enough OFF the table to warrant cries for a rematch and – hopefully – sooner rather than later!