CONTAINS SPOILERS
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, IN!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
The final Dynamite before Dynasty on pay-per-view this Sunday kicked off with newly crowned IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley making his way to the ring!
Mox: “20 years ago, I was swimming upstream when I won one of my first championships. I never had help. My message: watch me. Watch me as a climb mountain after mountain. Being great is not about what other people say, it’s about what’s inside.
“This is the IWGP Championship. This championship is steeped in history. It is illustrious to the extreme and I have been chasing it for five years. Five years of pints of sweat and blood, thousands of miles across the ocean and back again. Me holding this wasn’t impossible if people knew what is inside of me. How deep can you dig when you are choking on your own blood? Are you willing to prove the doubters wrong? That’s what AEW is about!
“Which brings me to my point. This Don Callis Family, some very talented individuals have got themselves in league with Don Callis. He’s a creep. He’s feeding them lies and they are buying them. And over the weekend they put a hit out and tried to injure my teammate, Bryan Danielson. If you put a target on his back, you might as well put one on mine.
“If you guys want to be tough guys, you’re welcome to come find me. But I suspect I’m not your type. Here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to pick the biggest, meanest, baddest one of you—Powerhouse Hobbs. And I’m going to challenge him to a match in the main event one week from tonight at Dynamite. And I’m not going to make it quick or easy. I’m going to drag him to the deepest waters, and he’ll see no shoreline and he’ll sink to the bottom of the ocean. And he’ll know the difference between me and him and that Don Callis is feeding him lies. No one can touch me and there is only one Jon Moxley!”
Backstage we heard from “The CEO” Mercedes Moné!
Moné: “Last week somebody attacked me in the dark because they were too afraid to face me in the light. But as the CEO I always get back up and I can’t wait to pay back that bitch that attacked me. Lights off? That sounds too familiar Julia Hart? I didn’t picture you as such a coward, or maybe it’s someone who wants me to think it was you.
“Maybe it’s somebody who doesn’t want to face me at Double or Nothing when I’m all healthy. Either way, I’m putting the entire woman’s division on notice. And Willow and Julia, I look forward to watching your mixed tag match tonight, because remember, there’s a price to pay when you mess with Mercedes Moné!”
Mixed Tag Match!
TNT Champion Adam Copeland & Willow Nightingale
Vs. House of Black’s Brody King & TBS Champion Julia Hart!
Willow had been attacked backstage. Stokely Hathaway and Kris Statlander were checking on her.
The lights went on in the arena! The lights came back on and Brody King blindsided Adam Copeland in the ring!
Brody whipped Copeland into the barricade and chopped him. Brody clobbered Copeland with forearms while Julia laughed. Brody charged at Copeland and splashed him against the barricade!
Copeland headbutted Brody and knocked him off the top turnbuckle. Copeland followed up with a flying clothesline. They traded forearms and chops in the center of the ring. Copeland staggered Brody with a clubbing lariat. Copeland ran in with a high boot to Brody’s jaw. Copeland landed the Impaler, but Brody kicked out at the two-count!
Adam Copeland nailed Brody King with a flipping neck breaker. Copeland attempted a spear, but Brody countered with a lariat. Brody went for a flipping cannonball in the corner, but Copeland dodged it!
Willow Nightingale made her way to the ring! Willow tagged herself in and connected with a cross body press to Brody. Willow went for Julia, but Julia backed off! Copeland rocked Brody with a spear! Willow cannonballed Brody in the corner! Julia dropped Willow with a knockout punch, her fist wrapped in a steel chain! Julia locked in Heartless on Willow and Julia won via ref stoppage!
“She’s out! She’s out!” said Excalibur.
“That chain did the damage,” added Taz.
“The CEO” Mercedes Moné made her way to the ring with a steel chair! Julia made a hasty retreat, seeing Mercedes wielding the steel chair!
Mercedes dropped the chair and Copeland shook Mercedes’ hand.
Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW World Champion Samoa Joe!
Samoa Joe: “How do I view Swerve as an opponent? Right now, he’s a nuisance. He’s just somebody who keeps standing up no matter how many times I knock him down, like he’s a punching bag.
“Let’s talk about Swerve’s track record. It seems like every championship he’s challenged for he’s come up short, like he chokes. At Dynasty, I will cement my legacy as the greatest AEW World Champion of all time. And Swerve, you’re a choke artist, but at Dynasty, you don’t have to worry about it because I’ll be choking you out instead.”
Trios Bout!
The Elite—AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada & The Young Bucks—Matthew & Nicholas Jackson
vs.
Daniel Garcia and Death Triangle—PAC & Penta El Zero Miedo!
Pac was in the ring, staring down Okada, ahead of their match at Dynasty. The Young Bucks ambushed Pac from behind and stomped on him. Pac got back to his feet and cracked Nicholas with kicks. Penta and Pac used tandem offense on Nicholas.
Garcia tagged in and dropped Nicholas with a butterfly suplex and a lariat. Okada tripped up Garcia from the apron. Nicholas blindsided Garcia with a running kick from the apron. Matthew had a microphone and commentated during the match, telling Garcia to “show me something!”
Garcia hit Matthew with a suplex and tagged Pac. “The Bastard” walloped Matthew with a German Suplex! Pac took down the Bucks with a double dropkick from the top rope! Pac followed up with a moonsault to the Bucks on the floor!
Pac invited Okada into the ring, but Matthew hit Pac from behind. Okada and the Bucks triple teamed Pac in the corner. Okada planted Pac with a neck breaker and went for the pin, but Penta ran in to break up the cover.
Penta tagged in and served up Sling Blades to the Bucks. Penta smashed Okada with the Made in Japan for a near fall. Pac came over the top rope with a cutter on Matthew!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Pac plastered Okada with a thrust kick! Pac climbed to the top rope, but Matthew Jackson swept out Pac’s leg, and Pac crashed onto the mat. Garcia tagged in and smacked Okada with chops, but Okada connected with a beautiful dropkick.
After help from the Bucks, Okada stuffed Garcia with a tombstone piledriver. Okada ducked a sling blade from Penta and spiked Penta with a tombstone. The Bucks blasted Garcia with a superkick party, and then Okada finished off Garcia with the Rainmaker clothesline for the pin!
After the match, the Bucks rocked Garcia with the EVP Trigger! Nicholas brought a ladder into the ring. Nicholas body slammed Garcia onto the ladder. They sandwiched Garcia inside the ladder. Nicholas went up top, but Pac chased the Elite out of the ring with the bell hammer!
Up next: Taz brokered a meeting between FTW Champion HOOK & “Lionheart” Chris Jericho in the ring!
Taz: “I’m just here to make sure everything goes nice and easy. So that being said, Chris, the floor is yours.”
Jericho: “Hook, I just want to thank you for being out here. I pulled you off the apron last week because I wanted to get your attention and let you know I didn’t feel you were listening to me as much as you should. Keep this in mind I’m doing this all for you, Hook.
“Some people say I’m the greatest of all time at this. Hook, I am the learning tree. Think about how everyone who has listened to my pearls of wisdom has gotten to the next level. Everyone who entered the Jericho vortex has gone on to the next level. I know I can get you to the top. So, what do you say, Hook? Are your ready to put this animosity aside and sit under the learning tree?”
Hook: “No!”
Jericho: “What do you mean, no?”
Hook: “I don’t need your help.”
Jericho: “Dude, don’t be stupid.”
Taz: “Relax.”
Jericho: “Stop, I’m just doing what you should have done 30 years ago and given this kid some proper guidance. You need to get rid of this dead weight that’s been surrounding you your entire life. Right here, right now, you’re not ready. You’re not as good as you think you are, Hook.”
Taz: “Chris, you’re getting—”
Jericho shoved Taz to the mat! Hook walked up to Jericho and shoved him into the corner.
Hook: “You crossed the line. You want to see how good I am. I’ll show you, any time, any place, anywhere. Now get out of my ring!”
Jericho left the ring, trying to apologize to Hook, to no avail.
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Swerve Strickland!
Swerve: “I heard what Samoa Joe said. Do you believe what he said, Renee? Do you think I’m a choke artist? I don’t think I am either. I’ve always fallen forward into success. I’ve been stapled and my body thrown in barb wire, and I got back up. A couple weeks ago I got knocked in the face with a chain, and I’m still here. I always get back up. So, Joe, you can call me whatever you want. Guess what? This Sunday at Dynasty, you’re going to be calling me new AEW World Champion.
“Samoa Joe, I’m going to tell it to your face tonight!”
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo vs. Mariah May!
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm and Luther accompanied Mariah May to the ring.
Deonna grappled Mariah to the mat and went for an arm bar, but Mariah rolled out of the ring. Mariah avoided a sliding dropkick and whipped Deonna into the barricade. Deonna pulled Mariah into the ring with a DDT for a near fall.
Mariah rallied back with a wicked forearm. Mariah shoved Deonna out of the ring. Deonna answered with heavy chops back in the ring. Deonna blasted Mariah with a pump kick for a near fall.
Mariah escaped a power bomb attempt and rocked Deonna with a head butt. Mariah landed a hip attack and then spiked Deonna with a DDT off the ropes for a two-count. Deonna countered the May Day attempt, rolled up Mariah and pinned her!
After the match, Toni Storm and Mariah May double teamed Deonna with stomps and kicks! Thunder Rosa sprinted to the ring to even up the odds! Thunder Rosa took down Toni Storm and then wiped out Mariah May. Deonna shoved at Thunder Rosa, telling her she didn’t need Thunder Rosa’s help!
Mariah May swept out Deonna’s legs, pulled her outside the ring and began striking her. Toni Storm snuck up from behind and tried for the Storm Zero on Thunder Rosa, but Thunder Rosa blocked it. Thunder Rosa smeared lip stick all over Toni Storm’s face and then Storm retreated!
Renee Paquette was backstage with ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Bang Bang Gang— “Switchblade” Jay White and The Gunns!
Jay White: “We’ve been having a blast the past couple of months. This Sunday at Dynasty, surprise, surprise, we want the AEW World Trios Champs, The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass in a match, winner take all!”
After a commercial break, AEW World Trios Champs The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass accepted the Bang Bang Gang’s challenge!
Max also challenged the Gunns to a tag match against the Acclaimed this Saturday on Collision!
Excalibur informed us that Tony Khan made the match official for this Sunday during AEW Dynasty: Zero Hour—it’ll be Title For Titles—AEW World Trios Champions The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass vs. ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Bullet Club Gold!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy vs. Shane Taylor Promotions’ Shane Taylor (with Lee Moriarty & Anthony Ogogo)!
Cassidy cracked Taylor with two consecutive dropkicks. Taylor countered a DDT with a stunner. Moriarty stomped Cassidy outside the ring as the ref was distracted by Shane Taylor. Shane smashed Orange with a thunderous chop in the corner.
Orange rallied back with a Stun Dog Millionaire and then tope suicidas to Lee and Anthony. Taylor avoided an Orange Punch and pulped Orange with a lariat! Orange tried a second time and connected with the Orange Punch. Orange used another Orange Punch, flattened Taylor and pinned him!
After the match, Lee Moriarty got in the ring and held back Orange while Anthony Ogogo wiped out Orange with a brutal punch! Matt Sydal and Christopher Daniels ran down to make the save, but Trent was there to stop them, cracking them with a steel chair!
“Trent’s not letting anybody help Orange!” said Tony Schiavone.
Shane Taylor Promotions continued to punish Orange in the ring while Trent watched on from the ramp, turning his back to Orange!
Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli vs. The Don Callis Family’s Will Ospreay!
Don Callis joined commentary for this match.
Claudio charged Will at the start of the match! Claudio dropped Ospreay with a European Uppercut! Ospreay fired back with a running boot. Will followed Claudio outside the ring and chopped him. Claudio rammed Will into the barricade.
Will hit a flying forearm off the barricade. Claudio came back with a double stomp to Will’s ribs. They traded forearms and elbow strikes in the center of the ring. Ospreay rallied back with the Déjà vu! Will jumped over the top rope to Claudio outside the ring, but Claudio caught Will and countered with a back breaker to the apron!
“The Aerial Assassin” cracked Claudio with a springboard forearm. Claudio hit a European Uppercut. Will stayed on the attack and applied a sharpshooter on Claudio. Claudio escaped and applied a sharpshooter of his own! Claudio transitioned to a cross face submission, but Ospreay countered with a rollup for a near fall.
Ospreay planted Claudio with a Tiger Driver for a two-count! Claudio poked Will in the eyes and hammered Will with forearms. Will reversed a Ricola Bomb with a hurracanrana for a two-count!
The fans chanted “A-E-W! A-E-W!”
Will went for the Os-Cutter, but Claudio caught him and planted Will on the mat for a near fall! Claudio charged at Will, but Will countered with a Spanish Fly! Will went for the Hidden Blade, but Claudio countered with a pop up European Uppercut! Claudio signaled for the Giant Swing! Claudio put Will in the Giant Swing, but Will countered with a DDT! Ospreay hit the Cancun Tornado on Claudio, but Claudio kicked out at two! Ospreay smashed Claudio with the hidden blade and finally scored the pin!
Powerhouse Hobbs, Takeshita, and Kyle Fletcher attacked Claudio after the match! Ospreay left the ring. Jon Moxley ran to the ring, but Hobbs and Fletcher tried to swarm Moxley. Hobbs and Moxley traded strikes until Hobbs left the ring!
“Ospreay is pissed at those guys, and he screamed at Fletcher,” said Schiavone.
Excalibur said that this Saturday at Collision, Tony Khan has announced:
-The Elite vs. Pac & FTR!
-A Bunkhouse Brawl—Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Kyle Fletcher & Konosuke Takeshita!
Up next: Swerve Strickland came to the ring with Prince Nana!
Swerve: “So as you know, this Sunday in the main event of Dynasty, you got Swerve Strickland challenging Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship. With that being said, I was asked earlier tonight, how do I know I’m going to beat Samoa Joe? And that answer is simple: remember last week when I knocked you on the floor, Samoa Joe?
“I held your championship above my head, and you were scared. The fear, the fact that you know I am going to beat you for that championship. I’m out here waiting for you to come out so I can say it to your face like a man.”
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe came down the ramp, but AEW Security tried to hold him back! Swerve jumped off the top rope and wiped out the security team with a Swerve Stomp! Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland began to brawl! Samoa Joe whipped Swerve into the steel ring steps!
As Samoa Joe was about to hit Prince Nana, Swerve blasted Samoa Joe with the House Call kick! Swerve climbed to the top turnbuckle but Samoa Joe headbutted Swerve. Samoa Joe crunched Swerve with a Muscle Buster! Samoa Joe stood tall over Swerve Strickland and raised his World Championship overhead!
***Special Programming Note: Three hours of action! Don’t miss AEW Collision & Rampage live on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, IL!
Get ready for AEW DYNASTY, live on pay-per-view, this Sunday, April 21st at 8pm ET/5pm PT from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO!
Catch the fallout from AEW DYNASTY on AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL!
Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com
And remember… We are AEW—Where The Best Wrestle!