wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s AEW Dynamite Review 5.18.22
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Hey there people, Winfree here again but rest assured that Tony will be back next week. On this episode of Dynamite the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament continues with Adam Cole vs. Jeff Hardy, Kyle O’Reilly vs. Rey Fenix, and two Joker matches when Samoa Joe takes on the male joker while Britt Baker battles the female joker. No word on the identities of said jokers just yet. We’ll also get Konosuke Takeshita taking on AEW World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page. On the non-wrestling side of things Chris Jericho will go face to face with William Regal in the wake of the Blackpool Combat Club getting involved in the JAS vs. Eddie Kingston issue last week, and Wardlow has to take 10 lashes from Maxwell Jacob Friedman as the first part of his odyssey to earning a match with MJF ad Double or Nothing. Well that’s the preamble out of the way, let’s get to the action.
Up first here comes Samoa Joe, he’ll be taking on our first Joker of the evening. It’s Johnny Nitro/Mundo/Morrison/Impact/Elite.
Match #1 – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarterfinal: Samoa Joe vs. Johnny Elite
Joe is unimpressed with Johnny. Bit of an elbow from Johnny right away, Joe is more than happy to go right into the striking game. Elbows and chops from Joe. Johnny with an ankle pick and they roll into the ropes. More strikes from Johnny but he runs into a back elbow from Joe that floors him. Joe with a headbutt then he kicks Johnny down. Johnny fights out of a neck crank and hits a super kick then grounds Joe with a front headlock. Joe fights up with body shots and starts laying in more punches. Cartwheel clothesline from Johnny connects and Joe rolls out of the ring which allows Johnny to head up top and hit a dive onto Joe which sends us to picture in picture commercial break.
Johnny tries to follow up on the outside but Joe catches him as they head back into the ring and both men take turns landing striking flurries. ST-Joe connects for Joe but he takes too long on the follow up cover and only gets 2. Joe grabs a chin lock, and Johnny fights out of it as we come back, then he runs into a hard shoulder block from Joe. Inverted Atomic Drop from Joe then a running boot and a senton, vintage Samoa Joe if you will. Johnny fights back with some strikes but he can’t lift Joe onto his shoulders and Joe lays in more strikes before flooring Johnny with a chop. Joe puts Johnny on the top rope, he wants the Muscle Buster but Johnny avoids it then hits Joe with a Samoan Drop. Johnny up top for a somewhat misjudged 450 splash and Joe kicks out at 2. A knee from Johnny, then he wants Starship Pain but Joe gets the knees up. Joe with a striking flurry, hits the Muscle Buster, and pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Samoa Joe won
Rating: 3 stars
I’ve never been much of a fan of Johnny Wherever’s work, it’s too choreographed for my taste and he’s a touch unrefined at times. That said if you do enjoy his work I understand why. This was fine but nothing special.
Post match Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt jump Joe. Singh walks to the ring, then holds Joe so Lethal can whack Joe’s bad arm with the pipe. Best Friends show up and chase off the interlopers.
In the back Jeff Hardy has been medically cleared for his match tonight, the Young Bucks walk up to interrupt things and ask what Jeff was doing last week. They try to talk him into taking the night off and not getting abused by Adam Cole. Jeff tells them to get lost. Matt says Jeff is a legit Hardy, not a Hardy cosplayer like the Bucks, the Bucks will never be better than them, or tougher than them, and if the Bucks get involved tonight then Cole wont be the only member of the Elite to get his butt kicked.
CM Punk heads out to join commentary for our next match. Konosuke Takeshita now walks to the ring for his match with the AEW World champion.
Match #2: “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Takeshita comes out firing and they start trading strikes right away. Page hits a fall away slam to settle things down, then a triangle clothesline to send Takeshita out of the ring then hits a plancha. Page sends Takeshita into the ring, but takes too long following up and now Takeshita hits a dive onto Page. Now they head back into the ring where Page flips out of a back suplex, they trade counters before Page winds up hanging up Takeshita on the top rope. They start fighting on the apron, Page lands a chop then they fight of a suplex but Takeshita avoids it and lands an elbow. Page catches a charging Takeshita and drops him on the apron then heads up top and hits a moonsault to the outside. That sends us to picture in picture.
Page lands a chop then they head back into the ring. Takeshita kicks Page away from a leg attack but runs into a big boot from Page. They hit the ropes and Page connects with a Death Valley Driver for a 2 count. Page is working a chin lock as we come back to action. Takeshita elbows his way out of the hold then hits a few more elbows then a flying clothesline. Blue Thunder Bomb from Takeshita gets a 2 count. Page rolls out of the ring, then Takeshita hits a dive onto him. Back in the ring we get a “This is awesome” chant for reasons. They trade Helluva kicks then Page hits a ridiculously high angle German suplex, only for Takeshita to hit one of his own then we get the double clothesline spot and both men are down. Both men slowly fight to their feet then begin trading strikes. Page blocks a back elbow and hits a Tombstone Piledriver for a near fall. Page sets for the Buckshot Lariat, but Takeshita avoids it and tries a Chaos Theory but Page blocks that and lays in more strikes but Takeshita drills him with an elbow then hits a Last Ride for a near fall. Takeshita hits the Zahi but Page still kicks out at 2. Takeshita wants a German suplex but his grip fails as he’s still dealing with neck issues. Another Zahi attempt but Page avoids and they trade elbows then Page takes Takeshita out of the air with a rolling elbow. Page puts Takeshita on the top rope, they botch the counter spot up there but Page hits a clothesline then a Buckshot Lariat. To mock Punk Page ends the match with a Go To Sleep and pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Adam Page won
Rating: 3 stars
Good as expected, Takeshita can hang with just about anyone, but they got a bit too fancy for their own good down the stretch and the match suffered a bit from it.
Post match Punk and Page stare each other down, they’re more trying to see which way the crowd lean than anything else, and they seem to lean just a bit towards Punk over Page as we head to break.
As we come back from break we get a video recap of Dark Order and Fuego del Sol taking on House of Black. There will be a match on Rampage.
To the ring and here comes Swerve Strickland.
Match #3 – Tag Team Match: Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee vs. The Workhorsemen (JD Drake and Anthony Henry)
Drake and Lee get things going. Lee conducts the fans for a bit, then Drake shoves him but Lee double chops him down. Swerve tags in and starts after the arm of Drake but Drake chops Swerve then tags out. Henry lays in kicks to Swerve but Swerve hits a jumping back kick to the head. Some corner offense from Swerve then a diving elbow to the back and a rolling Flatliner. Drake comes in illegally, Swerve chops him then avoids a blow and tags out. Lee comes in with a slingshot cross body to flatten Drake. Henry takes a Pounce from Lee, then the Fall from Glory connects (a double stomp assisted powerbomb) and Lee pins Henry.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee won
Rating: Buttercup. . . SQUASH
You’ve got Elevation and Dark for this kind of thing, not sure why it warranted this spot.
Post match Lee gets a mic, he’s got wonderful news for the people of Texas as with that victory he and Swerve have become a top five tag team. Powerhouse Hobbs and Ricky Starks cut off whatever was to come after that. Starks has a mic, and says that’s enough talking from Rex from Toy Story, then calls Swerve and Lee selfish. It’s insane to pretend those two deserve a title shot over Starks and Hobbs. Swerve gets a mic and mocks the attire of Starks but here comes Jurassic Express. Christian Cage is with the tag team champs so he can speak for them, and he wishes Starks was smart enough to realize when to shut up. Christian also mocks the clothes of Starks, and knows Starks thinks that he’s ready for a real title, but Jurassic Express is the best. Jurassic Express challenge both teams to a triple threat for the titles at Double or Nothing. Oh, and Jungle Boy wants a triple threat with Swerve and Starks next week.
In the back Tony Schiavone interviews Kirs Statlander and Red Velvet about their match, Velvet wants to win the whole thing and hopes Statlander will bring everything she has. Statlander agrees that things are different, and she’s going to maximize the opportunity. Jade Cargill and Kiera Hogan show up and talk briefly then walk off. Well that happened.
Back to the ring and here comes MJF with Shawn Spears and a mic. MJF does the predictable run down of the location, then tells Wardlow that if Wardlow retaliates in any way during the lashings then Wardlow gets no match and no contract with AEW. Not exactly the strongest MJF promo I’ve ever heard. Wardlow and the useless security goons walk to the ring, Wardlow still in cuffs of course. MJF spits on Wardlow, Wardlow doesn’t care. MJF removes his belt and lays in the first lash, Wardlow laughs which unnerves MJF. Wardlow proceeds to flex his pecks and no sell the second lash. MJF removes his own shirt and goes nuts hitting a series of lashes but Wardlow continues no selling. Spears has to pull MJF away before he wastes all of his blows. Spears gets the belt now and lands number 8, again Wardlow no sells. 9 wraps around the neck/face of Wardlow who then menaces MJF briefly. MJF has the belt back, but instead of the 10th blow just kicks Warldow in the groin to drop him. Spears and MJF abuse Wardlow for a bit, then MJF gets the pinky ring and lays out Wardlow with a punch. Spears sets for a C4, hits it and covers Wardlow for a 3 count from MJF. MJF tells Wardlow this is his fate next week and that he’ll never make it to the PPV. That went the only way it could have gone, thankfully they didn’t belabor the issue.
After this break we’ll get Kyle O’Reilly and Rey Feinx.
Post break Roppongi Vice are in the back and announce their intention of going after the ROH tag team titles, the IWFP heavyweight tag team titles, the AEW tag team titles, and everything else. They ask FTR if they’ll accept the challenge, because they know Bret would.
Match #4 – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarterfinal: Kyle O’Reilly vs. Rey Fenix w/ Alex Abrahantes
Kyle opens wit a butt scoot, then trips Feix down and grabs a side headlock. They hit the ropes and Kyle hits a shoulder block then a kick. Fenix avoids an armbar with a pin attempt then gets a series of roll ups for 2. Kyle lands a kick then they trade strikes. A leg kick from Kyle lands but Fenix quickens the pace with a kick but Kyle grabs a kimura grip to stifle him. Side kick from Fenix but when he goes up top Kyle meets him there with strikes. Fenix ties up Kyle in the ropes and hits a kick that sends Kyle out of the ring, then Fenix hits a dive onto Kyle. Back in the ring Fenix heads up top but when he tries a Frog Splash Kyle catches him with a Triangle Choke, then switches it to an armbar but Fenix gets to the ropes to save himself. They head out of the ring and Kyle lands a kick then sends the shoulder of Fenix into the ring post. That sends us to picture in picture.
Kyle continues working the arm of Fenix as they brawl around the ringside area. Fenix avoids another posting and sends Kyle face first into the ring post. Back in the ring now and Kyle lands a knee to the face that sends Fenix out of the ring again. Kyle follows him out and lands more kicks. Back in the ring and Kyle resumes working the arm of Fenix. Fenix tries to fight back with chops but Kyle just kicks him down. Kyle pays homage to Sakuraba with a cartwheel pass as we come back to the broadcast, then lands a kick. More strikes from Kyle, he’s toying with Fenix at this point. Fenix tries to fire up with strikes and lands a flurry. The arm is still bothering Fenix but he lands a kick, then a flying kick to the face. Fenix with a twisting powerbomb for a 2 count. Kyle avoids a suplex but Fenix catches him with a rolling Frankensteiner for a 2 count. Fenix hits the ropes but Kyle cuts him off with kicks, but Fenix avoids a sweep and lands a kick. Kyle counters a kick into a series of butterfly suplexes before Fenix backs him into the corner for a kick and then an absurd springboard back kick to the face. Half and half suplex from Fenix, Kyle misses a Jawbreaker Lariat, Fenix hits his rebound hook kick (sort of) and now Kyle comes back with the Jawbreaker Lariat. Both men land stereo kicks and they’re both down. Kyle tries to go after the arm again, then jumps for a Guillotine Choke and switches it to an armbar attempt but Fenix rolls through and hits a kick to the head. They trade strikes, Fenix hits a super kick that sends Kyle to the apron. Fenix with a double springboard rope walk hurricanrana to the floor. Back in the ring Fenix tries the rolling Cutter but Kyle catches him with the armbar. Kyle moves them away from the ropes and extends the arm to force the tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Kyle O’Reilly won
Rating: 3.5 stars
In case you forgot, Rey Fenix is an exceptional professional wrestler. They told a darn good story here, everyone sold well and they both looked very good. O’Reilly going over is the right call too.
After this break we’ll get Jericho and William Regal talking to each other.
Post break here comes Bryan Danielson to accompany William Regal, then John Moxley along with Eddie Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz head to the ring through the crowd. Pretty loud “Eddie” chant as the Jericho Appreciation Society head to the ring. Matt Parker cuts off the music and the pyro then gives the mic to Jericho. The JAS is hanging out on the entrance ramp. Jericho is upset the crowd cheered when this gang of thugs attack them with a numbers advantage of almost 2-1. Jericho knows the only one who could mastermind this attack was his old friend William Regal. Regal has a mic and enjoys a “Regal” chant. Jericho thought Regal would be dead by now, after all the abuse he’s put himself through Regal still has a sort of functional brain. Now Jericho wants to talk about wasted potential, he says Regal could have been one of the greatest of all time, should have been a world class champion 10 times over but he ended up as just a world class addict. Regal has been fired by every company he’s ever worked for, and managed to weasel himself into AEW on the coattails of his proteges. Jericho moves on to mocking Santana and Ortiz as too stupid to realize that everything they had was because of Jericho. There’s Eddie Kingston, too stupid to stay home after getting his face burned. Then there’s Bryan Danielson, possibly the greatest wrestler in the world today yet nothing more than a nerd who’s never had a drink or had a drug in his life. Well if Bryan sticks with this group long enough he’ll wind up in the program just like Moxley. Jericho calls this a royal flush of losers, then tells Regal to go home, stay out of his business, and if he doesn’t Jericho will throw a fireball in his face. Or maybe he’ll just pee in his tee again. Regal says he’s known Jericho since 1997, and for all that time he’s been listening to that whiny voice that’s akin to a burning orphanage. Regal says Jericho spoke truths about his past, but in the last 21 years the thing that’s kept him going is that for every time he was on a show with Jericho he could go to Jericho’s locker room, open his bag, take Jericho’s toothbrush and stick it up his bottom. Daniel Garcia calls that disgusting, and Regal tells him he did the same thing to Garcia’s last week. Jericho knows they want a fight, and it just so happens Double or Nothing can be home to a match that he and Jake Hager created. Jericho wants a Stadium- Moxley cuts him off saying he’s not doing that shit. Moxley isn’t getting sucked into their sports entertainment vortex. This situation calls for fans to get to see the JAS lose, at Double or Nothing it’ll be 5 on 5, anything goes, glorious madness. You can call it whatever you want, pro wrestling vs. sports entertainment, the beautiful violent art vs. a bunch of stupid BS. Jericho then asks if the egos in that group can coexist and brings up the good eye for an eye match. Not to mention Danielson and Eddie have been at each others throats. Eddie wants to hurry this up, he doesn’t care about the people in the arena, or buys, or ratings, he just wants the JAS to get in the ring and fight. The JAS will not oblige. Eddie goes to chase them, but Danielson stops him, then they get into a shoving match that requires Regal to separate them.
In the back Matt Sydal and Dante Martin are in the back and say that the Blackpool Combat Club only care about violence. Well they’ll get a fight from Sydal and Martin this Friday.
Dr. Britt Baker heads to the ring. Her mystery opponent is Maki Itoh.
Match #5 – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarterfinal: Dr. Britt Baker vs. Maki Itoh
Baker wants a hug, and gets one then asks Maki to lay down for her. Maki does but catches Baker with a small package for a 2 count. Baker is angry and shoves Maki, making her cry. Maki stomps on the foot of Baker and then shoulder blocks her down. Baker avoids a falling headbutt, tries the Lockjaw but Maki counters into a pinfall for 2. Sling Blade from Baker gets a 2 count. We go picture in picture.
Baker runs through her usual control segments, including a sloppy clothesline. A butterfly suplex from Baker connects as we come back to the broadcast. Maki hits a suplex but can’t follow up. More strikes from Baker, then she gets the latex glove out of her kneepad. Maki no sells some offense to her head then fires up and headbutts Baker down. Tornado DDT from Maki gets a 2 count. Maki hits a falling headbutt to the body of Baker for a 2 count. Baker hits a super kick then the Lockjaw ends things.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Britt Baker won
Rating: 2.5 stars
Entirely average match, a few oddly time segments, and bereft of drama.
Post match Toni Storm comes out to stare down Baker.
Tony Schiavone talks in the ring to hype up Double or Nothing, but he’s interrupted by Serena Deeb. Deeb is sick of Tony talking, she heard what he said last week about her not being able to beat Thunder Rosa. Tony tries to talk his way out of this, Deeb says in one interview Tony made himself a complete. She calls out Dustin Rhodes for what he said last week, and here comes Dustin. Deeb with some of the worst cheap heat, can’t even be bothered to name a Texas sports team, then stumbles trying to say “post boy for failure”. Deeb used to respect Dustin, they’ve both had to overcome a ton to be successful, and Deeb brings up how hard it is to be a woman. She got breast implants to satisfy old perverts, shaved her head and still got no respect. She’s getting the “What” treatment. She asks why Dustin said she couldn’t beat Thunder Rosa, Dustin doesn’t respond, and Deeb questions his masculinity. When Deeb beats Rosa Dustin will respect her, then slaps Dustin. Thunder Rosa heads to the ring, is tied up briefly by Dustin and that allows Deeb to clock Rosa with the title belt then walk off with it. That was not a good segment.
After this break we’ll get our main event.
Jeff Hardy heads to the ring, only to be jumped by Adam Cole. We’re short on time so it makes sense. Cole throws Jeff into the ring and we get going.
Match #6 – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Semifinal: Adam Cole vs. Jeff Hardy w/ Matt Hardy
Jeff cuts off Cole and hits a scoop slam. Cole rolls out of the ring, Jeff then hits a diving clothesline from the apron. Back in the ring, but Cole runs away again so he can cut off Jeff and toss him into the ring steps. They head into the ring and Cole hits a Backstabber. That sends us picture in picture.
Cole works some corner offense, then transitions to his usual control bits. Neckbreaker from Cole. Cole with a chin lock then starts landing elbows. More strikes from Cole as we return to the broadcast. Jeff hits a Russian leg sweep then gets a pinning position for 2. They start trading punches, and Jeff hits a mule kick then Cole counters with an enziguri. Sit out gordbuster from Jeff connects for a 2 count. Cole with a super kick that sort of connects to counter a Whisper in the Wind, but Jeff uses the ropes to avoid the pin. Jeff avoids a Boom, hits a couple of Twist of Fate variants then heads up top for a Swanton Bomb but Cole avoids hit and hits the Boom to pin and win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Adam Cole won
Rating: 2 stars
Slow, predictable, slightly sloppy timing, nothing special here.
Post match the Bucks show up and that allows Cole to take out the Hardy’s. BTE Trigger to Matt Hardy, but here comes Darby Allin to attack them while Sting strolls to the ring. Sting and Allin clean house until Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly show up to take out Allin. Sting tries to fight all of them off, including no selling a chair shot from Kyle then blasting Kyle with a chair shot. The Bucks with a double super kick to Sting, then they set to Pillmanize the ankle of Sting and do so. We end the broadcast right after that.
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