Cook’s AEW Dynamite 7.26.23 Review

Hey kids! Steve Cook here filling in for Tony Acero, who is wrestling Pac tonight under the identity of Gravity. Spoiler Alert, I know.

Cook’s AEW Dynamite 7.26.23 Review

Music, pyro, Excalibur! He’s joined by Tony Schiavone & Taz for the coverage. Excalibur runs down the card before kicking it to the opening match. Prior to that opening match we get a Darby Allin voice-over promo putting Fox over.

AEW International Championship Match: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. AR Fox: Might be the biggest match of Fox’s life here. Code of Honor is adhered to. Fox avoids the pockets exchange, gets OC working out of an armbar. Fox wth a bodyscissors on the mat. OC works out of that. Some moves run through, Fox hits a kick. OC on the outside, Fox teases joining him with a dive. Perfect 10 takes OC to the floor. OC gets planted in the corner, suplex on the knee. Fox flocks a DDT from OC, hits a brainbuster for two. We go to PIP.

We back & OC & Fox work through reversals. Fox hits a big move to break things up. Fox with A SENTON then one on the floor, cover gets two. OC dives onto the outside. Spikes Fox with a DDT, cover gets 2. Fox gets a cover for at least 2.7. Fox hits an apron move on OC, a DDT gets 2.We got a cover from OC and a three count!

Winner: Orange Cassidy
Match Rating: ***

Don Callis talks to Chris Jericho & Renee about future matches. Jericho is less confident about taking on Danny & Sammy than Don is.

Claudio lets Pac know that his days are numbered, then Jon Moxley wanders in to enforce that point.

Tony Schiavone introduces “Jungle” Jack Perry, the new FTW Champion. Perry tells about how Hook went on a train to nowhere. Perry buries the FTW Championship, then gets guided into admitting it matters since he holds it. Jerry Lynn is tired of Jack’s promo and comes out to save it. He also comes out to kick Jack Perry’s ass. Perry wants to extend this thing to next week. I mean, I like Jerry Lynn, but what are we doing here?

Renee talks to Britt Baker, who was surprised that Taya called her out, but appreciates it.

PAC vs. Gravity: We all knew that Gravity never really forgot PAC, so this is the match. Some chasing goes on early. Gravity sends PAC into the guardrail. Seemed like that might be fun, but we go into PIP instead. We return and Pac is in full control. He works Gravity over. Dropkick to the bent over heat gets a slight reacion. Pac hits a suplex off the top rope, then locks in the Neutralizer for the submission.

Winner: PAC (7:55 via submission)
Match Rating: **

MJF & Adam Cole have some things to say about FTR heading into their Tag Team Championship match on Collision this Saturday. Max had a lot of things to say about FTR, and Cole had a lot of things to say about his friendship with MJF. MJF promises a re-match with Cole for the AEW Championship, Roderick Strong comes out to start an argument with his neck brace, Cole tries to talk him down.

We see a clip from last week with Renee talking to FTR about their upcoming match with Cole & MJF.

Swerve Strickland (w/ Prince Nana) vs. Darby Allin: Seems like a Pacific Northwest dream match to me! Darby works the headlock early. Some reversals lead to Darby hitting a Code Red on the floor. Swerve fights back for a second before getting sent into steps. Darby avoids said steps on the other side of the ring, but gets kicked by FTR on the other side, or a couple of the Gladiators. We go to PIP, and return when Swerve hits a brainbuster for two. More reverals lead to many two counts for Bryce. Swerve rolls through the attempt by Darby to get him in the ring, kicks hin in the head. Cover gets two. Up top, Darby hits Diamond Dust. Then he gets crotched on the top rope. Swerve hits a DVD onto the apron on Darby, which is a thing that people do. Swerve hits a driver and gets a three count!

Winner: Swerve Strickland (12:05 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/2

Renee is with some of the Jericho Appreciation Society Members. As usual, they don’t have much to say. Tay Conti wants to know what’s going on with Chris. Anna Jay lets Chris know how selfish he’s been, and walks off.

We see clips of Daddy Ass leaving his boots in the ring on last week’s Collision.

Dr. Britt Baker DMD vs. Taya Valkyrie: Taya wins the test of strength pretty easily. Britt with a headlock. Headlock takeover by Britt. Clotheline from Taya. Taya misses in the corner. Series of reversals leads to a rather lame Glam Slam and we go to commercial. We return & Taya misses in the corner. Britt with some knees, sends Taya into the corner and strikes her down for a one count. Baker & Valkyrie exchange shots. Clothesline and a lariato from Taya gets 2. Taya reverses a Britt move into a Northern Lights suplex for two. Britt hits a huge move of her own and the same result. Taya hits a spear, Britt reverses a move into the Lockjaw and gets a submission!

Winner: Dr. Britt Baker DMD (9:45 via pinfall)\
Match Rating: **1/2

Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Baretta) vs. Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr. & Rey Fenix) vs. Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli: Some uppercuts thrown on the outside early. Taylor sends Moxley into an area of staging as everything has broken down. Fenix hits a couple of moves on Claudio that look awesome, Mox made sure to break that up. Dive into an uppercut, a dive from Moxley gets two. We have more coming via PIP. Tag in and Mox & Chuck go at it. Chuck with a German suplex. Orange Cassidy comes down to beak things up. This is a thing that happened. Also a thing that happened: the Lucha Bros stealing the pin!

Winners: Lucha Bros (14:22 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***

We fade to black!

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

I'm not gonna lie, this was not one of the best Dynamite presentations of all time. Not a surprise given all they threw at Blood & Guts. But this was a pretty lacking show with not a lot to offer for most folks. I might have missed a MOTYC candidate here, but I'm pretty sure I didn't. A very basic show from AEW this week.