Pantoja’s AEW Dynamite Grand Slam Review 9.21.22

AEW Dynamite Grand Slam

September 21st, 2022 | Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York

It’s a HUGE special Dynamite tonight. Last time they were here, we got the Omega/Danielson classic (****¾) and every match here is for a championship, making for a big card.

ROH World Championship: Claudio Castagnoli [c] (7-0) vs. Chris Jericho (22-8-1)

As someone who loved mid-2000s ROH and attended a bunch of their shows in that era, it warms my heart to hear Bobby Cruise. Cary Silkin was at ringside. Jericho declined the Code of Honor at first but ultimately did it, leading to a slap. That triggered a solid opening exchange that blended the basic wrestling stuff with some more aggressive strikes pretty well. Jericho took a big suplex to the outside heading into commercial break. Still, he managed to mostly take control during the break until Claudio caught him with a kick that stopped his run. The super rana/Ricola Bomb/rana spot was well done and came off impressively. The back half of this match was much better with that spot, the Codebreaker near fall, the Giant Swing, and more. Claudio stopped Jericho from using the bat as a weapon but took a low blow and Judas Effect to give us a new champion in 14:48. A very good opener though I’m assuming ROH must be using Jericho to boost a TV deal. This is the kind of booking call that WWE would get FLAMED for. Still, good match. [***½]

Post-match, the JAS celebrated with Jericho though Daniel Garcia didn’t seem too happy.

A video package aired to hype the main event.

AEW World Tag Team Championship: Swerve In Our Glory [c] (14-2) vs. The Acclaimed (39-10)

Their match at All Out was incredible (****½). The champs had Fabolous with them while the challengers were with Daddy Ass and DJ Whoo Kid. SIOG wore Knicks/Mets/Islanders colors while The Acclaimed had pink and black. Bowens stepped right up to Keith Lee to start things but the crowd popped for the champs when Lee busted out a rana. It wasn’t the cleanest but was still impressive. Despite the molten hot crowd for The Acclaimed, the champs put them on their heels during the commercial. Bowens got the hot tag but work on the knee cut him off until he managed to avoid the Swerve Stomp/powerbomb combo. Bowens took a sick bump when Lee launched him onto the aisle. I didn’t love the closing stretch here. Things like Lee getting hit with a boombox and Daddy Ass hitting a Fameasser outside felt like aspects this match didn’t need. AEW tends to overdo those foreign object finishes. I did like that when The Acclaimed had it won, Max’s knee went out and they missed their shot. After the Fameasser, Lee was taken out and The Acclaimed hit the Mic Drop to win the gold in 13:41. Another really good match but obviously not in the same league as the PPV. The reaction here was great but it would’ve been special in Chicago. I just wish they didn’t go with the overbooked parts of the ending. [***½]

It’s really cool that an actual AEW original got to win something big and not someone who was established elsewhere.

FTR was interviewed about the Tag Title picture and remind us that they’ve been the top contenders since April. They asked for a title shot until The Gunn Club showed up to mock them. Cool, so FTR can do this for a while instead of again getting a title shot.

Wheeler Yuta was interviewed on stage about the main event featuring his stablemates but he was immediately cut off by MJF to a huge babyface pop. He called the fans his “devil worshippers” but also still dissed them for having ugly wives. MJF said whoever wins tonight is just earning a spot to lose the title to him. Yuta responded with some disses but it was pretty bad. The guy isn’t ready to cut promos yet. MJF said Yuta could get advice from the “Blackpool Cuckold Club” like learning to turn his brains into scrambled eggs like Danielson and popping pills from Regal. That sparked a slap from Yuta and MJF laid him out with a headbutt. He also shoved Tony Schiavone to the ground. Before Yuta could respond, W. Morrisey arrived to take him out. Not the best segment but you had to get MJF out there. The heat for pushing Schiavone was legit.

Jade Cargill was interviewed in the back when Diamante, her opponent for Friday interrupted. She brought out her friend, the “OG Baddie,” Trina. For those unaware, she’s a rapper who was pretty big in the ‘00s though commentary didn’t even mention her. I liked Jade turning to Kiera like, “that’s your girl (Diamante).”

AEW All-Atlantic Championship: PAC [c] (28-7-2) vs. Orange Cassidy (67-25-2)

I swear PAC has had 28 wins for like two years. Their match at Revolution a few years ago ruled They make sense as opponents since one takes things seriously and the other guy doesn’t. However, OC started this by throwing his shades at PAC, angering him. A lot of that was meant to piss off PAC and get in his head which worked until PAC really got vicious and took control. He kept that going through a break and got cockier as this went on but OC kept finding ways to annoy him. OC came close a few times but I think Taz went a bit too hard hyping the possibility of him winning that it went over into “Oh, well there’s no way he actually does.” He got near falls on a rollup and the Orange Punch, with the latter seeing PAC reach the ropes to break the pin. Then, we got the stupid finish as PAC used the ring bell hammer to hit Cassidy and roll him inside for the win in 12:15. See what I mean about stupid Screwjob finishes with weapons? That one made even less sense than the last one and this kind of deflated the crowd. Also, PAC isn’t even a heel. He’s a bastard and an angry dude but he never cheats so this was strange. [***¼]

AEW Interim Women’s World Championship: Toni Storm [c] (12-2) vs. Athena (8-3) vs. Britt Baker (38-14) vs. Serena Deeb (16-1 in 2022)

My girlfriend upon seeing the dentist come out “Ugh, no.” Like me, she doesn’t get the big deal with homegirl. Also, Athena went from the wings to now going back to a mask and I feel like this happened a lot in WWE too. It’s like she’s never sure what her gimmick/identity is supposed to be, so it’s always switched up in some way. We got a quick-paced start with several pin attempts, including an impressively creative one from Deeb. The crowd kind of sat on their hands for parts of this. The cliché Tower of Doom spot took us to the break. Returning, Storm, and Deeb had stereo half crabs locked in. Athena got going late and actually got a solid pop for her stuff but the way she oversold the shocked near fall face was odd. People do that way too much in situations that don’t call for it. Anyway, Storm countered a Britt pin with a rollup of her own to retain in 9:47. This was good though rushed at points but I get it. [***]

Post-match, Britt (who seems to have broken her nose again) jumped Storm. Jamie Hayter ran out to a pop only to hit Storm and call Britt her best friend. That again deflated the crowd. Please, get Hayter away from the dentist. Unfamiliar music hit to cut this off and it turned out to be the debut of Saraya, formerly known as Paige. The reaction was fantastic and the heels bailed. There’s no word that I’ve seen on if Saraya can wrestle again though. Also, they kept the camera on her for way longer than they should’ve to the point where it got awkward as she was just walking around and sticking her tongue out a bunch.

A Darby Allin vignette aired where he carried a body bag through New York.

RAMPAGE GRAND SLAM

· No DQ: Darby Allin and New Jack Sting vs. The House of Black

· Willy Wonka Battle Royal

· Jade Cargill defends the TBS Title against Diamante

· Hook and Action Bronson vs. 2.0

· Jungle Boy vs. Rey Fénix

· Eddie Kingston vs. Sammy Guevara

· Wardlow and Samoa Joe vs. Tony Nese and Josh Woods

· Lights Out Match: Ricky Starks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

AEW Grand Slam Tournament Of Champions Finals: Bryan Danielson (23-4-2) vs. Jon Moxley (58-5-1)

Their match at Revolution this year was incredible (****½). MJF watched from high in the stands holding his chip gimmick. I loved that this started with action that was crisp, intense, and made sense. Danielson lit up Moxley with chops and kicks like nobody else. They kept that up through the break, doing exactly the kind of wrestling that I love. Plus, Danielson did the “I HAVE TIL 5” after the break. The spot where they both got up on their heads and slapped each other stunned my girlfriend who had never seen that before. I feel like I remember Toni Storm and Piper Niven doing that in the Mae Young Classic. The back half of this match brought the injured knee back into play. Danielson hurt it against Jericho last week. The Busaiku Knee near fall even got a reaction from MJF. See, that’s the time to do the shocked near fall face. Danielson also survived the Death Rider. They continued to go at it until they went to the aisle and Moxley hit the Death Rider there. Danielson rolled down and into the ring for a near fall where Moxley then put on the Bulldog Choke. Danielson attempted to break it with the Survivor Series ‘96/WrestleMania 8 finish but Moxley kept hold and won via submission in 19:32. I think that was a step below their PPV match since the outcome seemed obvious by the MJF/Moxley build in recent weeks. Still, another tremendous match from the best of all time and the guy having the best 2022. [****¼]

Post-match, Danielson seemed to argue with Moxley and Regal as the show went off the air but he actually just put the title on Moxley and raised his hand.

8.5

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Tony Khan hyped this up like it would be the greatest wrestling show ever. It wasn’t but it really had nothing bad going on. Every match got at least ***, we got two important title changes, there was a big debut, and I was entertained throughout.