CONTAINS SPOILERS
AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live on TBS from the Blue Arena in Loveland, CO!
Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
The returning MJF kicked off the show!
MJF: “Cut my music! Cut my music! MJF is back! I’m here to put everybody on notice. While I was out nursing my wounds, sitting at home, I’m watching a ton of children make bold claims on my show. I’ve got one guy walking around saying he’s the ‘Rainmaker.’ The guy can’t even afford a gym membership.
“Another guy was swerving around, claiming he’s the leader of the Mogul Embassy. Hell of a leader. They turned on you. The part that offended me is that you referred to yourself as a business mogul. The most egregious claim was from a cockney walking around saying, ‘Oy, I’m the best in the world, bruv.’ That’s real interesting Willie. Last time I checked you’re not Kenny Omega, Danielson, Cody, Moxley, but you know who happened to beat all of them? That’s right…MJF. So the next time you want to come on my show and lie, watch your tone and check your mouth. Silly Billy, you’re not the best in the world, bruv. I am!
“In five short years I became the face of AEW. I became the most hated man walking this planet only to become the most beloved. And that doesn’t happen by accident. So imagine how I felt when I went home after carrying this place and people had the audacity to smear my name. Revisionists trying to revise my name, my legacy…”
Rush walked onto the ramp and interrupted MJF!
Rush: “You never shut up! Listen to me but listen well. While you’ve been gone, I’ve been here working hard, wrestling, winning. So now you come back, and you get a big celebration. Where’s my celebration? Where’s my big moment? I’m going to take your spot because when you mess with the bull, you get the horns!”
MJF: “OK, listen, I didn’t get any of that. Rush, can you run that by us one more time?”
Rush: “I said—”
MJF: “We don’t give a s—t! At one point in time, I paid a lot of money for you to take out Bryan Danielson. I know how talented you are. You sold out arena after arena in Mexico. You came to the U.S. and in record time you became ROH World Champion. But here’s the problem. I ain’t one of the best. I’m the best. But out of respect, love and admiration for you, I want to tell you how interrupting me made me feel. I’m better than you and—”
Rush charged the ring and Rush and MJF began to brawl! Christopher Daniels, interim executive vice president and AEW security jumped into the ring to try to separate Rush and MJF!
4-Way AEW International Title #1 Contender Match!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy
vs.
Kyle O’Reilly
vs.
Jay Lethal (with Sonjay Dutt)
vs.
Rey Fenix (with Alex Abrahantes)!
The winner faces Will Ospreay next week on Dynamite for his International Championship!
Lethal landed a kick on Kyle, sending Kyle out of the ring. Orange jumped off the turnbuckles with a crossbody press to Lethal. Cassidy dropkicked Kyle. Fenix hit a huge arm drag off the turnbuckles on Orange. Lethal blindsided Rey Fenix. Kyle and Fenix had the same idea, went for round kicks, and knocked one another down!
Orange went for a Stundog Millionaire, but Kyle countered with an arm bar. Rey Fenix splashed Kyle as the arm bar was on Orange.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Lethal blocked a DDT from Orange and transitioned into a figure four leg lock. Fenix went for a stomp on them, but Kyle grabbed Fenix in a guillotine. Kyle locked Lethal in an arm bar. Orange nailed Rey Fenix with a spinning DDT! Lethal caught Orange in a Lethal Combination! Lethal blasted Kyle with the Lethal Injection. Lethal went for the figure four on Fenix but Rey Fenix rolled up Lethal with a cradle and pinned Lethal!
“Fenix gets a shot at the International Championship next week on Dynamite!” said Taz.
After the match, Don Callis and Trent Beretta walked to the ring. Callis gave Trent a steel chair. Orange grabbed a steel chain and wrapped it around his fist. Kris Statlander jumped into the ring and begged Orange to back off!
Stokely Hathaway: “Don’t underestimate her!”
Statlander clocked Cassidy with a cheap shot!
Willow Nightingale sprinted to the ring and Statlander retreated from the ring with Stokely!
An SUV pulled up outside the arena. It was FTW Champion “The Learning Tree” Chris Jericho with Big Bill and the “Bad Apple” Bryan Keith!
Jericho grabbed the camera from the camera man! “You need to hold this so it’s not shaky,” said Jericho. Chris Jericho said the camera man needed more practice and to follow them inside the arena.
Renee Paquette interviewed Willow Nightingale backstage!
Willow: “Congrats Mercedes for today, but one day there is a score to settle. But I trusted Kris and she betrayed my trust. I always talk about this smile, but after being stabbed in the back, you don’t know how dangerous that can be.”
Orange Cassidy walked by, and fist bumped Willow.
Interim EVP Christopher Daniels walked out to make an announcement!
CD: “On June 30th at Forbidden Door, we will crown a new TNT Champion in a ladder match. Last week I announced qualifying matches would be taking place and we’re going to have another qualifying match right now!”
TNT Ladder Match Qualifier!
ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe vs. “The Machine” Brian Cage!
Tony Schiavone noted that “The Alpha” Takeshita has already qualified.
Cage whipped Mark into the corner, but Mark fired back with redneck kung fu. Briscoe booted Brian in the mush, sending Cage to the arena floor. Briscoe connected with a diving dropkick. Brian Cage bulldozed Briscoe with a lariat. Cage suplexed Briscoe from outside the ring, over the top rope, and back into the ring the hard way!
Don Callis and Takeshita were scouting the match from up in the arena.
Briscoe flipped over the top rope and crash landed on Cage. Briscoe followed up with a shotgun off the top rope for a near fall.
Jack Perry was seen watching the match backstage.
Cage crushed Briscoe with a Weapon X for a near fall. Cage followed up with a spinning power bomb, but Briscoe kicked out at the two-count! Briscoe escaped a Drill Claw attempt. Briscoe smashed Cage with a boot across the jaw. Briscoe followed up with a Death Valley Driver. Briscoe climbed to the top rope and nailed Cage with a Froggy Bow for the pin fall victory!
Backstage Jack Perry had harsh words for Mark Briscoe!
Jack Perry: “Congratulations Mark Briscoe, you qualified. But what’s it going to matter? I’ve already proven that nobody is willing to sacrifice more than I am. So, Tony Khan can try to screw me over as many times as he wants. But I can’t be stopped. The universe has already chosen me and one way or another I am the next TNT Champion!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with Samoa Joe and HOOK!
Renee: “Is it safe to call you Hook’s new mentor?”
Samoa Joe: “I wouldn’t call it a mentorship…”
Tony Nese interrupted HOOK and mocked HOOK for eating a bag of chips.
HOOK: “You still losing matches?”
The Premier Athletes—Nese and Ariya Daivari grabbed the bag away from HOOK and mocked him. Samoa Joe held HOOK back.
Samoa Joe: “We’re going to handle that but we’re going to do it on our time.”
FTW Champion Chris Jericho was walking into the arena with Bryan Keith and Big Bill!
Jericho approached Matt Menard and Angelo Parker. Jericho congratulated them on their success after all the time they spent under the Learning Tree. “Daddy Magic taking over as the lead commentator on Rampage and doing a good job! And Angelo, a beautiful new bride with a baby on the way. Thanks guys!”
The Acclaimed—Max Caster, Anthony Bowens, and Daddy Ass walked to the ring.
Caster rapped and dropped some bars mocking The Young Bucks!
EVPs Matthew and Nicholas Jackson appeared on the big screen above the ramp and stopped Caster.
Nicholas: “Sorry, not sorry, but we had to cut your microphones.”
Matthew: “You should know better. Didn’t you read the AEW Employee Handbook? It says, ‘do not disparage your EVPs.’ Your segment is cut tonight!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana!
Swerve: “First of all, welcome back MJF, you little bitch. Finally, you show up to work and you mention my name. I’m going to deal with you. I have the signed contract right here for Forbidden Door. Prince Nana, I’m going to need for you to send this to Will Ospreay. So tonight, my match with Roderick Strong, understand you are dealing with the mountain of professional wrestling. I’m not just going to knock you off of it, I’m going to bury you under it.
“What’s been on my mind is the EVPs. Them winning at Double Or Nothing. I was rooting for Team AEW. Make sure the next time that you assemble Team AEW to represent Team AEW that you don’t forget the AEW World Champion.”
Excalibur announced that at AEW Forbidden Door on Sunday, June 30th, live on pay-per-view, it’ll be Title For Title! TBS Champion “The CEO” Mercedes Moné vs. NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer!
Eight-Man Grudge Match!
Blackpool Combat Club’s Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley, & ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta
vs.
Team CMLL—Mexican National Light Heavyweight Champion Esfinge, Magnus, Rugido, & Volador Jr.!
Yuta threw the first punch, going right after Esfinge. The match broke down right away with both teams brawling around the ring! Danielson and Rugido chopped at one another in the ring.
Claudio caught Volador Jr in midair! Esfinge dropkicked Claudio and Moxley and then wiped out Moxley with a tope! Yuta charged at Magnus with a clothesline. The BCC all clobbered Magnus with Yuta jumping off Claudio with the fastball special to put an exclamation point at the end of their flurry of offense!
Esfinge connected with thrust kicks to Claudio and Moxley. Esfinge sent Claudio flying with a monkey flip. Moxley rocked Esfinge with a cutter out of nowhere. Yuta grabbed Rugido with a suplex. Magnus splashed Yuta with running knees in the corner. Claudio intercepted Magnus and flung him around in the Giant Swing! Moxley dropkicked Magnus as Claudio was swinging Magnus.
Rugido power slammed Yuta for a near fall. Volador hit the déjà vu on Claudio but Danielson met him with a charging knee strike. Yuta planted Rugido and pinned him with the seatbelt!
“Let’s hear it for the kid,” said Schiavone.
A video package aired of Daniel Garcia back home in Buffalo, NY!
Garcia: “Life is too short for opportunities to come. You have to take it upon yourself. Last week I challenged Will Ospreay. You cannot outwork me!”
The Acclaimed went backstage to The Elite’s dressing room!
Security kept the Acclaimed away from the EVPs.
“Sooner or later, you’re going to have to deal with us,” said Bowens.
After a commercial break, EVPs Nicholas and Matthew Jackson had more business to attend to!
Christian Cage and the Patriarchy approached the EVPs.
Christian Cage: “Guys, it’s no secret I was screwed. But if there’s anyone, I can trust it’s the EVPs. I carried this company on my shoulder for the past year. I’m going to ask for another title shot.”
Matthew: “We love you to death. If we had it our way, we’d give all of you belts. But we still have some pull here. We’ll see what we can do. I promise you, you’re going to be happy. But for the future, how about you keep scratching our back, we’ll keep scratching your back.”
Saraya (with Harley Cameron and Zak Knight) vs. Mariah May!
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Saraya ambushed Mariah in the ring before the bell rang. Mariah fired back with a dropkick. Harley swung at Mariah outside the ring, but Mariah ducked it! Saraya was waiting for Mariah with a thrust kick. Saraya whipped Mariah into the barricade.
Back in the ring, May headbutted Saraya. Mariah cracked Saraya with a running elbow strike. Mariah wiped out Saraya with a diving dropkick off the top turnbuckle for a near fall. Mariah splashed Saraya with a hip attack for a two-count.
Saraya planted Mariah with a DDT out of nowhere, but Mariah kicked out! Saraya landed a thrust kick. Saraya tied up Mariah in a submission. Mariah had no choice but to submit. Toni got into the ring to check on Mariah, but Harley and Saraya attacked Toni and Mariah as Zak held back Luther!
Mina Shirakawa ran to the ring and clobbered Saraya and Harley with spinning back fists! Mina checked on Mariah. Toni took offense to this, and Mina and Toni had to be held apart by Mariah, who played peacemaker.
And it was made official for Forbidden Door: it’ll be champion “Timeless” Toni Storm defending her AEW Women’s World Championship against Mina Shirakawa!
Jericho approached Private Party backstage and suggested they change their name to Public Party.
Jericho invited them to TV Time with The Learning Tree Chris Jericho next week!
“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson was backstage and had some words about his last year as a full-time wrestler!
Danielson: “I said this was going to be my last year as a full-time wrestler. The truth is it hasn’t been what I wanted. I lost against Christian Cage. I lost in the Continental Classic. I lost against Okada at the Tokyo Dome. Every big match I lose, and I lose, and I lose. The straw that broke the camel’s back was losing at Anarchy In the Arena.
“I talked to Wheeler and saw how fired up he was to come back. And I realized my last year is not over yet. And when I heard Tony Khan announce that the winner of the Owen Hart Tournament is going to get a championship match for the AEW World Title at ALL IN: London at Wembley Stadium I got fired up one more time. This might be my last shot but it’s going to be the best shot I’ve had in my entire career and I’m going out on top!”
AEW World Championship Match!
Swerve Strickland (c.) (with Prince Nana)
vs.
Undisputed Kingdom’s Roderick Strong (with ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven and Mike Bennett)!
Roddy tripped Swerve and applied a front face lock. Swerve hip tossed Roderick. Swerve kicked Roddy’s knee, but Roddy avoided the House Call, rolling to the arena floor. Swerve targeted the knee of Roderick Strong. Swerve climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Taven distracted him long enough for Roderick to meet Swerve up there. Roderick dropped Swerve across the top turnbuckle with a vicious back breaker!
“A big assist by Matt Taven turned the tables,” said Schiavone.
Swerve swept out Roddy’s legs and catapulted Roddy into the steel ring post! Roddy charged at Swerve in the ring but Swerve dodged him. Swerve cracked Roddy with a flying European Uppercut. Swerve wiped out Roddy with a flatliner. Swerve followed up with a brain buster for a near fall.
Swerve was looking for Big Pressure, but Roddy grabbed Swerve’s tights and rolled him up for a near fall after a distraction from Bennett. Roderick rolled out of the way of the House Call. Roddy yanked Swerve off the apron into the waiting arms of Taven and Bennett. Roddy rammed Swerve into the steel steps and then planted Swerve on the ring apron!
“This has been a battle here,” said Taz.
Roddy landed running elbow strikes and then power bombed Swerve for a near fall! Roddy connected with the Sick Kick for another near fall! Swerve caught Roddy with a thrust kick and then the Swerve Stomp over the top rope! Swerve hit the House Call and pinned Roderick to retain his championship!
“Roddy hurt his knee and couldn’t move out of the way of the House Call,” said Schiavone.
“And now we know at Forbidden Door it’ll be AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland facing the challenge of AEW International Champion Will Ospreay for the AEW World Championship!” added Excalibur.
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10/9c on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, IA
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA!
Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com