‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Aug 28th 2024)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast from the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. We’ve got Excalibur, Taz and Tony Schiavone on commentary, so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: “Hangman” Adam Page def. Tomohiro Ishii
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hangman and Ishii charged to the center of the ring and traded elbows, neither man backing down. Hangman got the better of Ishii but then Ishii blasted Page with a shoulder block, knocking Hangman off his feet. Page got up and they traded chops, blistering one another. Page dropped Ishii with a lariat on the apron. Page drilled Ishii with a DDT on the apron. Hangman jumped off the top rope with a leaping lariat for a near fall on the Stone Pitbull. Page followed up with a back breaker. Page had Ishii in an inverted Indian death lock, but Ishii crawled to the ropes to cause the ref to break the hold. Ishii jumped up and headbutted Page, who had been perched on the turnbuckles. Ishii superplexed Page but Page kicked out at the two-count. Ishii went for the sliding elbow strike, but Hangman avoided it and connected with a Death Valley Driver. Page and Ishii battered one another with elbow strikes and both men collapsed. Page went for the Dead Eye, but Ishii escaped. Ishii tossed Hangman with a German Suplex, but Page landed on his feet! Page nailed Ishii with a German Suplex. Ishii smacked Page with a massive lariat for a near fall. Ishii cracked Page with a headbutt, but Hangman answered with a discus lariat! Hangman spiked Ishii with the Dead Eye! Page scored with the Buckshot Lariat and pinned Ishii!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Jamie Hayter def. Harley Cameron
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Harley blindsided Jamie. Jamie stomped a mudhole in Harley. Harley hit a jawbreaker. Hayter wiped out Harley with a pump kick. Hayter nailed Harley with three consecutive Hate-Breakers! Hayter dropped Harley with the Hayter Ade and pinned Harley Cameron, making short work of Harley.
My Score: 1.5 out of 5
Match #3: HOOK & The Conglomeration (Mark Briscoe, Kyle O’Reilly, & Orange Cassidy) def. Roderick Strong, Chris Jericho, Big Bill, & Bryan Keith
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hook suplexed Bryan Keith. Cassidy grabbed a tag and sent Bryan Keith into the turnbuckles. Kyle tagged in and took Keith off his feet with a leg kick. Briscoe suplexed Bryan Keith and then kicked him in the spine. Big Bill entered the match. Briscoe was looking for redneck kung fu, but Big Bill countered it with massive overhead chops! There was a four-way standoff until both teams began to brawl, the match breaking down into a hockey fight. Roddy rocked Briscoe with a back breaker. Bryan Keith grounded and pounded Briscoe. Bryan Keith showed off his striking prowess, connecting with wicked kicks to Briscoe. Kyle grabbed a blind tag and booted Bryan Keith, then swept out Keith’s legs. Big Bill entered after a blind tag and dropped a massive elbow on Kyle. Big Bill flattened Orange Cassidy with a spinning side slam. Hook entered the fray and cleaned house on the opposition. Strong booted Hook in the back. Hook t-boned Big Bill. Roddy grabbed Hook but Hook countered with a Northern Lights Suplex. Mark Briscoe was taken off his feet with a lariat by Jericho. Hook popped Jericho in the face with a right hand and followed up with a T-Bone. Roddy smashed Hook with a lung blower. Orange rocketed out of the ring with a tope to Bryan Keith. Mark Briscoe launched himself off the chair and flipped onto Big Bill outside the ring! Roddy tried for End of Heartache on Hook, but Hook vaulted over. Hook locked Roddy in the RedRum and Roddy tapped out.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #4: Ricochet def. Kyle Fletcher
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Fletcher hit a shoulder block on Ricochet. Ricochet hit a beautiful dropkick on Fletcher. Fletcher flew out of the ring with a tope suicida on Ricochet. Fletcher smashed Ricochet with a running boot, knocking Ricochet over the barricade. Ricochet fired back with a meteora from the barricade. Ricochet cracked Kyle with forearms and then headbutted Fletcher, knocking him to the mat. Ricochet followed up with a springboard clothesline. Ricochet hit a springboard back elbow on Fletcher. Ricochet connected with a running shooting star press for a near fall. Ricochet chopped Fletcher but Fletcher rallied back with a running clothesline. Ricochet flew out of the ring, knocking Fletcher into the barricade with a flying shoulder block. Fletcher blocked a diving splash with both boots. Fletcher rocked Ricochet with a brain buster for a near fall! Fletcher was stopped in his tracks by a pump kick. Ricochet drilled Fletcher with a Death Valley Driver. Ricochet nailed Fletcher with Vertigo and picked up the pinfall victory!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Another week where matches are sacrificed for promos but post-All In I think AEW needed a lot of promos and talking head segments – mainly to kick-start new feuds and new storylines headed into All Out. Speaking of promos, Jon Moxley was back and delivered a super-cryptic line that set fans ablaze, me included! In terms of matches, this week’s Dynamite delivered across the board, with only one quasi-squash – and that was well-placed and well-timed to further Jamie Hayter’s return to AEW. We also got the first singles match from Ricochet and it did not disappoint; and neither did THAT opening match between Hangman and Ishii – what a cracking start to the show! A great episode despite a lack of wrestling.
