**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
This was night one of AEW’s special Grand Slam week—which will feature over 4 hours of explosive AEW TV programming on TNT on double supercards! The second night airs this Friday on TNT on a special 2-hour edition of RAMPAGE!
Tonight’s historic AEW DYNAMITE: Grand Slam was held live from Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, NY!
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, and Excalibur were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
The show opened with a DREAM MATCH!
AEW World Champion Kenny Omega (with Don Callis) vs. “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!
“This is truly a dream match,” said Excalibur.
Paul Turner was the referee. The fans were going bonkers before the two wrestlers even locked up.
“New York is AEW country, you can hear it,” said Excalibur.
Danielson was being calm, letting the moment sink in. Omega and Danielson finally locked up with a collar and elbow tie-up. Omega chopped at Danielson, but it didn’t bother The American Dragon. Danielson fired back with a mid-kick, knocking Omega onto the mat.
“He’s forcing Omega down to the mat,” observed Excalibur.
Omega cartwheeled his way around a monkey flip attempt from Danielson. “The American Dragon” wrenched at Omega’s wrist. He sent the AEW World Champ into the corner turnbuckles and rocked Omega with chops and kicks. Omega absorbed them and retaliated with chops of his own. Danielson had enough and flipped Omega over the top rope and then rocketed to the outside onto Omega with a tope suicida!
Danielson jumped off the top turnbuckle with a knee to Omega’s arm, likely softening him up for a submission move.
“Bryan Danielson is dictating the pace of this match,” said Excalibur.
Omega was able to shift the momentum of the match on a dime, stomping on Danielson after sending him into the ropes.
“Look at Danielson’s chest. It’s starting to well up,” said Tony Schiavone.
Omega Irish whipped Danielson and met him with a hard knee to the abdomen. Then Omega began to punish Danielson’s spine with kicks, one after another.
“Omega keeping the pressure on Danielson. Those strikes—they seem to have stopped Bryan Danielson at least momentarily,” said Excalibur.
Omega attempted a moonsault but Danielson got his knees up to counter just in damn.
“Maybe the knees up here has turned things around,” said Schiavone.
“This has turned into an absolute firefight,” said Excalibur.
Danielson walloped Omega with a hurracanrana for a near fall. Omega planted Danielson with a hurracanrana of his own! Omega launched himself over the top rope and smashed down onto “The American Dragon”!
The fans were chanting “This is awesome!”
Danielson rolled up Omega, but Omega countered with a roll up of his own. Danielson escaped and applied the Cattle Mutilation submission. Omega was able to touch the bottom rope to force the ref to break the hold. Danielson flew off the top rope onto the ramp and nailed Omega with a knee! Omega countered Danielson’s knee strikes with a snap dragon suplex!
“That is as solid as concrete and Danielson’s head was just driven into it by Omega,” said Excalibur.
“That is a gamechanger,” replied Tony Schiavone.
Omega got a running head start on the ramp and blasted Danielson with a massive V-Trigger! Omega followed up with a bucklebomb!
“That looked like a car crash!” said Jim Ross.
Omega hit Danielson with a missile dropkick for a near fall! Omega used a heel kick to Bryan’s spine. Omega was looking for an avalanche dragon suplex but Danielson escaped, dodging the proverbial bullet. Danielson used an avalanche back suplex on Omega, and both men hit the mat hard!
“These two are kicking each other’s ass,” said Schiavone.
Danielson used a shoulder capture suplex for a near fall on Omega!
The fans were on their feet cheering!
“This crowd has not been silent yet,” said Jim Ross.
Omega was a bit slow getting to the top rope. Omega spiked Danielson with an avalanche dragon suplex for a near fall! Omega, wanting to end the match, connected with a V-Trigger! Omega lifted up Danielson for the One-Winged Angel, but Bryan countered with a reverse hurracanrana! Danielson went for a running knee but Omega countered!
“Omega is depleted,” said Excalibur.
“We all are!” said Schiavone.
Omega tried for a Phoenix Splash but Danielson rolled out of the way! Danielson rallied back with kicks and Omega finally dropped to the mat! Danielson held Omega’s arms and began to stomp on his face! Danielson was looking for the LeBell Lock but Omega got to the ropes! With less than a minute remaining, Danielson and Omega began trading offense! Time ran out as Danielson was applying the LeBell Lock! The match was a draw!
The SuperKliq ran to the ring to remove Danielson away from Omega. They superkicked Danielson! Christian Cage and the Jurassic Express sprinted to the ring to even up the odds!
In the ring, CM Punk spoke ahead of his match this Friday on RAMPAGE! This will be CM Punk’s first TV match in over seven years!
“How do you follow that match? It’s been a long time since I’ve been in New York City. It’s been an even longer time since professional wrestling has been in New York City. I hear people tell me that I need to be mad. That I need to be pissed off..that I need to be the old CM Punk. Be careful what you wish for.
“Hobbs, Taz, half of Team Taz is from here and they don’t even like you. Last week on DYNAMITE, they tricked me. Hobbs jumped me and they tried to put me through a table. Yes, it pissed me off. But when my music hits and I step out onto that stage, I can’t help but feel the way I feel. That pissed off feeling goes away. Yes, it’s a love fest. Yes, I’m smiling. Yes, I’m happy to see you!
“Of course, I think what they attempted to do was take all of this away from me. They don’t want to hear ‘Cult of Personality’ or see ‘happy CM Punk’ enjoying the fans. And then I get pissed off because it’s been so long since I felt this and since I needed this! I get pissed off because nobody is going to take this away from me. This is mine once again!
“Team Taz, Hobbs, you should have picked me back up and you should have finished the job. You should have put me through the table. You made a mistake and you let me live. And you slept on the legend of CM Punk. And it’s not my job to wake you up. It’s my job to tuck you in. Friday…RAMPAGE, ‘Powerhouse’ Hobbs goes to sleep!”
Up next: MJF (with Wardlow) vs. Brian Pillman, Jr. (with Julia Hart)!
Pillman took down MJF with a double leg! He followed up with forearms! MJF poked Pillman in the eyes but Pillman sent MJF flying with a hip toss and a backdrop!
MJF slapped Pillman in the face, and Pillman fired back with a heavy slap to MJF! Pillman rolled up MJF with a sunset flip for a near fall. MJF sent Pillman shoulder-first to the canvas!
“We are watching MJF just dismantle Brian Pillman, Jr. before our eyes,” said Excalibur.
Pillman fought back with a high cross body press on MJF! He blasted MJF with a thrust kick! Pillman powerslammed MJF!
MJF rolled to the outside and used Julia Hart as a human shield. MJF grabbed Julia’s wrist and while he was distracted, Pillman connected with a dropkick to MJF’s jaw! Pillman tried for a dropkick on MJF back in the ring, but MJF countered with the Salt of the Earth armbar and forced Pillman to tap out!
Alex Marvez was backstage with Chris Jericho and Jake Hager!
“Men of the Year—you’re going to get spanked,” said Hager.
“Big Hoss and Le Champion are the hardest hitting team in AEW. Jake and I are feral. We’re hungry and we’re ready to snack on some MMA meatheads on RAMPAGE!” added Jericho.
“The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes (with Brandi Rhodes & “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson) vs. Malakai Black!
“It’s great to see Cody back in the ring,” said Schiavone.
Malakai Black and Cody Rhodes traded offense but Malakai swept out Cody’s legs. Cody rolled out of the ring. Brandi got in the ring and flipped off Malakai. Cody ran into the ring from the other side but Malakai Black applied an Octopus-like submission on Cody!
Cody connected with a boot to Black! Cody jumped off the top rope toward Black who was on the ramp, but Black countered with a strike! He brought Cody back into the ring and followed up with more strikes—punches and swift kicks!
Malakai Black nearly decapitated Cody with a roundhouse kick! Cody was hit so hard he flew out of the ring! Cody rolled back into the ring just in time. Black attempted to pin him but Cody lifted up a boot to the rope to stop the ref’s count!
Cody rallied back with a chop block to Malakai Black! Cody hit a second chop block, and then used a dragon screw on Black!
“Cody is looking for retribution for his entire family,” said Jim Ross.
Malakai Black caught Cody in the back of the ear with a back elbow. Black countered CrossRhodes, hurling Cody halfway across the ring, using Cody’s momentum against him!
Cody hit the Cody Cutter and then the CrossRhodes for a near fall on Malakai Black! Arn Anderson jumped on the ring apron. Cody collided with Arn inadvertently! Cody went to check on Arn but Arn told him to concentrate on Black!
Cody started to wear out Black with body shots. Malakai Black sprayed a black mist into Cody’s eyes and rolled him up for victory!
FTR—Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood (with Tully Blanchard) vs. Sting and Darby Allin!
“Sting is painted for war here tonight,” said Excalibur.
Dax lured Sting toward FTR’s corner and then FTR began to double team Sting. Seconds later, Sting scoop slammed Cash and Dax!
FTR went right back to the corner to double team Sting again! Dax dropped a leg on Sting, good for a one-count. Sting knocked Dax down to the mat with a shoulder tackle.
Darby tagged in and blasted FTR with a shotgun dropkick and then two consecutive Coffin Drops. He tried for a third Coffin Drop but FTR caught him and slammed Darby onto the edge of the ring!
Sting tagged in and hit Harwood with a spinebuster for a near fall!
“These two teams are pushing each other to the limit and they’ve got more left in the tank!” said Tony Schiavone.
Sting connected with a crossbody on Dax for a very close near fall. Cash baited in Sting and Dax rolled up Sting for a near fall!
Dax lifted up Sting for a tombstone piledriver but Sting countered, looking for a Scorpion Death Drop but instead he connected with a Stinger splash on FTR! Tully Blanchard handed Dax a chair in the corner. Sting didn’t realize there was a chair. Sting ran in for a splash but Dax moved out of the way. Before Sting smashed into the chair, he stopped himself and instead clocked Tully Blanchard!
Sting made Dax tap out with the Scorpion Deathlock after Darby sacrificed himself with a Coffin Drop on Cash!
Main Event Time!
AEW Women’s World Championship Match!
AEW Women’s World Champion Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. (with Rebel & Jamie Hayter) vs. Ruby Soho!
Ruby used a back heel trip and quickly turned it into a dirty fight. Britt fish hooked Ruby.
Ruby dazed Dr. Britt Baker with a knee to the face! Baker bailed to the outside. Ruby Soho launched herself off the top rope to the outside onto Rebel and Hayter. Britt Baker hit a thrust kick on Ruby and then a swinging neck breaker on the challenger on the outside of the ring!
Things broke down into a slugfest with Ruby then headbutting the AEW Women’s World Champion. Britt Baker ran across the ring with a sling blade clothesline. Rebel gave Baker the surgical glove and Baker tried for the curb stomp but Ruby dodged it!
Ruby catapulted Baker into the turnbuckles! Ruby Soho used a senton onto Baker for a near fall!
“The strong legs of Britt got her out of that,” said Tony Schiavone.
Ruby charged in but Britt got a boot up. Britt followed up with a stiff neck breaker for a near fall! Britt nailed Ruby with an Avalanche Air Raid Crash for a near fall! Britt curb stomped Ruby’s head for another near fall!
“Ruby escapes every time. What perseverance!” said Tony Schiavone.
Ruby kicked Baker with the No Future! Jamie Hayter jumped onto the apron and distracted Ruby. Baker used the opportunity to apply the Lock Jaw submission to Ruby Soho and forced her to tap out!
“Britt Baker, Rebel, and Jamie Hayter stole the AEW Women’s World Championship from Ruby Soho tonight,” said Excalibur.
Don’t miss the special 2-hour edition of AEW RAMPAGE: Grand Slam this Friday at 10/9c on TNT!
Be sure to tune in next Wednesday to AEW DYNAMITE live on TNT (8pm ET/7pm CT) from Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!