AEW Dark

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Propst Arena at Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL!

Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.

It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!

Opening the show: “Hangman” Adam Page had an important announcement ahead of this Sunday’s REVOLUTION pay-per-view!

“Hangman” Adam Page came to the ring using a crutch.

Adam Page: “Looks doesn’t look like a promising start to a speech, does it? When All Elite Wrestling started it was a new endeavor for my friends, but for me it was something different. It was a goal. It was an opportunity to rise to people’s expectations, to make the most of the world that was laid in front of me. And I’d like to think I did that, and I’d like to think of winning the World championship in 2021 as the biggest accomplishment of my career. That’s why it hurts so much to have that opportunity in front of me again and have this crutch.

“When AEW decided at REVOLUTION the World championship would be decided in a three-way match, I said it was B.S. and I meant it. And I suggested the World championship should be decided in a singles match, but it looks like I had the wrong two competitors. 

“So, I’m not going to apologize to Swerve or to Samoa Joe, but I will tell you, because I need to tell you the truth because I’m always honest with you that this Sunday at REVOLUTION I will not be able to compete.”

Swerve Strickland’s music began to play! Swerve walked onto the ramp with Prince Nana and then made his way to the ring.

Swerve: “These last six months, man, we’ve been to war. I tried to kill you, you tried to kill me. I didn’t expect this to happen. I targeted you because of everything you’ve accomplished in AEW. And to say I didn’t have the utmost respect for you because of that would be a flat out lie. But you suffered this unfortunate fate. And the thing about fate, you can’t escape it and you can’t stop destiny. And my destiny awaits for me this Sunday as I go on to become the AEW World champion.”

AEW World champion Samoa Joe walked onto the ramp with a microphone!

Samoa Joe: “Destiny? You boys are out here talking about destiny. What do we have here? Two of the most bitter enemies every trying to hug it out. A lot of lies being told out here so allow me to correct them and tell this audience a few truths. Week after week I watched you boys stare daggers into each other thinking that the destiny of this World championship was tearing the other man’s throat out. That’s only because you were avoiding making eye contact with me and realizing who the real man around here is.

“Secondly, though I don’t quite understand the little dynamic here and whether you’re in or not, ‘Hangman,’ or should I call you ‘Hop-along,’ I keep hearing about how you’re both young, hungry championship contenders but that’s ridiculous. You both are battle tested warriors in that ring. And there’s nothing new about you. No, you’re hungry accomplished wrestlers. But the only reason you’re hungry is because I’m starving your ass. Let me explain to you who I am and what you really need to be worried about. I’m Samoa Joe. I’m the AEW World champion. And whether it’s one of you or both of you come REVOLUTION, I’m going to whoop both your asses.”

Swerve: “Now you wait a second, Joe, because I’m going to explain to you who the hell I am! I am someone who has gone from being unemployed to headlining pay-per-views! I went from someone that went from being a cruiserweight to going after the World championship! I’ll do whatever it takes to become World champion! I’m not only a career maker, but I’m also a career changer! After I take the championship away from you, you’re not going to know what to do with yourself! You might want to go back to commentary wearing a poncho again. I am on the verge of making history! And this Sunday at REVOLUTION I will become the AEW World champion!”

“Hangman” Adam Page crack Swerve across the back with his crutch!

“Look at him! Hangman’s not injured at all!” said Excalibur.

Hangman bashed the crutch into Swerve’s head and Samoa Joe relished every moment from the ramp. 

“Hangman was lying this entire time!” said Excalibur.

“He won’t be champion! I’ll be champion, damn it!” screamed Hangman Page.

“Hangman is saying he’s going to be champion so apparently it’s still a three way match this Sunday at REVOLUTION live on pay-per-view,” said Excalibur.

Hangman stormed to the back, no problem putting weight on his ankle, while a referee and Prince Nana helped Swerve get to his feet.

Footage aired from earlier in the day of EVPs The Young Bucks—Matthew and Nicholas Jackson—arriving to the arena. Renee Paquette was there to interview them and ask about their meeting with “Nature Boy” Ric Flair!

Nicholas Jackson: “The meeting went great and that’s all I’ll say about that.”

Matthew Jackson: “Renee, have you seen Sting at all today? Because as this is his final Dynamite appearance, we’re just dying to see him and thank him for all his contributions to this company. And more importantly, we just want to conduct his exit interview.”

The Bucks laughed as they held white baseball bats.

Nicholas Jackson: “Sting, where you at? Cameraman, you’re going to want to follow us to see what we do to Sting.”

Trios Match!

Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston & FTR—Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood

vs.

The Blackpool Combat Club’s Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, & Jon Moxley!

Claudio was perplexed as Kingston knocked him off his feet. Dax and Danielson tagged in for their respective teams. Dax hit Danielson with a shoulder block. Cash and Mox grabbed tags. Mox and Cash traded strikes in the corner. Both teams began to brawl, and the match quickly broke down!

Mox punched Cash in the face as Danielson held Cash back. Moxley applied a leg lock on Cash. Cash was able to escape and wiped out Mox with a hurracanrana. Dax tagged in and rocked Moxley with left jabs. Dax nailed Claudio with a neck breaker. Dax cradled Moxley for a near fall. Mox connected with a crossbody press on Moxley for a two-count.

Dax drilled Moxley with a Tiger Driver, but Danielson ran in to break up the pin attempt. Moxley rammed Dax into the steel ring post. Danielson grabbed Dax’s arm and wrenched on it. Then Danielson took down Kingston and hit a sliding dropkick on him on the arena floor.

Moxley and Claudio tied up Dax so Danielson could hit Dax with a diving headbutt. Kingston managed to tag in, and he and Danielson traded chops. Kingston sent Danielson flying with an exploder suplex. Kingston served up an exploder for Claudio. Kingston and Moxley blasted each other with strikes. Danielson booted Kingston. Claudio put Kingston in the Giant Swing and then Danielson dropkicked Eddie! Moxley spiked Kingston with a piledriver! Danielson covered Kingston for the pin, but Dax jumped in the ring to break it up.

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

FTR cleaned house on Moxley and Claudio! Kingston cracked Danielson with a spinning backfist. FTR hit a diving bulldog on Danielson and Kingston covered Danielson for the pin, but Claudio and Mox broke it up!

All six men paired off and began to clobber each other with strikes. FTR connected with the Shatter Machine on Claudio! Mox DDT’ed Cash! Dax stunned Mox with a brain buster! Danielson charged at Dax with the running knee! Kingston went for the spinning backfist, but Danielson ducked it! Danielson sent Kingston overhead and to the mat with a shoulder capture suplex! Danielson drilled Kingston with the running knee! Danielson grabbed Kingston’s wrists and began to stomp on Kingston’s head. Danielson trapped Eddie in a triangle sleeper. The ref stopped the match and Danielson wouldn’t release the hold! The BCC won via ref stoppage!

Tony Schiavone was in the ring to welcome Will Ospreay to AEW!

Ospreay: “Guys, I don’t want to take up too much of your time. I just want to thank you for the reception. My obligations are done with New Japan. I’m here to say I’m here for full time work, I’m All Elite! But some of you are forgetting this isn’t my first rodeo here. On my first pay-per-view match, I beat Orange Cassidy in the center of this ring. Then I went over to Canada and beat Kenny Omega in front of 13,000 of his own people! And if that weren’t good enough, I pinned the first ever AEW World champion Chris Jericho at Wembley Stadium!

“I’ve been rolling with the Callis Family, everything’s been going smoothly, and I’m ready to pick up where I left off.”

Don Callis came to the ring with Powerhouse Hobbs and Takeshita!

Callis and Hobbs hugged Ospreay. Takeshita glared at Ospreay. 

Callis: “There’s nothing I like more than a Don Callis Family reunion. When I think about the talent, I think about Fletcher, Hobbs, Takeshita, and Ospreay, and it’s an embarrassment of riches. I love when you talk about all of those things we accomplished together. We top that by having the match of the decade, with the two best rope to rope wrestlers in the world, Takeshita and Ospreay! 

“And people ask me how I can pit two family members against each other. It’s like when Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen would go hard against each other in practice, then they’d come together and win championships. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which one of you wins at REVOLUTION, the real winner after this match will be the Don Callis Family. Now shake hands, guys, this is going to be history making.”

Ospreay extended his hand and smiled, and Takeshita pulled Ospreay in. Then Takeshita tried to walk away but Ospreay pulled him. They smirked at each other, ahead of their match this Sunday.

Renee Paquette was backstage to interview the disrespected Eddie Kingston!

The Young Bucks interrupted, asking if Kingston or Renee had seen Sting anywhere. 

Matthew apologized and didn’t realize they were live. Nicholas pointed the baseball bat at Kingston and said he had a bone to pick with Kingston. Nicholas said that Kingston was talking crap on Collision, and the next time it’d be a fine. 

AEW International Championship Open Challenge!

“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) 

vs. Nick Wayne (with TNT Champion Christian Cage, Mother Wayne, and KillSwitch)!

Nick Wayne was looking for Wayne’s World early on, but Orange dodged it. Wayne followed up with a diving uppercut. Nick Wayne moonsaulted off the middle turnbuckle and landed on Cassidy on the arena floor.

Orange tried to put some distance between him and Nick Wayne, but Nick vaulted over the top rope again and crashed onto Orange. Nick Wayne and Orange Cassidy jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle. Christian swept out Orange’s legs. The ref ejected the Patriarchy from ringside for interfering. 

Orange Cassidy blasted Nick with a shotgun dropkick. Orange bounced Nick’s head off the turnbuckle pads. Orange planted Nick Wayne with a DDT for a near fall. Nick Wayne fired back with a fisherman’s suplex. Nick Wayne taunted Orange. Orange answered with a thrust kick. Orange pulped Wayne with a running PK! Orange rocked Wayne with a Beach Break for a near fall. 

The Undisputed Kingdom—Mike Bennett and Matt Taven—showed up at ringside to mock Orange. Nick Wayne hit Orange with a dragon suplex as Orange was distracted by Taven and Bennett. Rocky Romero and Trent ran to ringside to even up the odds for Orange, brawling with Bennett and Taven. As the ref was dealing with the ringside brawl, Nick Wayne ripped off a turnbuckle pad. Daniel Garcia walked to ringside and began to argue with Nick Wayne. Garcia is set to wrestle Christian Cage this Sunday at REVOLUTION. Nick Wayne turned around and ate an Orange Punch from Cassidy, and Cassidy scored the pin!

Roderick Strong jumped in the ring, ambushing Orange Cassidy with a jumping knee strike!

Renee Paquette was backstage with the Bang Bang Scissor Gang!

They agreed they were gelling as a team, and on Collision this Saturday it’ll be Austin Gunn teaming with the Acclaimed. 

Kris Statlander (with Stokely Hathaway and Willow Nightingale) 

vs. Skye Blue (with TBS Champion Julia Hart)!

After an aggressive start by Skye, Kris flung Skye halfway across the ring. Skye escaped and body slam and yanked Kris down to the mat by her hair. Kris came back with a senton for a near fall. 

Skye Blue cracked Kris with a knee to the face. Kris press slammed Blue over the barricade and onto fans at ringside! Back in the ring, they traded forearms. Kris hammered Skye with a lariat. Kris powerslammed Skye out of the corner for a two-count. 

Skye came back with a neck breaker for a near fall. Statlander drilled Skye with a German Suplex on the apron! Julia Hart checked on Skye. Julia gave Kris a nasty look before Willow stepped up and got in Julia’s face. Statlander charged at Skye, but Skye countered with a drop toehold, bashing Statlander headfirst into the steel ring steps! Blue crushed Kris with a Canadian Destroyer! Skye rolled up Kris in a cradle but somehow Kris Statlander kicked out!

Statlander pulled Skye off the turnbuckles and down onto the mat with an iconoclasm! Statlander planted Skye for a near fall. Stokely offered Kris a steel chain to use, but Willow discouraged her from using it. As the ref was telling Stokely to put the chain away, Julia Hart jumped in the ring and hit Kris in the head with the TBS championship belt! Skye followed up with the Code Blue and pinned Kris Statlander!

EVPs Matthew and Nicholas Jackson continued their search for Sting backstage! 

They found Sting’s dressing room and went in! There were black baseball bats hanging from the ceiling, but no Stinger! Nicholas said Sting was playing mind games, and Matthew agreed, saying it was sick.

“Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. CMLL’s Atlantis Jr. (accompanied by Atlantis)!

They slugged it out early on. Atlantis Jr. connected with a high crossbody press from the top rope. Atlantis Jr. sent Jericho flying with a monkey flip. Jericho retaliated with the Walls of Jericho, but Atlantis reached the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Jericho tried to rip off Atlantis Jr.’s mask but Atlantis Jr.’s fought back. As the ref was helping to tie the mask back on Atlantis Jr., Atlantis Sr. choked Jericho with a towel on the other side of the ring!

Atlantis Jr. hit Jericho with a tope suicida, sending Jericho crashing hard into the barricade. Atlantis Jr. catapulted Jericho into the steel ring post. Atlantis Jr. tried to powerbomb Jericho onto the steps, but Jericho reversed it with a hurracanrana!

Back in the ring, Atlantis Jr. sent Jericho down to the mat hard with an arm drag off the turnbuckles. Atlantis Jr. followed up with a wheelbarrow German Suplex for a near fall! Jericho and Atlantis Jr. fought on the top turnbuckle, and Jericho slammed Atlantis Jr.’s head onto the mat with a bulldog for a near fall!

Atlantis Jr. powerslammed Jericho for a two-count. Atlantis Jr. jumped over the top rope and wiped out Jericho on the arena floor! 

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Jericho battered Atlantis Jr. with shots on top of the head and then sent Atlantis Jr. soaring with a hurracanrana off the top rope! Atlantis Jr. avoided the Judas Effect from Jericho! Atlantis Jr. locked in his backbreaker finisher on Jericho, but Jericho countered with the Walls! Jericho sat back and Atlantis threw the towel in for his son, knowing his son had too much pride to tap out!

EVPs The Young Bucks, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson, came to the ring with their white baseball bats!

Nicholas and Matthew were pointing their bats at Sting fans. Nicholas put his into the face of one Sting fan at ringside, but the fan removed his Sting mask and revealed himself to be…Darby Allin! Darby jumped over the barricade and took the fight to the Young Bucks, opting not to wait until Sunday at REVOLUTION!

Matthew grabbed Darby’s leg and anchored him while Nicholas cracked Darby with a knee strike! The Bucks had Darby outnumbered and began to double team him with a vicious assault, using their baseball bats! The Bucks held Darby in the ring, setting him up for the EVP Trigger and then sandwiching him with their knees!

“If the Bucks land the EVP Trigger this Sunday at REVOLUTION, we will have new AEW World Tag Team champions,” said Excalibur.

The Bucks continued their onslaught on Darby with their baseball bats! The Bucks called to the back and out came…

“The Nature Boy” Ric Flair! 

Flair came down to the ring as the Bucks beat down Darby. Matthew handed a baseball bat to Ric Flair. “The Nature Boy” poked Nicholas in the eyes! Flair chopped Matthew but Nicholas connected with a low blow to Flair from behind! The Bucks stomped Ric Flair!

Sting’s music began to play, and the Bucks didn’t wait, deciding to walk up the ramp with baseball bats in hand!

“Sting is walking into a trap here,” said Tony Schiavone.

Sting descended from the rafters, repelling from the top! Sting turned the tables on Matthew and Nicholas Jackson, hitting them with his baseball bat! Darby nailed the Bucks with a Coffin Drop!

“Listen to this crowd! It has come unglued for Sting!” said Excalibur.

Sting drilled Nicholas with a Scorpion Death Drop! 

“They were looking all day for Sting and the Bucks needed to look up…in the rafters,” said Tony Schiavone.

“Well Sting found them and exploded on the scene right here on Dynamite,” replied Taz.

This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT featuring:

-All-Star 8-Man Scramble Qualifying Match: CMLL’s Magnus vs. Matt Sydal!

-Riho vs. Trish Adora!

-CMLL’s Rugido vs. Claudio Castagnoli!

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c!

Catch all the fallout from AEW REVOLUTION 2024 on AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA!

Don’t miss AEW REVOLUTION live on pay-per-view on Sunday at 8PM ET/5PM PT from the legendary Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC!

Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com

And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!