‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (May 15th 2024)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast from Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington. We’ve got Excalibur, Taz and Tony Schiavone on commentary this week, so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Jon Moxley & Bryan Danielson def. Jeff Cobb & Kyle Fletcher
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Fletcher and Cobb jumped Moxley as he was making his entrance! Danielson sprinted to the ring and sent Fletcher hard into the barricade. Danielson dropkicked Cobb against the barricade. Mox wrapped his sweatshirt around Kyle’s neck and began to pummel him. The bell rang and the match was officially underway. Danielson clubbed Cobb with swift kicks in the corner. Moxley tagged in and hit a running dropkick to Cobb’s leg. Danielson tagged back in and tied up Cobb in a figure four. Mox tagged in and dropped and elbow on Cobb while Cobb was still in the figure four. Fletcher entered the fray and chopped Moxley, and Moxley shrugged it off. Moxley returned fire with forearms and chops. Mox chomped on Fletcher’s forehead and then superplexed Kyle for a near fall. Fletcher was hung up in the ropes and Danielson jumped off the top rope and dropped a knee across Fletcher’s back. Cobb and Fletcher rallied back, assaulting Mox in their corner of the ring. Cobb charged at Mox, but Mox dodged it, using Cobb’s momentum to nail Cobb with a German Suplex. Danielson tagged in and dropkicked Cobb from the top rope. Danielson cracked Cobb with round kicks in the corner. Danielson ran off the ropes and wiped out Cobb with an elbow strike. Danielson blistered Cobb’s chest with kick. Fletcher grabbed Danielson’s boot. Cobb charged at Danielson but Danielson low-bridged Cobb, pulling the rope down, and Cobb tumbled to the arena floor. Danielson connected with a tope suicida onto Fletcher, while Cobb moved out of the way. Cobb planted Danielson in the ring. Danielson dodged a standing moonsault from Cobb. Cobb caught Danielson and nailed Danielson high on his neck with a suplex. Moxley and Fletcher entered for their respective teams. Fletcher lured Mox in and rocked Mox with a kick. Moxley retaliated with a devastating lariat to Fletcher and then a cutter to Cobb! Fletcher stunned Moxley with a Michinoku Driver and went for the pin on Moxley, but Danielson jumped in to break it up. Cobb bull rushed Moxley into the corner. Fletcher spiked Moxley with a tombstone piledriver for a near fall! Cobb hoisted Moxley on his shoulders while Fletcher climbed to the top rope, but Mox escaped and shoved Cobb into Fletcher. Moxley ducked a clothesline from Cobb, but Cobb ate a knee strike from Danielson! Fletcher jumped off the top rope, but Danielson was waiting for him with a roundhouse kick! Moxley rocked Fletcher with the Death Rider! Moxley covered Fletcher and scored the pin for the Blackpool Combat Club!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: AEW World Tag Team Championship Eliminator Match – Matthew & Nicholas Jackson def. Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Matt Sydal cracked Nicholas with a jumping knee strike. Sydal rolled up Nicholas for a two-count. Matthew Jackson tagged in, as did Christopher Daniels. Danielson pummeled Matthew in the corner with strikes. Sydal grabbed a tag and he and CD hit Matthew with stereo kicks. Sydal wiped out the Bucks with a double hurracanrana. Daniels tagged in and took down Matthew and Nicholas with back elbows. Daniels drilled Nicholas with a Death Valley Driver! Daniels connected with a flurry of offense on both Nicholas and Matthew. Christopher Daniels was looking for the Best Moonsault Ever, but Matthew Jackson jumped in with a superkick! Sydal entered the ring and knocked Matthew through the ropes with a spinning kick. Matthew avoided a plancha from Sydal and heaved Sydal over the barricade. Nicholas and Christopher Daniels slugged it out in the ring. Daniels staggered Nicholas with a palm strike. Daniels tried for a rana off the top rope on Nicholas, but Matthew held Nicholas’ legs, sending Daniels crashing solo to the mat. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson planted Daniels with the TK Driver and Matthew pinned Christopher Daniels!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Hook def. Sebastian Wolfe
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Wolfe charged at Hook, but Hook sent Wolfe for a ride with a T-bone suplex. Hook mauled Wolfe with cross face strikes. Hook applied the Red Rum and Wolfe tapped out immediately!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #4: AEW World Championship Eliminator Match – Swerve Strickland def. Brian Cage
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Cage battered Strickland in the corner. Swerve attempted a tope suicida, but Cage blocked it. Swerve found his footing on the apron and stomped down on Cage’s arm! Brian Cage yanked Swerve into the steel ring post. Swerve fired back with a flatliner on Cage, but Cage kicked out at the one-count. Cage cracked Swerve with a back breaker. Cage backed Swerve into the corner. Cage press slammed Swerve into the corner. Brian Cage suplexed Swerve from outside the ring back into the ring. Swerve used his quickness to kick Cage with a boot. Swerve blasted Cage with a brain buster for a near fall! Swerve was intercepted by Cage’s knee strike. Cage tried to hook Swerve with the Weapon X, but Swerve escaped. Cage power bombed Swerve into the corner for a near fall! Swerve headbutted Cage underneath the jaw, knocking Cage onto the apron. Swerve jumped over the top and stomped both of his feet into the chest of Brian Cage! Swerve connected with a 450 splash for a near fall! Cage connected with two consecutive power bombs on Swerve. Cage was looking for the Drill Claw, but Swerve escaped. Cage rocked Swerve with a thrust kick. Swerve snapped Cage’s arm back and stomped on it. Swerve followed up with the House Call kick and pinned Cage!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: Toni Storm def. Harley Cameron
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Toni used a shoulder tackle and then a side headlock takeover on Harley. Toni grounded and pounded Cameron with a Thesz Press and followed up with a hip attack. Serena Deeb walked onto the ramp and waved at Storm. While the champ was distracted, Harley rammed Toni’s head into the edge of the ring. Toni cracked Cameron with a backstabber. Toni spiked Cameron with a DDT and then a fisherman’s suplex for a near fall on Cameron. Toni planted Cameron with a Sky High for a near fall. Toni rocked Cameron with the Storm Zero and scored the pin!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #6: AEW Continental Championship Match – Kazuchika Okada def. Dax Harwood
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Dax was looking for the sharpshooter, but Okada quickly got himself out of bounds. Okada sent Dax shoulder first into the steel ring post! Harwood dazed Okada with a spinebuster. Okada dropkicked Dax off the turnbuckle, knocking Dax to the arena floor. Okada charged at Dax with a high boot to the head. Okada drilled Dax with a draping DDT off the barricade onto the arena floor. Dax ducked a rainmaker and rallied back with two German Suplexes. Dax followed up with a release dragon suplex on Okada! Dax chopped at Okada and blocked a dropkick. Okada kicked up at Dax. Okada nailed Dax with a neck breaker for a near fall! Dax superplexed Okada from the top rope, champion and challenger crashing down! Dax and Okada headbutted one another. Dax clubbed Okada with a forearm. Dax dropped Okada with a discus lariat. Dax was looking for the sharpshooter again, but Okada pushed his way out of it. Dax reversed a tombstone piledriver from Okada and spiked Okada with one of his own for a near fall on the champ! Dax jumped off the top rope, looking for a diving headbutt, but Okada rolled out of the way in the nick of time. Harwood ducked the rainmaker and countered with a sharpshooter. Okada reached the bottom rope and managed to force the break. Okada grabbed his belt, looking to leave, but Dax caught him and tossed Okada back into the ring. Okada threw the belt. As the ref went to retrieve the belt, Okada hit Dax with a low blow. Okada smashed Dax with the rainmaker and pinned Dax!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Well this was an improvement over last week’s show, that’s for sure! This episode opened strong before struggling a little with a less-than-great tag match featuring The Elite and a squash match re-introducing Hook and ramping up his feud with Chris Jericho. Thankfully the World Title Eliminator match kicked arse; as did the women’s match, in which Toni Storm proved why she’s such a well-regarded wrestler, making Harley Cameron look good even in defeat. As for the main event. Yes, the action was great but… We all knew how this was going to play out, just like we know how ALL the singles matches from FTR – be it Cash or Dax – play out. Which took away some of the excitement but it was still a good example of great wrestling.
