wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s AEW Dynamite Review 5.25.22
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Hey there people, Winfree back at it again. I don’t know what to tell you but I promise this isn’t my regular gig, Tony should be back next week. In the interim you’re stuck with me. . . again. On this episode of Dynamite Wardlow will go one on one with Shawn Spears in a steel cage with special guest referee Maxwell Jacob Friedman, and should Wardlow lose he will forfeit his PPV match with MJF and never be allowed to wrestle with AEW again. There will be an ROH tag team title match, a triple threat match of Jungle Boy vs. Ricky Starks vs. Swerve Strickland to help set up their triple threat title match for the AEW tag team titles at Double or Nothing, the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament continues, and we have another face to face between CM Punk and AEW World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page ahead of their title match at Double or Nothing. Well with that out of the way, let’s get to the action.
The steel cage is down already as the show starts. We’re not doing escape rules for this one, you can only win by pinfall or submission. And here comes MJF in a custom refs shirt, instead of black stripes he has the pattern of his scarf making the stripes. After that we get the entrance for Shawn Spears with a couple of chairs. Spears leaves both chairs outside of the cage. No music for Wardlow as the security goons escort him to the ring.
Match #1 – Steel Cage Match w/ Special Guest Referee Maxwell Jacob Friedman: Shawn Spears vs. Wardlow
It seems MJF lost the keys to the cuffs and Wardlow will be cuffed as we start with a cheap shot from Spears. Some stomps from Spears before he walks into a couple of strikes and MJF rakes the eyes of Wardlow. Spears and MJF both send Wardlow into the steel cage and pose. Wardlow drops Spears with a back body drop then a big boot. MJF gets in Wardlow’s face and implores him to strike him, should Wardlow do so he’ll be disqualified (in a steel cage match). MJF spits on Wardlow, which fires up Wardlow and he breaks his cuffs apart then starts tossing Spears into the cage. Spears heads up top, Wardlow follows him and tosses him to the mat then hits a Swanton Bomb but MJF refuses to make the count when Wardlow goes for the pin. Again MJF tries to provoke Wardlow, Wardlow instead goes to Powerbomb Spears but MJF cuts him off with a low blow. C4 from Spears, and a fast count from MJF, and Wardlow still kicks out at 2. Spears heads out of the ring to retrieve a chair, he gets one and returns to the ring. MJF goes to hold Wardlow for a shot, predictably Wardlow moves and Spears brains MJF. Wardlow then kills Spears with a Powerbomb Symphony (3) then here comes a replacement ref. Wardlow calls for more, and powerbombs Spears onto a chair then pins him with a foot on the chest.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Wardlow won
Rating: 2.5 stars
Not much of a match, but that was by design. The crowd was into this, but in terms of just action there wasn’t a whole lot here.
Post match Wardlow goes after MJF, the security goons show up to stop that but Wardlow proceeds to massacre them as MJF runs for the hills. Wardlow climbs the cage and poses, then points at the Double or Nothing sign- I mean MJF.
We come back to the JAS walking in the back. They find a stage hand with a Mox t-shirt and bully him until Jericho fireballs the poor guy. Feels like that should cause a lawsuit, just saying.
Tony Schiavone is in the ring to host the face to face between AEW champion Adam Page and CM Punk. Punk heads down first, then the champion. For what it’s worth the crowd seems more pro-Punk than pro-Page. Tony reminds us about the last couple of weeks worth of activities between the two men then starts with Punk. Punk says the biggest moment of his career happened here. Page’s turn, definitely getting some boos, and he already told Punk what he was going to do. There’s nothing Punk can do to take the title from him. Punk isn’t sure why Page is taking this personally, and puts Page over as the champion, and there’s a locker room full of people waiting for their shot just like Punk, and Punk reiterates this isn’t personal. Page takes the mic from Punk, and repeats himself that he promised to destroy, annihilate, and embarrass Punk, and he didn’t mean at Double or Nothing, he meant right now. He’s been waiting for this moment for months, he’s imagined lighting a promotional pipe bomb and rolling it right to the feet of CM Punk. To do that right here in Vegas would bring Punk full circle, wouldn’t it? But now that we’re here in this moment Page realizes he can’t do it, not because he’s afraid he’d get fired, or because he’s afraid of Punk, but because the more he thought about it the more he realized he’d just be doing what Punk would. And he’s not going to do that. Page doesn’t hate Punk, he almost pities him, and has no respect for Punk or what he’s done here in AEW. Being a champion in AEW isn’t about what happens on screen, it’s about all the little things that happen when you think no one’s watching. Punk talks a big game about worker’s rights but has shown the exact opposite ever since coming here. Page loves this place, it’s his home, and for the first time this Sunday he will be defending AEW from Punk. Punk still doesn’t understand why Page is taking this personally, and frankly it confuses him because Page is talking in circles. But if Page is so upset that Punk is here he’ll have to do something about it Sunday. Win lose or draw, Punk respects Page, but remember that all the roads Page walks were paved by Punk, Punk chopped down the trees that built this place, everything that AEW is exists because Punk gave them the blueprint. Punk offers a handshake, and tells Page he’s just mad at himself. Page declines, so Punk shoves him, then Page drops Punk with a punch. Punk smiles while sitting on the mat as Page glowers at him then heads out. That was a bit too long, starting slow and featuring Page repeating himself a few times, but when they got to the point of Page wanting to protect AEW while Punk’s ego begins to show things actually took shape. Not great but a solid promo overall.
William Regal has joined commentary for our next bit. The Jericho Appreciation Society heads to the ring and Jericho cuts off the music preventing the sing along. Jericho mocks the crowd then moves to commentary with his goons in tow.
Match #2 – Tag Team Match: Private Party (Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy) vs. Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston
Eddie is wearing a Terry Funk t-shirt, he and Moxley jump Private Party on the entrance ramp. Moxley and Quen wind up in the ring while Eddie abuses Kassidy around the ringside area. Moonsault press from Quen gets a 1 count, Moxley then grabs a hold and tags in Eddie. Eddie lays in strikes then hits a slightly awkward powerbomb. Butterfly suplex from Eddie then he tags in Moxley. Some corner offense from Moxley and Eddie then Eddie hits an STO. Moxley takes an enziguri then Kassidy tags in. Some tandem drop kicks from Quen and Kassidy as Jericho continues to be about the worst on commentary. Eddie attacks Quen on the outside as Moxley hits a release suplex to send us to picture in picture.
A lot of brawling around the ringside area, Kassidy starts fighting back against Moxley as the ref stops Eddie from braining Quen with a chair. Moxley tosses Kassidy into the barricade then the ring steps, Eddie does the same to Quen. Back in the ring Moxley starts tying up Kassidy in knots while Eddie tosses Quen around some more. German suplex from Moxley, then another one as we come back to the broadcast. Kassidy blocks a half nelson suplex, then hits an enziguri and tags out leading to Quen flying in with a cross body. Drop kick from Quen to Eddie, then one for Moxley and he sets for a dive and lands on Eddie, then Kassidy hits one onto Moxley. Moxley and Eddie have had enough of this, Eddie ties up Quen with a Stretch Plum as Moxley drops Kassidy with a Paradigm Shift and pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley won
Rating: 3 stars
Solid enough match, the outcome was never in doubt and Private Party still have a long ways to go but ring time with guys like Eddie and Moxley should only help them.
Post match the JAS attacks, but here’s Santana, Ortiz, and Bryan Danielson to even the odds. We get a wild brawl as the officials fight to get control over things. Bryan and Jericho wind up in the ring and Jericho starts attacking the injured leg of Bryan. Eventually things quiet down as the JAS head out and we go to break.
We come back in time for the ROH tag team title match.
Match #3 – ROH Tag Team Title Match: (c) FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) vs. Roppongi Vice (Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero)
Rocky and Cash start us off, Rocky lands a leg kick. They tie up, trade arm wringers and escapes before Rocky grabs a side headlock and shoulder blocks Cash down. Awkward collision between them, then Rocky lands a chop and Cash lands a shoulder block but misses a follow up drop kick. Now they trade roll ups and Rocky hits a flying armbar but Cash gets to the ropes and heads to the outside to regroup. Cash heads back into the ring then tags in Dax, and here comes Trent as well. They start trading chops and other strikes, both men are laying their stuff in. Dax lands a back elbow then a snap suplex and tags out. Assisted leg drop from Cash but that only gets a 2 count. Rocky makes a blind tag and comes in with kicks before Trent drops Cash with a half and half suplex but Cash is too close to the ropes for the pin and we go picture in picture.
Rocky chops away at Cash, then tags in Trent. Trent grabs a top wrist lock but Cash fights to his feet then hits a scoop slam. Rocky is tagged in and he prevents the hot tag to Dax by drop kicking Dax off the apron. Rocky with more kicks to Cash then he grabs a headlock. Cash fights out of that with an inverted Atomic Drop but Rocky tags in Trent who once again keeps isolating Cash. More strikes from Trent then he tags in Rocky and they hit a double suplex for a 2 count. We come back to the broadcast as Rocky is working another chin lock. Cash fights out with a back suplex. Trent tags in but can’t stop the hot tag and here comes Dax. Dax lays in strikes to both opponents but Trent cuts him off with a body shot. Dax avoids a suplex from Rocky, hits an Atomic Drop but Trent made a blind tag. Double knee to Dax then Rocky attacks Cash on the floor. Trent drapes Dax on the top rope and Rocky hits a drop kick then Trent follows up with a Shining Wizard but Dax is still able to kick out at 2. Trent sets for the Strong Zero but Cash intercepts Rocky on top to break it up. Dax and Trent trade Small Packages then Trent tries a Victory Roll for 2. Trent sets for another Strong Zero, it connects but Cash is here to shove Rocky into the pin. And here comes Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan are here to cause a stoppage.
OFFICIAL RESULT: No Contest
Rating: 3 stars
This was shaping up nicely, and while the non-finish was kind of predictable it was well executed. Cobb and Kahn showing up to wreck house was a nice little surprise.
Post match Cobb and Kahn lay waste to both FTR and Roppongi Vice. Cobb hits Dax with a powerbomb through a table, then Kahn uses a Claw slam to send Trent through a table as well. After that Cobb and Kahn pose with the ROH titles in the ring.
The Hardy Boyz talk in the back, Matt talks about the similarities between them and the Bucks but then goes into the differences. The Bucks couldn’t have survived the time in wrestling when Matt and Jeff came up. Matt calls the Bucks Hardy cosplayers, the Hardy’s are here to cement their legacy as the best tag team ever. Jeff knows they’re near the end of their careers, but they’ve got more than enough to overcome the little stones that are the Bucks. Matt says the Bucks have never been better than the Hardy’s, at every stage of the Hardy’s career they’ve been better than the Bucks. They say never meet your heroes because they’ll disappoint you, but in the case of the Bucks they’ll be disappointed because they can’t beat the Hardy’s.
To the ring for our next match.
Match #4 – Triple Threat Match: Swerve Strickland vs. Ricky Starks vs. Jungle Boy
Starks instantly powders. Strickland offers a handshake to Jungle Boy, they shake but here’s Starks to attack both of them. Roll ups are traded then Starks gets sent into a corner. Jungle Boy chops Strickland but Strickland tosses him into a hurricanrana onto Starks then he takes down Strickland. Jungle Boy with strikes to Strickland but Starks pulls him out of the ring and hits a clothesline. Starks avoids an attack from Strickland then shoves him into the barricade to send us to picture in picture.
Starks and Jungle Boy wind up in the ring where Starks hits a delayed vertical suplex. Starks tosses Strickland out of the ring when he tries to get back into the match. A bit of the Old School from Starks to Jungle Boy then he drops Strickland with an elbow. Strickland is finally able to get Starks from behind and lands a running elbow but again Strickland tosses him to the apron then hits Jungle Boy with a belly to belly suplex. More elbows from Strickland to Starks then a diving uppercut to the back. They head to the apron as we rejoin the broadcast. Starks and Strickland trade strikes on the apron then Strickland boots Starks down to the floor but Jungle Boy hits him with a hurricanrana to the floor. Back in the ring Jungle Boy lands a sliding clothesline to the back of the head but Starks breaks up the pin. Jungle Boy drops Starks with a back suplex but that only gets a 2 count. Starks rolls out of the ring, Strickland attacks Jungle Boy and sets him on the top rope. Strickland heads up top with Jungle Boy, Starks shows up to join the party and but Jungle Boy and Strickland both pie face him off to the floor. Jungle Boy tries a super Poisoned Rana to Strickland but Strickland lands on his feet. Starks boots Strickland, Strickland lands a super kick then goes to suplex Jungle Boy but Starks Spears him. Starks catches Jungle Boy with a Michinoku Driver but Strickland breaks up the pin. Strickland fights off the Roshambo and lands back chops then an uppercut. Starks thumbs the eye of Strickland, then hits the Roshambo but here’s Jungle Boy to grab Starks in the Snare Trap. Jungle Boy cranks on the hold as Starks crawls to the ropes and he does get there. Jungle Boy drags him back to the middle of the ring, grabs the Snare Trap again but Strickland comes in with a super kick to Jungle Boy. Strickland up top, Swerve Stomp to Starks and he pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Swerve Strickland won
Rating: 3 stars
This bordered on 3.5 stars but lacked a narrative to tie it all together. That said the athleticism was incredible.
Post match Powerhouse Hobbs runs down to run over Strickland and Jungle Boy. Here’s Luchasaurus to attack Hobbs, they square off but all this brings out Keith Lee. All three big men square up, Luchasaurus kicks Hoobs out of the ring, Lee sends him out as well then hits a plancha onto both Hobbs and Luchasaurus.
In the back Dan Lambert, Scorpio Sky, and Ethan Page talk. Lambert insults the intelligence of Sammy Guevara, because he’s got every belt maker in the world on speed dial and has the new one already en route. Scorpio Sky will be presented with that belt on Rampage.
Tony Schiavone is here to interview Thunder Rosa ahead of her match with Serena Deeb. Rosa wants everyone to see her face, she’s got no face paint on at the moment. This is the face of someone who’s worked and earned everything she has, someone’s who’s grateful to be champion, and has never complained. Deeb isn’t a champion, she just complains and points fingers rather than look at herself in the mirror. This face used to look up to Deeb, but not anymore. On Sunday the war paint is back on, and La Mera Mera will teach Deeb a lesson in respect. She waits just a bit too long and there’s a miscue about her music so she has to deliver her last line over the music. Nice to see a little more fire from Rosa, her title reign hasn’t been great thus far but she still has time to turn that around. That slightly botched segment sends us to break.
In the back Tony Schiavone talks with Red Velvet, Velvet was supposed to win and advance but here comes Ruby Soho. Ruby asks if Velvet has anything to say, and Velvet hands her a notebook that’s a scouting report on Kris Statlander. Ruby acknowledges she beat Statlander by the skin of her teeth last time, but she’s still woman enough to meet her without this, and tosses the book aside.
To the ring for our next match.
Match #5 – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Semifinal: Dr. Britt Baker vs. Toni Storm
Pretty loud “DMD” chant. They tie up then Storm grabs an arm wringer. Baker counters into a hammerlock but Storm counters back into another arm wringer. Storm is out wrestling Baker thus far, she’s got her counter game on point. They trade side headlocks then head scissors counters but Baker can’t get out of Storm’s headscissor hold and has to squirm to the ropes and force a break. Baker lands a kick, but Storm counters with a low drop kick and Baker heads out of the ring. Storm follows Baker and slams her into the ring post then lands strikes before breaking the count of the ref. They head back into the ring briefly but Storm kicks Baker back to the floor. Baker goes to the eyes to slow the offensive momentum of Storm, then hits a Flatliner onto the ring steps to send us to picture in picture.
Baker continues the brawling for a bit before they head back into the ring. Some stomps from Baker as things slow way down. Baker stretches Storm around the ring post briefly then lands a chop and starts working a neck crank. We come back as Storm lands body shots to start a comeback. The crowd has cooled considerably as Storm fires up with strikes but Baker lands a super kick. Baker wants the Panama Sunrise but Storm counters into a tornado DDT. Running hip attack from Storm, then an Alabama Slam but Baker counters a Storm Zero with an Air Raid Crash for a 2 count. Jamie Hayter heads to the ring now, Baker tries to send her to the back but that allows Storm to get a roll up for 2. Twisting neckbreaker from Baker gets a near fall. Storm avoids a ripcord elbow and hits a German suplex. They head out of the ring again and Storm hits a sliding DDT to the floor. Back in the ring but Hayter is on the apron and Storm smacks her down. Baker has a super kick blocked but she counters the Storm Zero into a rana pin, and we badly mistime the dirty finish as Hayter misses her cue to get over and help hold Baker’s hands on the finish.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Britt Baker won
Rating: 2.5 stars
We had a good match developing here, but that botched finish hurt a lot, there were points when things slowed way down for no real reason, and Baker’s control segments are still more than a little dull.
We head to break, our next semifinal match will be up after the break.
Post break, and for TV time remaining, here’s Kyle O’Reilley and Samoa Joe.
Match #6 – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Semifinal: Kyle O’Reilly vs. Samoa Joe
Kyle quickly goes after the arm of Joe but can’t find a kimura lock before Joe stands free. Again Kyle goes for the arm, he tries an arm breaker but Joe counters into the Coquina Clutch, Kyle escapes and Joe kicks him down. Joe lays in jabs and chops then hits a scoop slam. Back chop from Joe, then a kick and a jumping elbow. More strikes from Joe then a suplex. Kyle lands a knee strike then slams Joe down by the arm. Some more arm work from Kyle and he hits a running knee to the shoulder as Joe is on the mat. Kicks to the arm from Kyle, then some knees but he runs into a back elbow. Kyle heads to the apron and hits a Dragon Screw leg whip through the ropes then heads up top and hits a diving elbow to the arm of Joe which gets a 2 count, then he tries an armbar but Joe gets to the ropes as we go picture in picture.
Joe rolls out of the ring to recover but Kyle follows him and lays in some kicks then tries a running attack but Joe cuts him off with an elbow. Some chops from Joe then he sets up Kyle for a running kick into the barricade and hits it. They head back into the ring but Kyle is able to sweep the legs of Joe then he starts laying in elbows from knee on belly. More arm work from Kyle on the mat. They start trading strikes as we come back to the broadcast, Kyle keeps kicking the arm of Joe but Joe fires up with a rolling leg sweep to drop Kyle. Joe looks to fire up with more strikes, then an inverted Atomic Drop and a boot followed by a senton for a 2 count. Kyle catches a knee strike and lands a kick but when he charges Joe takes his head off with a lariat for a near fall. They trade strikes, and Joe gets the better of things the sets for a Muscle Buster but Kyle counters into a kimura attack and switches into a Fujiwara armbar. Joe crawls to the ropes and gets there to break the hold. Kyle goes back to landing kicks, Joe fires back with punches and chops, then Joe lands an intercepting knee, Kyle tries a low Jawbreaker Lariat, Joe lands a kick and Kyle returns it then they’re both down. Joe goes for the ST-Joe but Kyle counters into an O’Connor Roll but Joe turns it into a Coquina Clutch. Kyle is hand fighting but can’t get the arm off of his neck and Kyle passes out.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Samoa Joe won
Rating: 3.5 stars
That was some very good work from both men, Joe sold well for Kyle while Kyle sold his desperation to overcome the unstoppable force in front of him.
Post match Adam Cole poses on the entrance ramp to end the episode.
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