wrestling / TV Reports
Acero’s AEW Dynamite Review 2.15.23
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...That new horror version of Winnie the Pooh comes out today. I am HYPED.
It’s Wednesday, you know what that means…
In Memoriam of Jerry Jarrett.
Jeff Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal, and Satnam Singh vs The Acclaimed, Orange Cassidy, and Billy Gunn
We are starting with Dutt, who is in wrestling trunks…and a button up, with a tie. Weirdo. Anyway, he tags in Jay, so he’ll start with Anthony. They trade side headlocks, Bowens steps behind, snapmare, leg scissors and a roll up from Bowens, but it’s reversed and tries to small package, but it’s broken up. Bowens hits the ropes, leg lariat across the bck of he had. Tag to Max. He comsd in, corners Jay, Bowens hits a right and whips him into a powerslam from Max. Cover gets a 1…NO!!! Chop to Jay, Jay corners Max, and tags in Jeff who beats down Max in the corner. Tag to Singh. Billy Gunn wants in. Orange Cassidy gets the blind tag, though, and he walks in to go face to chest. Singh sees the height differentiation, and tags in Dutt. Utt does…I don’t even know. Just a whole lotta dancing, so Orange tags in Billy Gunn. Tag to JJ immediately.
WE look to the top of the ramp, and it’s The Gunns. They mock scissoring, then give everyone a SUCK IT.
Billy hits the ropes and eats a back elbow from Jeff. JJ hits the ropes and sits on the back of Billy. Everybody struts. Whip to Billy, and Jay hits him with a knee. Billy clocks him with a right and turns into a right from JJ. Stomps from JJ. He lifts Billy, whip to the ropes, kcik from JJ, in comes Lethal with a swinging neckbreaker. Stomps from Jay, elbow drop from Jay. Cover for 1..NO! Front face lock from Jay. He drops an axe. Tag to Dutt who kicks Billy a few times, but Billy no sells it. Tag to JJ who comes in with a right hand. Stomp from JJ. Kicks from JJ. Tag to Sonjay who comes in to double team. Whip to Jay, Side Russian Leg Sweep from JJ. Lethal chokes Billy down till the ref stops him. Jay drags Billy to the corner. Singh is in off the tag. He sends all three faces off the apron. Singh grabs the head, Billy with a kick, right, kick, right, Singh with a clothesline. The Acclaimed is in and Singh hits clotheslines ot both. In comes OC, who tries for Onrange Punch but Singh grabs the fist and tosses OC across the ring. Tag to Dutt, Billy kicks Singh. Fameasser to Singh! Dut doesn’t want to come in. JJ hits Billy with with th Golden Globe, but in comes Max to send him out. Lethal Combination to Anthony, Max drops Jay, in comes Dutt but OC hits him with some Orange Punch! Acclaimed grbs dutt. Scissor Me Ti—NO!! Lethal stops the move, but Billy gunn comes in and sends Lethal outside! Max still has Dutt! Billy Gunn climns thecorner! JJ in to stop the move, so OC rushes in to Orange Punch JJ out the ring. Bowens still has Dutt spread-legged. OC with kicks to the taint! He climbs the corner! Thumbs up! Scissor, IN COMES JAY!!
OC head scissors him down! BOWENS IS BACKU UP! He is the legal man. SCISSOR ME TIMBERS!!! Cover for 1..2..3!!!
Winners: The Acclaimed, Billy Gunn, and Orange Cassidy
A fun opener that made up for the lack of quality with the funness that is Orange Cassidy and The Acclaimed. I’m glad they kept it relatively short, because Dutt and Singh are bad in the worst ways.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 8:59
Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley make their entrance through the crowd to “Wild Thing.” As they near the ring barricade, they are attacked by Rush and Preston Vance! They fight The BCC to the ring, but BCC figures if this is what they want, let’s keep it in the crowd, and attack up the stps. All four men go at it in the crowd as we go to PIP.
Texas Tornado Match
Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli vs Preston Vance and Rush
The bell finally rings, and Preston has Jon cornered. He hits a few chops but Jon reverses and hits his own. Kick to the chest, then a few stomps. Rush is shown fifhingt on the outside then enters the ring and chops. Rush and Vance stomp Jon down. Right forearm to Jon as Rush teases the crowd. Running clothesline to Jon. Whip to Jon, hard, followed by a clothesline. Rush hits one of his own, then whips him into a spinebuster from Vance. Dropkick from Rush.
Claudio tries to enter, so Rush attacks him. Claudio pulls him to the apron, big boot, he hits the ring, comes off the ropes with an uppercut. Claudio grabs the legs, Vance fights away from it, Claudio lifts Vance like nothing and slams him down. Cover for 1..2.NO!!! Jon grabs a chiar. He hands one to Claudio. Has one of his own. Vance in the corner. Jon runs around the ring and attacks Rush, sending Rush into the barricade. Jon enters the ring. Bulldog to Cance onto the chair.
Hangman Adam Page is watching backstage.
Jon with a running kick. Claudio grabs Vance, so does Jo, whip to Cance into some chairs in the corner. Crowd calls for another in Spanish. So we get another! Rush in, chops away at Claudio, at Jon. They both kick Rush out of the ring. Jon hits the ropes, suicide dive to Rush! Cance chops Claudio, clothesline to Claudio! Jon on the apron. He bites the forehead of cance, then pulls him it othe apron. Tries for a suplex, Vancal ands in the ring. He hits the ropes, big spear to Jon on the apron, and they fly into Rush and Claudio!
Vance gets Claudio to the outside, places him on the timekeepers table, places a chair on his shoulder, and here comes Rush to smack that chair with a chair of his own.
Back from break, and Jon has ben busted open. Lol. He and Vance are fighting midring. Vance gets sent over the top rope by Jon, so Rush comes over and hits a few forearms. Jon fights back, they trade blows.Chops. Rush with a bunch of forearms, hits the ropes, and Jon stuffs him with a hard punch. Jon drops to a knee, and here comes Cance to clck Jon in the forehead with a chain! Cover for 1..2….NO!!!! cance wraps the chair around his fist again and attacks Jon with it. Vance stands proud but Moley asks for more pain. In comes Claudio to drop Cance, and the incoming Rush. Claudio grabs the chain. He bootrs Rush, hard right to the head of Vance. Claudio with another right,over and over, beating Vance into the corner. Claudio wraps the chain up again onto his fist. He hits Cance dead in the forehead, who is bleeding from his head now. GIANT SWING! Vance hold his head as he spins. Claudio drops him, covers for 1..2.N!O!! Dropkick from Rush to stop the pin. Claudio up. Upppercut! Another. He hits the ropes, leg lariat from Rush, Jon with a cutter!!! Vance with a discus lariat! Cover! 1..2….NO!!! Cance is holding his head, with blood seeping heavily.
All four men standing, going at it, Rush with a German to Jon, Claudio wit aSaito Suplex to Vance! Claudio and Rush lock eyes. They hype themselves up. Claudio with an uppercut! He ties for Nuetralizer, but in comes Jose with a chair! He smacks Claudio in the back with it!
HERE COMES YUTA!!! He attacks Jose! Right hand to the head! He fights Jose up the ramp.
Claudio hits an uppercut to Rush, triues for one in the corner, but Rush hits a suplex to LCaudio! Double stomps in the corner. Rush hits the corner, runs, but Claudio meets him midway with a SPEAR!! Claudio covers! 1..2….NO!!! Vance stops the pin! Chop from Rush, uppercut from Claudio. Rush with a right. Rush flies over the top , and Claudio hits him with an uppercut.
In the ring, Vance has the chain wrapped around Jon’s head.
Jon with a snapmare! He releases from the chain and wraps it around Vance!!! He elbows over and over and over then locks in an arm bar WITH THE CHAIN AROUND VANCE’S NECK!
Winners: Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli
It’s rare that I complain about color, as I feel it often adds to the match, but we are getting to the point of diminishing returns with Moxley blading pretty much every match. I understand it here, but it’s not nearly as potent due to several weeks prior doing the same. This, plus the very obvious state of blading left Vance in (dude looked frightened at how much blood he was losing) should really make them revisit their methodology behind the booking of some matches.
Total Rating: ***
Match Time: 14:16
Backstage, Kip Sabian, The Butcher, and The Blade are attacking Hangman Adam Page.
Jim Ross had a sitdown interview with Wardlow.
Wardlow and Joe had many talks when they were a tag team. Wardlow brings up his fther, and says that from the time he was 8 up until his young adulthood, he was absence. As soon as he was able to rekindle this relationship, his father called him to tell him he had stage 4 cancer. The next time he would see his dad was at hospice. He says he started wrestling just as his dad was readying for death. He promised his father that he’d do right and he’d make it in wrestling. After he passed, Wardlow decided to grow his hair out because the hair was taken from his father. Joe knew this, and Joe took it from Wardlow. Took his connection with his father.
Wardlow: “You took that from me.”
Even though Joe has survived every company and monster this business has to offer, Joe will not survive Wardlow.
Josh Woods vs Mark Briscoe
Lockup! Woods corners Briscoe. Mark misses a chop, Josh shoots the legs, o behind, works the left arm. Briscoe gets sent to the outside, and he gets attacked by Nese and Daivari! Here comes The Lucha Bros to even the odds! Woods grabs Mark on the apron, locks the head, and we get a suplex off the apron onto the mat outside. Damn.
Back from break, and Briscoe gets sent to the corner .He hops to the paron, right hand to Woods. Another. Woods misses a right, Briscoe wit a shoulder, he enters the ring, kicks Woods out of the ring. Briscoe in the ring, Woods too. Calls for Jay Driller, Woods counters, ducks under, lock up from behind ,locks hips, rolls through, Pure Chaos and a pin for 1..2..NO!!! Knee strike from Woods. Double underhook, Mark stuffs it. Escapes, kick to the mid section, spins for a neckbreaker, but Woods locks the hips, Briscoe breaks the hold, enziguri to the head, Wood to the ropes, big boot, tries for another kick, but
Briscoe catches him, Death Valley Driver. Mark to the top! Froggy Bow! Cover for 1..2..3!!!
Winner: Mark Briscoe
It cant help giving Mark more exposure, that’s for sure, but Woods came out of this looking really impressive. Moreso than Mark, to be honest.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 8:41
Renee is backstage with Adam Cole. He cannot be happier being back on the road in AEW. He cant wait to get back in the ring, but he has learned to celebrate mini victories. For example, his right eye is finally able to look in the right direction without twitching. He can finally drive without feeling nauseous. He is very happy.
Renee says when he is finally able to get back in, what’s the next chapter?
Cole says there are so many chapters he hasn’t had the chance to explore. He looks at the roster, and it has never been better. He knows he needs to be prepared. He has some ideas of who he wants to be in the ring with, but it’s going to be good for AEW and good for Adam Cole.
MJF is here.
CULERO chant, but MJF says he does not understand Espanol. He says these people love Bryan Danielson. They used to love him. At one time, they used to be devil worshippers. These people are disgusting, fickle little monsters, so he turned his back on them before they had the opportunity to turn their back on him. At least he is honest about who he is, Bryan. He is the devil, man. Bryan is not so honest, though. These people, they don’t love him; they love the man Daneilson portrays. In real life, he is just like all of us – a worthless sack of trash. But he isn’t here to talk about how horrible Bryan is.
He hates Bryan because he has these people convinced that Bryan is better than him when that couldn’t be further from the truth. We all think Bryan is the best in the world? Why? Is it because he entertains the best? Because he does the coolest manuevers and holds? Because he puts on five-star bangers? MJF says that’s not why they get into this business, they get into it to be World Champion, and the only way you know you’re the best in th world is if you’re the man holding the AEW World Heavyweight Championship, and that is something Bryan Danielson has NEVER been able to accomplish. He is not an idiot; he knows Bryan will put on the performance of a lifetime for we people. He’ll use every trick he has and put MJF through the hardest match of his life, but after those 60 mins are up and the clock strikes zero, MJF will be victorious. Bryan is not the best wrestler in the world, MJF is, and at Revolution, he’ll prove it. He is MJF and he is better than Bryan, and we know it.
If you don’t want to take his word for it, maybe we’ll listen to a man who has known Bryan his entire career, a man who Bryan looks up to as a mentor. MJF introduces Christopher Daniels.
MJF wants the truth about Bryan Danielson. CD takes the mic. Ok, the truth. Full disclosure, MJF paid him an obscene amount of money tonight to denigrate Danielson on National Television.
He pulls an envelope of money out of his pocket.
CD says this is not the man he is today, and the truth is, Danielson is going to knock MJFs dick in the dirt.
He tosses the envelope of cash at MJF.
Daniels remembers the first time he was in the ring with 20 year old Bryan Danielson, Chris thought he would die in the middle of the ring. He watch Danielson win the King of the Indies tournament in 2001. That tournament inspired ROH as a promotion. ROH brought real professional wrestling to a fanbase that was starved for it. The same fans that were ecstatic when AEW opened four years ago.
MJF picks up his envelope of money, uninterested in what Daneils is saying.
CD says if it weren’t for Bryan, there would be no ROH and no AEW and no MJF. HE has watch Bryan wrestle as many matches as he could handle. He wanted to learn all he could, he tried to learn one new thing every match he had, and CD watched him do it over and over until he watched him become a world champion. He knows what it takes to be a World Champion. He’s on the path to do it again. This is why MJF hates him. He is exactly what MJF wishes he could be. He is the best wrestler in the world today. Not MJF. MJF is a fraud. He will outwrestle MJF.
MJF slaps the mic out of the hand of Christopher Daniels. He shoves Chris. MJF says he is the best in the world, and Daniels says he doesn’t think he is. Daniels goes to leave, MJF pulls his arm, Daneils smacks him across the face.
LOW BLOW FROM MJF!! Salt of the Earth to Daniels!
Here comes Bryan! He slides in the ring, and MJF hightails it out quickly.
Video package for The Gunns, talking about all the doubts they’ve faced. They’ve only wrestled for one year, only ten matches, and didn’t have to go to the indies to get where they are. This isn’t your fairy tale. At Revolution, welcome to The Gunn Show.
Jungle Boy vs Brian Cage
DROPKICK FROM JB! He mounts in the corner, but Cage sends him to the opposite side. Cage swings nd misses as JB holds onto the ropes . Kik to Cage. He floats over the back. Dropkick to Cage. Cage to the outside, JB flies with a suicide dive to Cage. iNto the ring and another suicide dive. Back in the ring and he flies over the top but Cage catches him and drops him backfirst onto the apron.
We are back and Cage wants a powerbomb. JB fights off, hits the ropes, but Cage hits a big boot! He hits the ropes, dropkick from JB. Cage with a powerbomb! Cover for 1..2.NO!!!! JB to the shoulders. Cage drops him, JB lands on his feet, powerbomb into the buckle, Cage wit an F5, cover for 1..2…NO!!! Cage to the apron. He climbs up to the 2nd rope. Locks the head of JB. JB escpaes, kicks the leg, Cage hangs over the top rope. Stomp to Cage! Diving splash! Cover for 1..2..NO!!! JB gets Cage to his shoulders, Death Valley Driver! Cover for 1..NO!!!! Up at 1!
Superkick to Cage, Cage spins for a right, but JB catches it and gets a Crucifix Bomb! Kick to the back of the head! Elbow to the back of the head! Rollthrough, he sits onto the pin. 1..2…3!!!
Winner: Jungle Boy
Jungle Boy is still loved, that’s for sure.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 7:23
JB celebrates up the ramp until…
The music of Christian Cage hits and out he comes in his sling. He is all smiles, and JB makes his way up the ramp. He looks to attack, but Cage has some mace! He sprays Jungle Boy in the face!!! Cage smiles, looks to leave, then turns and thinks better of it. He removes the sling and the arm brace. Cage is ok. He grabs JB by the hair, screams to Jungle Boy he is not done with him. Killswitch to JB!
Renee is backstage, saying that The Gunn Club will defend their titles in a triple threat match. We are getting two Battle Royal matches to decide who will be in that match.
Here come The Acclaimed. They do not back down from a fight, and they are here to announce that they will be a part of the match at Revolution, and it will be a Four Way. They will take home what is rightfully theirs.
Hangman Adam Page vs Kip Sabian
Page is pissed. Kip is wearing his hat. Page drops Kip with ease. He runs into a kick from Kip out of the corner. Kip with a cannonball in the corner. Page clips him in the chin. Chop to the chest. Another. Whip to Kip, Kip stops it, hits a right hand, the ropes, then dives off for a cutter, but Page catches him. Fallaway Slam. Kip up. Page off the ropes for a right, but Kip hops down off the apron. Page flies ot the outside, Kip flies into the ring. Kip bounces of the ropes, Ford distracts, and Kip hits a baseball slide to Page. Running kick to the chest from Kip. Kip bounces off the top rope[ with a moonsault.
We are BACK and Kip trries for a stomp off the top, but Page rolls to the outside. Kip follows, and he gets sent into the barricade once, twice, Page tries for. Third, Ford stands in the way, so Page just tosses Kip back into the other guard rail. Page grabs Kip, sends him into the ring. Kip stands, Page lifts him up. Powerbomb! Cover for 1…2..NO!!! Page grabs the legs for an Alabama Slam, but Kip gets Page to his shoulders.
Page lands on his feet. Kick is caught. Big Clothesline! Dead Eye! Cover for 1..2..3!!!
Winner: Hangman Adam Page
The win was never in question, the match was short enough, and Hangman continued his portrayal of a man who may or may not be ready for Moxley.
Total Rating: *1/2
Match Time: 6:39
We see Blackpool Combat Club come down as a full team. They circle the ring. Jon enters with a mic. Claudio and Wheeler enter as well.
Jon says a cowboy? Jon knows they think they have unfinished business. A couple of weeks ago, Hangman got pinned. After all the battles, Jon has some respect for Page, but zero fear. He knows what Page will do before he does. He has Page’s number, and there is no chance in hell that Page will ever beat Jon again. So let it go.
Hangman grabs the mic. He is not happy with the result of the last match, and he doesn’t think Jon is either. The two who stood above the rest, and it ends in a rollup? That’s not how this ends between them. It ends when two men go back in that cold dark alley and only one comes out. It ends when only one is left standing. It ends at Revolution.
Jon was hoping Page would say that. He also hoped he didn’t have any friends to talk him out of it. The Emo Cowboy doesn’t have any friends, though.
The Dark Order is here! Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, John Silver!
Uno says Jon has been at the top of the mountain for too long beause they’ve had his back through and through. Page tells Uno to stay out of it, Uno says get out of his face. He has not done this on the request of Page. He must tell Jon to his face. Dark Order is not afraid of Jon Moxley, Evil Uno is not afraid of Jon Moxley.
Uno shoves hi hand in the face of Jon. They go head to head. Page holds Uno back. Yuta faces Reynolds, Claudio stares Silver down. Uno goes face to face with Uno.
Jon grabs the mic, tells his cowboy…Revolution. Texas Death.
Moxley looking past Evil Uno is a sick way to get a match with Uno before Revolutiono.
IN the ring, Page argues with Evil Uno over what transpired.
Backstage, JAS is with Tony Schiavone. Chris Jericho tells Ricky that he can beat him any time anywhere, but he wont do it. Ricky is not at his level. No more matches. Daniel Garcia tells Ricky he has a match this Friday. It is not his time. Ricky is right about one thing…he is absolute-
Parker: ly annoying!
Garcia will beat him this Friday and expose that he is nothing more than an absolute fraud.
Backstage, Stokely Hatheway has his arm wrapped. He says Hook should be fired. He says he spoke to Sharpton, Angela Davis, and he hopes he gets justice.
Ethan Page asks where he was. Matt Hardy says he threw a party. Tony gets some news in his headset, saying Hook has been suspended pending investigation. Stokely gets some dap with the bad hand, and Page tries to cover for it.
Toni Storm and Saraya make their entrance. A fan with a sign dangling over the barricade cheers until Toni and Saraya pull the sign and tear it up. Saraya then pulls the fan out of the crowd and looks to attack until Ruby’s music hits.
Ruby Soho doesn’t really show any urgency in helping said fan, walking down the ramp gingerly. She goes to check on the fan as Britt makes her entrace.
What a weird segment.
Jamie Hayter comes out after Britt to walk alongside her.
Toni Storm vs Ruby Soho vs Britt Baker
Toni grabs Britt, and looks to Ruby for a double team, but she rolls Toni up instead. Britt sends Toni to the outside and barks orders to Ruby, so she rolls Britt up too. Lol. 1…2.NO!!! Britt is upset, whips, Ruby whips. Neckbreaker from Britt. Cover for 1..2NO!! Britt hits the ropes, Toni pulls her out. Toni drops Britt, enters the rin, tries to punk Ruby, but Ruby locks her head up, hits the ropes, shoulder tackle. Hits the ropes again, rolls over Toni, arm drag from Toni, kick, Ruby catches, Ruby tries a knees strike, Toni catches, whip to Toni, and she hits a hip attack to Britt! Saito Suplex from Ruby and Toni rolls to the outside. Ruby in the middle of the ing as both Britt and Toni stand on either side of the ring.
We are BACK and Britt is looking to stomp Toni down but Saraya grabs Britt’s book! Suplex from TonI! In comes Ruby! Dropkick from Storm! Ruby is up, Toni wants a hip attack, but Ruby with an STO! He rushes Britt, Britt with a double underhook spin and a slam! Pin for 1..2.NO!! Dropkick from Toni Storm!
Britt is alone with Toni in the ring. Lol. That doesn’t even make sense. How can you be alone with someone? Dummy. Anyway, they go back and forth with rights. Ripcord elbow from Britt. Swinging neckbreaker and a cover from Britt. 1..2…NO!!! Ruby is up on the top rope. She flies but Toni with a right hand to the chin! She locks the legs, goes for a Texas Cloverleaf! Sits on it. Brit is up! LOCKJAW TO RUBY!!! Saraya in! Kick to Britt! Toni leaves the ring and hits Jamie Hayter with a DDT on the outside! Saraha drops Britt! She grabs the spray paint.
Saraya sprays the ass of Toni Storm, then Toni Storm runs to the corner and hits Britt with a Hip Attack! Ruby in! She sends Toni out of the ring! Cover on Britt! 1..2…3!!
Winner: Ruby Soho
I’m sorry, it’s just that the story behind this all is so comical. Ruby truly doesn’t have to side with anyone, so forcing that choice comes off as unnecessary. The spray paint thing is dumb, and pulling a fan out just doesn’t ring true. The match was fun for what they were given, but I don’t think they gained any new fans with this.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 9:19
Saray runs into the ring to question Ruby. Here comes Jamie to do the same. Ruby screams in between two girls.
End Show
