**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s AEW DYNAMITE was held live from the Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, OH!
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, and Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
Malakai Black vs. The Nightmare Factory’s “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes!
“You could definitely rent space in your opponent’s head with Malakai Black’s entrance,” said Taz.
“Black has yet to taste defeat in AEW,” added Jim Ross.
Dustin charged at Malakai Black and took him down with a kick to the head. He followed up with kidney punches and then a German suplex. The action spilled outside the ring where Dustin stalked Malakai Black. Dustin’s momentum came to a screeching halt when Black suplexed Dustin through a ringside table! Dustin began to clutch his knee immediately.
Back in the ring, Malakai Black removed the turnbuckle cover. They exchanged strikes but Black blasted Dustin with a knee to the midsection. Malakai Black applied a tight chin lock, and then he transitioned into a heel hook submission.
“There goes the vertical base advantage that Dustin normally has,” said Jim Ross.
Dustin finally got to the ropes, forcing ref Aubrey Edwards to break the hold. Black continued attacking Dustin’s left leg.
“Dustin went down in a heap that time,” said Tony Schiavone.
Dustin Rhodes finally got to his feet and found the muster to powerslam Malakai Black. Dustin was looking for the Canadian destroyer but his knee buckled. Black escaped it but Dustin rolled up Black for a near fall.
Malakai Black caught Dustin Rhodes with a vicious running knee strike for a near fall! Malakai went outside the ring and pulled Cody Rhodes’ boot out from under it. He threw the boot towards Dustin to get into his head. Dustin finally found the Canadian destroyer for a (very) near fall on Malakai Black!
“That was super close. Right on the top of the head,” said Taz.
“That knee is problematic for Dustin,” added Jim Ross.
Malakai Black dodged Dustin and Dustin collided with the exposed turnbuckle corner. Malakai Black followed up with his spinning heel kick and pinned Dustin Rhodes!
After his successful AEW in-ring debut at ALL OUT, CM Punk addressed the fans!
“We’re gonna get right to it. I want to thank Darby Allin. I want to thank Sting. And I want to thank all of you. I didn’t know if I had what it takes but I’m here to tell you it’s like riding a violent bicycle. And I’m gonna get back on that bicycle.
“Who saw the pay-per-view? Ruby Soho! Adam Cole! Bryan Danielson! The first person I texted as soon as I was out of the ring in Chicago was my beautiful wife April. She asked me what was next. Cincinnati, what’s next for CM Punk? There’s a lot of people to choose from—”
Taz grabbed a microphone and interrupted CM Punk.
“I’m tired of this bullshit lovefest that you’re doing. Don’t you ever mention any members of Team Taz that you want to face. Don’t you ever do that,” said Taz.
“Nobody ever mentioned Team Taz,” replied Punk.
“Yes, you did, on the radio, in interviews, I’m telling you, Punk, don’t do it,” said Taz, as Hobbs and Hook joined Taz and stood by his side.
“I’ll tell you what. Since I’ve known you a long time. Send Starks. Send Hook. Send Hobbs. And hey, listen, all four of you—beat me if you can, survive if I let you!” said CM Punk.
As Punk made his way to the ramp from the ring, he and Powerhouse Hobbs had a stare down, until Hobbs finally walked to the ring for his match.
Ruby Soho was backstage being interviewed by Tony Schiavone when she was interrupted by Dr. Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, and Rebel.
“I actually helped break Brittany in, Tony. This is my block now,” said Soho.
“Why don’t you go runaway to catering where you spent the last four years of your life,” replied Baker.
Team Taz’s Powerhouse Hobbs (with Hook) vs. Top Flight’s Dante Martin!
Hobbs slammed into Dante with a running shoulder tackle! Dante fired back with forearms and a springboard press—but Hobbs caught him. Dante escaped and then dropkicked Hobbs outside the ring! Dante tried for a tope suicida but Hobbs caught him midflight and then rammed Dante’s skull into the steel ring post!
“The sky is the limit for Powerhouse Hobbs. Because he’s manhandling one of the hottest properties in all of AEW,” said Jim Ross.
Hobbs rolled down his kneepad and dropped a knee on Dante’s sternum. Hobbs attempted another knee drop but Hobbs rolled out of the way. Dante blasted Hobbs with a gigantic shotgun dropkick off the top turnbuckle! He sent Hobbs to the outside with a running pump kick!
Hook jumped up onto the apron to jaw-jack with Dante but Dante jumped right over Hook and smacked right down onto Hobbs! Dante spring boarded into a pump kick at Hobbs, but Hobbs answered with a nasty spinebuster for the victory!
American Top Team’s Dan Lambert was in a sky box with Scorpio Sky and “All Ego” Ethan Page!
“You may think that this company is the hottest thing going in the world of professional wrestling, and you may think you can keep playing these fans like a fiddle. But you will never be able to hide the truth for long. And the truth is this company has two real men working for it—Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page. And if you have any tough guys out there, I suggest you send them up here right now,” said Lambert.
Backstage, Matt Hardy threated to cut “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy’s hair.
In another locker room, Orange Cassidy replied, “Whatever.”
MJF walked out to the ring accompanied by Wardlow!
“Let me explain something to you. Prior to this past Sunday, I beat Chris Jericho three times. And this past Sunday, I beat him a fourth time. But after the bell was rung and my music was played, there was extreme bias and the match was restarted. Let me make something clear to all you marks—Cincinnati, Ohio is the biggest dumpster fire in the world. It’s called Midwest because everything in it is ‘mid.’ Every single person who lives here is mid.
“You got a problem with me Cincinnati? Why don’t you do something about it? Why don’t you jump the guardrail so I can beat everyone here? Oh yeah, that’s right, you want, because you’re all cowards.”
MJF started mocking Linda Pillman and Brian Pillman’s daughter who were sitting in the front row.
Brian Pillman, Jr. heard enough!
“Maxwell Jacob Friedman, I hear you’re out here talking trash about my hometown and worst of all—my family. We all know you had a really good silver spoon upbringing. But I’m here to tell you that where I’m from, this city breeds bad asses like Brian Pillman and Jon Moxley. I’m Brian Pillman, Jr., I’m from Cincinnati. Welcome to the jungle!,” said Pillman, Jr.
MJF started mocking Brian Pillman, Jr.’s mother, Melanie. Then MJF ordered Wardlow to step aside. Pillman, Jr. grounded and pounded MJF! Eventually Wardlow German suplexed Brian Pillman, Jr.! Griff Garrison jumped into the ring to even up the odds but MJF nailed Griff with the Dynamite diamond ring!
Making her AEW DYNAMITE debut after winning the ALL OUT 2021 Casino Battle Royale, it was Ruby Soho vs. Jamie Hayter (with AEW Women’s World Champion Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. & Rebel)!
They locked up with Hayter pushing Soho into the corner. Soho blocked a hip toss and then walloped Hayter with a knee strike. Hayter answered by punting Soho in the midsection.
Ruby Soho DDT’ed Hayter for a near fall! Hayter propped up Soho on her shoulders but Soho countered by smashing Hayter head-first into the mat!
“That was just an overpowering counter, nothing scientific about it,” said Jim Ross.
Out of nowhere, Soho kicked Hayter in the jaw and it was more than enough to pin Hayter!
“What a way to make a statement to the women’s roster,” said Taz.
After the match, Britt Baker, Hayter, and Rebel attacked Ruby Soho. Riho ran out to make the save but Hayter crunched Riho with a back breaker! Kris Statlander sprinted to the ring with a chair and Baker and her crew retreated!
Trios Match!
The Pinnacle’s FTR—Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood—and Shawn Spears (with Tully Blanchard & Wardlow) vs. Dark Order’s Evil Uno, John Silver, & Stu Grayson (with Colt Cabana, Alan Angels)!
Silver body slammed Spears. He tagged in Stu Grayson but Spears pulled Stu into The Pinnacle’s corner. The Pinnacle worked over Grayson in their corner. Evil Uno got the tag and served up a big boot to Spears!
Spears hit a jawbreaker on John Silver and tagged in Dax from FTR. Silver countered Dax and snapped him back with a quick vertical suplex. Silver rocked Dax with kicks and then a bridging German suplex for a near fall!
Dax hit a slingshot suplex on Grayson after Grayson and Uno accidentally collided heads. Spears finished off Silver with the Death Valley driver for the pin.
“The Pinnacle capitalized on the Dark Order’s miscommunications,” said Taz
Evil Uno got in John Silver’s face after the match! Evil Uno shoved John Silver!
The Dark Order members began to fight amongst one another! It was chaos!
Anna Jay and Tay Conti walked out onto the stage and looked on disapprovingly at the Dark Order who were seemingly self-destructing in front of them.
Backstage, Tully Blanchard said he wanted Spears to face Darby Allin next week. Tully added that before long, Tully would go one-on-one with Sting!
In the trainer’s office, Alex Marvez interviewed the Varsity Blonds. Pillman, Jr. said he’d be facing MJF on DYNAMITE at Arthur Ashe Stadium. They were interrupted by The Acclaimed. Max Caster said he got himself a match with Brian Pillman, Jr. this Friday on RAMPAGE!
Tony Schiavone interviewed AEW World Champion Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks—Matt & Nick Jackson, Adam Cole (making his AEW DYNAMITE debut, baybay), The Good Brothers, Brandon Cutler, Michael Nakazawa, and Don Callis!
“At ALL OUT, it was all about The Elite and Kenny Omega proving he’s the best in this industry. And The Bucks are going to get the Lucha Bros. back,” said Don Callis.
“Speaking of getting things back, we got our best friend back…Adam Cole, baybay,” said Nick Jackson.
Adam Cole: “Who’s ready for story time with Adam Cole, baybay? But first of all…now I know that you’re really close with Britt Baker, Tony Schiavone, and I swear to God, if you even look at her the wrong way, I will slap your face and knock those stupid glasses off your face. Get out of our ring, nerd!
“All Elite Wrestling. The greatest professional wrestling company in the entire world. And do you want to know what that is? It’s because of the guys in this ring right now. This ring, that stage, anyone that bought a ticket, that is all thanks to The Elite. For nearly 14 years, I have main evented, I have won championships, and I have shown that I am a once in a generation professional wrestler.
“And I’m with the best. The Bucks are the greatest tag team of all time. Kenny Omega is the best and his AEW Championship Belt proves that. And now The Elite has Adam Cole, baybay. And you should be thanking us, because now The Elite is complete, baybay. And just wait until next week when I make my in-ring debut and you will see how elite I really am,” said Adam Cole.
Omega: “One thing I hate is interruptions and at the pay-per-view we were interrupted by—”
And then Kenny Omega was cut off by Bryan Danielson’s music. Danielson walked out to the ring.
“Guys, could I please have the room here for a second. We need to talk to our new guest. Hey, Bryan, step into the squared circle,” said Omega.
Danielson got in the ring with Omega. Danielson ripped the microphone away from Omega’s grasp.
“Quick question: do you guys want to see Bryan Danielson fight Kenny Omega? But he’s telling me it doesn’t work that way here. You’re the greatest wrestler that ever lived. I think you’re afraid to take this match because you know that I’m better than you, that I will kick your head in, and that you are not on my level!” said Danielson.
Omega charged at Danielson, and Danielson transitioned into a submission hold. Omega was tapping. The Elite jumped in to stomp a mudhole into Danielson. But then Christian Cage, the Jurassic Express, and “The Elite Hunter” Frankie Kazarian ran out to even up the odds! Danielson waffled Brandon Cutler with a running knee while The Elite backed off!
Main Event Time!
Jon Moxley vs. Minoru Suzuki!
Mox and Suzuki stood in the middle of the ring and traded forearm shivers!
“Standing toe to toe as long as they can,” said Jim Ross.
Mox staggered Suzuki with a forearm and then raked his face! Suzuki attempted a kick but Mox blocked it and then bit Suzuki’s face. Suzuki bit back!
“Reciprocal biting,” said Jim Ross.
Mox and Suzuki exchanged headbutts! They slugged it out on their knees. Suzuki blocked a lariat attempt from Mox and tried to countered with a Gotch style piledriver. Mox backdropped his way out of it and then dropped Suzuki with the Paradigm Shift. Suzuki was busted wide open!
Suzuki met Moxley with a dropkick! Suzuki applied a sleeper but Mox escaped and rocked Suzuki with two punches. Mox nailed Suzuki with another Paradigm Shift and then pinned Suzuki!
Mox celebrated his victory in the stands amongst the fans!
The fallout from ALL OUT continues! Don’t dare miss AEW RAMPAGE 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 the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!