**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the MVP Arena in Albany, NY!
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!
Grand Slam Tournament of Champions Semi-Finals Match!
Jon Moxley vs. Sammy Guevara!
Lord William Regal joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Mox went to grab Sammy and Sammy immediately jumped out of the ring.
“He’s playing head games with Jon Moxley,” said Taz.
Moxley grabbed a headlock and took Sammy down to the mat. Mox backed Sammy into the corner but Sammy escaped and began to beat down Mox with strikes and boots. Mox fired back with a King Kong Lariat, turning Sammy inside out!
Mox and Sammy traded chops. Sammy went over the top rope to Mox on the arena floor with a tope con hiro and followed up with a tornillo! Sammy rammed Moxley’s skull into the steel ring steps!
Sammy was looking for a piledriver but Moxley defended with a headbutt. Mox planted Sammy on the ring apron.
“Guevara rocked on the outside,” said Excalibur.
Moxley blasted Sammy with lariats. Moxley dug his fingers into Sammy’s back and then bit on Sammy’s forehead. Moxley took Sammy down with a butterfly suplex for a near fall. Moxley applied an arm bar but Sammy transitioned out with a crab. Mox escaped but ate a springboard cutter from Sammy for a near fall!
Sammy hoisted Mox for the GTH but Mox countered by transitioning into the bulldog choke. Mox went for the King Kong Lariat but Sammy countered with the Spanish Fly for a two-count!
“This is awesome! This is awesome! This is awesome!” chanted the fans.
Tay Melo and Anna Jay stormed out to the ring! Anna jumped on the ring apron and distracted the ref. Tay entered the ring from the other side and kicked Moxley with a low blow. Sammy tried to cover Moxley but Mox kicked out. Sammy jumped with a senton atomico but Moxley dodged it!
Sammy fired off forearms to Moxley and then caught Mox under the jaw with a thrust kick! Sammy went for the GTH but Moxley countered with the Death Rider and then pinned Sammy!
Jon Moxley is advancing in the tournament!
“Massive victory! Mox might be one step closer to being the world champ,” said Taz.
Excalibur informed us that MJF was making a scene in the back and was demanding a microphone!
MJF came out to the ring!
MJF: “Albany, keep your fat mouths shut! Seven days, Jon Moxley. Seven long days I haven’t slept a wink since you and I came toe-to-toe last week. It’s because I saw the look in your eyes. You had the look of a man with no fear. And it pisses me off. You must have me confused with somebody else.
“I’m not the same kid I was the last time we crossed paths, Jon. I’m not playing a character, Jon. You are. You’re a joke!
“But I read your book, Jon. I especially loved the part where you talked about your childhood. You were raised the same way as these people—uneducated, poor, from the sticks. You got bullied, didn’t you Jon?
“When stuff like that happens it forces men to put on a front. These people might buy it but I don’t. And deep down you’re still that scared little boy from the slums of Cincinnati. But I’ll give you credit. You kicked your habit. You slayed your demons. You defeated your disease. But my brain is far more dangerous than your disease. Bad things happen when people get in MJF’s way.
“So Mox how about you take that vacation you were planning, bud. Make no mistake, Albany, it’s my title! When you came back from your rehab, you talked about that demon that hung over your head. No this Jon Moxley, if you don’t tread lightly, you will learn that I am that demon. I am a demon you can’t slay!
“Now Albany, let’s get down to business. A young group of gentlemen helped me procure my chip in the ladder match. Allow me to introduce the first stable on retainer, led by a man I have known since I’ve been 19—Stokely Hathaway and the Firm!”
Stokely Hathaway and the Firm walked down to the ring!
MJF gave the microphone to Stokely and then left to let Stokely address the crowd.
Stokely: “Albany, I know it’s not Sunday. But you’re about to hear some Gospel. Sometime ago I flew from Orlando to meet my friend MJF. He wanted to quit AEW until I told him if you quit, you’d give these people exactly what they wanted.
“So we sat down and prayed and prayed and we came up with a logical solution. Everyone in the ring—on retainer. When MJF doesn’t need us, we will go our separate ways.
“I’m not a publicist. I’m not a manager. And I’m not an assistant. Who am I? I’m a friend. A friend who has a network who can make anything and everything happen.
“Everything I’ve done since Double Or Nothing has been a hustle to infiltrate the system. There’s not one rock that I haven’t unturned. There’s nothing like good ol’ fashioned blackmail.
“So let’s talk about what everything is here for. Morrissey, you want to do whatever you want. We appreciate you and we love you. Lee Moriarty—I think it’s time for this young man to become a star and bring some honor back to the Ring of Honor Pure Championship.
“And the Gunn’s—they are not boys, they are men. And they no longer want to walk in the shadow of their daddy. And you will take them seriously.
“Ethan Page, my main man. I’ve known this man for over 10 years. He wants to represent his beautiful home country of Canada and win the All-Atlantic Championship. So there you have it. We are the Firm. Either run with us or from us!”
“Jungle Boy” Jack Perry Open Contract Match!
Jungle Boy vs. Jay Lethal (with Satnam Singh & Sonjay Dutt)!
Jay Lethal answered the open contract challenge from “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry earlier in the day.
Lethal and Jungle Boy traded strikes. Jungle Boy hit a beautiful dropkick on Jay Lethal. Jungle Boy countered a figure four with an inside cradle for a near fall.
Dutt jumped on the apron to misdirect Jungle Boy. Lethal punished Jungle Boy’s spine, dropping him from the top rope and down onto the turnbuckle!
Jay Lethal was about to hit the Lethal Injection but Jungle Boy had it scouted. Jungle Boy was about to counter with the Kill Switch but Lethal escaped and countered with the Lethal combo. Lethal dropped an elbow off the top rope for a near fall!
Jungle Boy stopped a pump kick from Jay Lethal and put on the Snare Trap! Sonjay Dutt jumped to the apron and distracted Jungle Boy. Jay grabbed Jungle Boy but Jungle Boy escaped, putting Lethal in the Snare Trap again. Jay Lethal finally tapped!
Highlights were shown from the training session that HOOK and Action Bronson had, preparing for their match next week!
Backstage, Ethan Page said he’d make an example of Danhausen on RAMPAGE this Friday!
Matt Hardy challenged Darby Allin to a match this Friday on RAMPAGE!
Up next: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Matt DiMartino!
Starks planted DiMartino with a spinebuster and pinned him right away!
Hobbs: “At ALL OUT, I defeated Ricky Starks. Don’t get me wrong, Ricky’s tough. I spent 21 months in the trenches with Ricky grinding. But at ALL OUT, it only took 4 minutes and 35 seconds to beat him. Now that the chapter is closed on Ricky Starks, it’s time to open a new chapter in the Book of Hobbs. And it starts tonight.”
Ricky Starks came down the steps of the arena, out of the crowd.
Ricky jumped into the ring and hit Hobbs with a barrage of shots! Starks used the microphone and smacked Hobbs in the mouth with it, getting some measure of revenge!
AEW World Tag Team Championship Match!
The Lucha Bros—Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix (with Alex Abrahantes)
vs.
Swerve In Our Glory (c.)—Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee!
The winners will have to defend next week against The Acclaimed.
Penta kicked Swerve in the stomach and then tagged in Rey Fenix. The Lucha Bros double teamed Swerve for a near fall.
Penta hit the sling blade and then the backstabber on Swerve! Keith Lee threw Rey Fenix like a lawn dart to break up the pin Penta had on Swerve!
Keith Lee tagged in and rammed Penta El Zero Miedo with a shoulder tackle. Rey Fenix connected with a springboard Spanish Fly on Swerve! Penta rocked Keith Lee with a Canadian Destroyer for a near fall! Keith Lee came back and planted Penta El Zero Miedo and then pinned him!
The Acclaimed walked onto the ramp! Max Caster said if Swerve ever interrupted his rap again, he’d have to answer for it. The Acclaimed vowed to win the AEW World Tag Team Championship next week!
Alex Marvez was backstage trying to interview Death Triangle!
PAC took exception to Marvez’s wording. PAC reminded Marvez that they are the Trios Champions. Orange Cassidy decked PAC with an Orange Punch and told PAC he wouldn’t be double champion for long!
AEW Interim Women’s World Champion Toni Storm & Athena
vs.
Serena Deeb & Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. (with Rebel)!
Deeb shoved Storm into the corner and then blasted her with hard chops. Storm turned things around on Deeb and countered with her own chops!
Athena tagged in and hit a shotgun dropkick and then a vaulting elbow strike on Deeb. Baker distracted Athena which allowed Deeb to chop block Athena.
Storm swept out Baker’s leg. Storm tried for the hip attack but Baker escaped the ring with help. Baker rallied back with the Sling Blade. Athena and Deeb tagged in for their respective teams.
Athena hit a springboard but Deeb countered with an arm bar. Athena escaped and crashed down onto Deeb with the meteora. Storm tagged in but Deeb applied a single crab. Athena tried to break it up with elbow strikes but Baker blasted Athena with a thrust kick.
Baker sent Athena hard into the steel ring steps. Rebel distracted the ref while Britt held up a steel chair. Deeb rammed Storm into the steel chair and then Deeb pinned Storm!
After the match, Athena clocked Deeb. Baker drove Athena’s head into the mat with a curb stomp. Jamie Hayter ran to the ring and hit Athena with a steel chair. Baker told Hayter, “I said I was sorry,” but Hayter walked off alone.
Main Event!
Grand Slam Tournament of Champions Semi-Finals Match!
“The Wizard” Chris Jericho vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!
William Regal joined the broadcast booth again.
Danielson fired off chops and kicks to Jericho. Danielson followed up with a running kick in the corner on Jericho. Danielson rocked Jericho with another running kick in the corner.
ROH Pure Champion Daniel Garcia was watching the match backstage.
Danielson nailed Jericho with a running knee off the ring apron! Danielson jumped off the top turnbuckle with a dropkick. Bryan followed up with a diving headbutt for a near fall! Jericho ducked a kick from Danielson and then sent Danielson flying with a German Suplex!
Jericho sent Bryan to the arena floor with a dropkick. Jericho slapped at Bryan with hard palm strikes. Both men collided in the center of the ring with double cross body blocks.
Jericho sent Danielson flying with a hurracanrana off the top turnbuckle. Bryan retaliated with a German Suplex. Bryan Danielson locked in the Cattle Mutilation. Bryan dropped the hammer and anvil elbow strike. Jericho managed to land a left hand to Bryan’s temple. Danielson shocked Jericho with the running knee!
“Fight forever! Fight forever! Fight forever!” chanted the fans.
Jericho suplexed Bryan over the top rope and Bryan landed hard on the arena floor. Bryan Danielson immediately grabbed his ankle. The doctor went to check on Bryan but Jericho wasted no time to go on the assault. Jericho ripped off Bryan’s wrestling boot. Jericho wrapped Danielson’s legs around the steel ring post and then applied the figure four!
Jericho chop blocked Danielson’s leg. Jericho followed up with a knee breaker. Danielson fought back on one leg! Danielson hopped forward but he played right into Jericho’s hands. Jericho locked in the Walls of Jericho! Chris Jericho transitioned into a heel lock.
Danielson was making the army crawl to the ropes but Jericho pulled Danielson back to the center of the ring. Bryan shoved Jericho away with his foot! Jericho applied the figure four to Danielson.
Bryan captured the arm and transitioned into the LeBell Lock on Jericho and then Jericho tapped out!
“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson advances to the finals next week on DYNAMITE! It’ll be Jon Moxley against Bryan Danielson!
“Who will be the World Champion next week?” asked Taz.
Jon Moxley came to the ring and he and Danielson shook hands.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Grand Slam on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, NY!
This Friday tune in to RAMPAGE on TNT at 10pm ET!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!