This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite aired live from the Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, California, featuring one of the final stops before the much-anticipated Double Or Nothing event.

– The show opened with a sponsored video package, featuring Furiosa.

(1) ORANGE CASSIDY & WILL OSPREAY vs. TRENT BERETTA & RODERICK STRONG (w/Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)

They immediately started brawling in and out of the ring, until Ospreay hit Strong and Trent with a lariat and a Pescado. Cassidy nailed Strong and Trent with a high crossbody and a suicide dive. Ospreay whacked Strong with a springboard clothesline, but he kicked out at two. Taven distracted Ospreay, allowing Strong to plant him with a backbreaker. Trent knocked Ospreay down with a back elbow, setting him up for a load of stomps and chops from Strong.

Ospreay planted Strong with a back body drop, reaching Cassidy for the tag. Cassidy knocked Trent off the apron and smashed Strong’s head into the turnbuckle. Trent tripped Cassidy atop the turnbuckle, allowing Strong to hit him with a gutbuster onto the turnbuckle. Ospreay kicked Trent into the barricade before receiving a sliding dropkick from Strong. Strong and Trent hit Cassidy with a back suplex on the apron and a Spear, as AEW Dynamite went to commercials.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Cassidy knocked Strong off his feet with a dropkick, reaching Ospreay for the hot tag. Ospreay clobbered Trent with a flying forearm strike, followed by a handspring Pele kick on him and Strong. Ospreay blocked a Tornado DDT, only for Trent to floor him with a half-and-half suplex. Strong clobbered Ospreay with a series of forearm strikes, followed by an inverted Olympic slam for a nearfall. Ospreay caught Strong with the Cheeky Nando kick, setting him up for a corkscrew splash and Cassidy’s low effort splash. Trent grabbed Cassidy’s foot, allowing Strong to sit him atop the turnbuckle.

Ospreay pulled Strong down and landed on his feet off an avalanche German suplex. Cassidy spiked Trent with a diving DDT while Ospreay cracked Strong with an enzuigiri. Cassidy hit Strong with a Satellite DDT, only for Trent to break the pinfall. Taven and Bennett distracted the referee, allowing Callis to save Cassidy from the End of Heartache. Cassidy hit Strong with Stundog Millionaire, setting him up for the OsCutter. Ospreay low-bridged Taven and Bennett before crushing them with a Tope con Hilo. Wardlow clobbered Ospreay with a lariat on the ramp while Strong and Trent beat Cassidy with a running knee and the End of Heartache.

WINNERS: Trent Beretta & Roderick Strong at 12:57 (***1/2)

– After the match, the Undisputed Kingdom beat Will Ospreay down while Trent Beretta put Orange Cassidy with a modified Triangle Choke. Strong beat a bloodied Ospreay down and hit him with the End of Heartache.

– Backstage, the Young Bucks announced that Darby Allin would be barred from the building tonight. The Bucks ordered a bunch of security guards to make sure Allin doesn’t get here. Sonjay Dutt showed up to put over the Bucks’ work and claim that Satnam Singh would snap Bryan Danielson like a pencil.

WE’LL HEAR FROM THE BANG BANG GANG

– Bullet Club Gold made their way to the ring to talk about how they beat him down on stage on Collision. Jay White mocked PAC for not being scared of them, messing with their business against Rocky Romero and daring them to make him care. PAC appeared on-screen to thank White for warming him up, but a three on one fight wasn’t fair before the lights turned off. Penta El Zero Miedo, Rey Fenix and PAC made their entrance, as the reunited Death Triangle. They assaulted the Bang Bang Gang, forcing them to retreat. PAC challenged White to a title match at Double Or Nothing for the Unified Trios titles.

[Commercial Break]

– Chris Jericho and Big Bill were on commentary for the next match.

(2) KATSUYORI SHIBATA vs. HOOK vs. BRYAN KEITH – FTW Championship Eliminator Match

Keith clobbered Hook with a running boot before receiving chops from Shibata. Hook shoved Shibata away to pummel Keith down with forearm strikes. Shibata and Hook had a face-off, until Keith knocked them into each other. Hook put Keith in the Redrum, only for Shibata to trap him in a sleeper hold at the same time. Keith dropped them with a jawbreaker before they all started exchanging Xploders, as AEW Dynamite went to an ad break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Keith laid Hook out with a double underhook powerbomb, but Shibata broke the pinfall. Shibata blasted Hook and Keith with running boots to the face, followed by a Hesitation dropkick and a snap suplex on Keith. Hook planted Shibata with a T-Bone suplex and tried to put Keith in the Redrum. Keith knocked Hook off the top turnbuckle with a jumping strike, setting him up for the Diamond Dust. Shibata clocked Keith with a Penalty kick, followed by an Ushigoroshi and a Figure 4. Hook joined in by putting Keith in the Redrum, forcing him to tap out to both holds.

WINNERS: Hook & Katsuyori Shibata at 6:30 (***)

– After the match, Chris Jericho tried to downplay how having two winners made his title defense harder. Jericho congratulated Hook and Shibata for their win and claimed that he would never lose the FTW title.

WILLOW NIGHTINGALE vs. MERCEDES MONE PREVIEW

– A video package was shown, recapping the story between Willow Nightingale and Mercedes Mone. It included footage from Willow defeating Mone for the NJPW Strong Women’s title at NJPW Resurgence 2023. It showed highlights from Willow’s career and her winning the TBS title while showcasing Mone’s work as a mainstream star outside of wrestling.

[Commercial Break]

– Another commercial for the Young Bucks’ Reebok Pumps was shown.

– A video package recapping highlights of Konosuke Takeshita from the past year and Jon Moxley’s IWGP World Heavyweight championship defenses.

(3) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (w/Don Callis) vs. MATT SYDAL

Takeshita clobbered Sydal with a forearm strike before planting him with a deadlift brainbuster. Sydal caught Takeshita with a hurracarrana, a low dropkick and a DDT. Takeshita evaded the Meteora and floored Sydal with a Blue Thunderbomb, setting him up for a single elbow strike and the win.

WINNER: Konosuke Takeshita at 1:58 (*1/2)

– After the match, Konosuke Takeshita put Matt Sydal down with a German suplex and stomped him down. Jon Moxley showed up with a mic in hand, only to clobber Takeshita with it and tell him that he would see him at Double Or Nothing.

– Backstage, the Young Bucks found Swerve Strickland in their spot in gorilla position. Swerve tore off their Darby Allin wanted sign and told them to play his music.

(4) SWERVE STRICKLAND vs. NICK WAYNE

Wayne immediately rolled out of the ring to avoid Swerve, only for Swerve to beat him down with a load of strikes to the stomach. Swerve took out his belt and whipped Wayne with it numerous times. Wayne blocked a shot into the turnbuckle, only for Swerve to nail him with a back body drop and a basement dropkick. Wayne smashed Swerve’s head into the turnbuckle, knocked him off the apron with a dropkick and clocked him with a Penalty kick. Swerve caught a moonsault, only for Wayne to spike him with a Satellite DDT, as AEW Dynamite went to a commercial break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Wayne blocked a suplex with a knee strike, only for Swerve to counter Wayne’s World with a back suplex on the apron. Swerve crushed Wayne with the Swerve Stomp from the apron, but Wayne blocked a second one with his feet. Wayne got nearfalls with an inside cradle, a roll-up and a Code Red. Swerve blocked the House Call before cracking Wayne with a backbreaker and a modified powerslam. Swerve blasted Wayne with the House Call for the three count.

WINNER: Swerve Strickland at 8:55 (***)

– After the match, Killswitch immediately whacked Swerve Strickland with a clothesline to the back. Christian Cage and Shayna Wayne showed up to check on Wayne while Killswitch cornered Swerve. Swerve knocked Killswitch off the top turnbuckle and nailed him with a House Call while chasing Cage around the ring. Cage ran to the back and got into a car, only for a returning Prince Nana to block him with his own car. Swerve pulled Cage out of his car and beat him on the car’s roof. Swerve nailed Cage with a DDT on the roof, but couldn’t follow up with a Con-Chair-To into the car’s hood. Cage ran away from the scene while Swerve stood tall alongside Nana.

[Commercial Break]

(5) KYLE O’REILLY vs. MALAKAI BLACK

Black pushed Kyle to the ropes before they started exchanging numerous elbow and knee strikes. Black knocked Kyle down with a shoulder tackle and kicked his abdomen, only for Kyle to knock him down with a kick to the legs on the middle rope. Kyle tried to go for a kick to the chest, but Black swept him off his feet. Black sent Kyle out of the ring with a jumping knee, as AEW Dynamite went to commercials.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Black hit Kyle with a back elbow, only for Kyle to shut him down with a series of kicks to the legs and smashing his arm on the mat. Kyle blasted Black with an axe kick and a forearm strike for a close two count. They got into a forearm strike exchange, until Kyle knocked Black off his feet and nearly put him in a cross armbreaker. Kyle put Black in an Ankle Lock, until Black retaliated with a strike to the back, a jumping knee and a brainbuster for a nearfall. They traded kicks and elbow strikes, until Black shocked Kyle with The End for the victory.

WINNER: Malakai Black at 10:17 (***1/2)

– After the match, the lights turned red for a brief moment before a massive amount of blood poured on top of Black. Adam Copeland appeared on-screen to tell Black that he doesn’t care what he wishes for.

[Commercial Break]

– A recap of Lance Archer and The Righteous assaulting FTR & Bryan Danielson on Collision was shown.

Announced for AEW Double Or Nothing:

• The Elite vs. FTR, Bryan Danielson & Darby Allin – Anarchy in the Arena Match
• Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Mone – AEW TBS Championship
• Swerve Strickland vs. Christian Cage – AEW World Championship
• Adam Copeland vs. Malakai Black –  AEW TNT Championship Barbed Wire Steel Cage Match
• Roderick Strong vs. Will Ospreay – AEW International Championship
• Orange Cassidy vs. Trent Beretta
• Chris Jericho vs. Hook vs. Katsuyori Shibata – FTW Championship
• Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Eliminator Match
• Toni Storm vs. Serena Deeb – AEW Women’s World Championship

– A recap of Toni Storm undressing and wrapping her body with Serena Deeb’s flag was shown.

(6) TONI STORM & MARIAH MAY (w/Luther) vs. THE OUTCASTS (Saraya & Harley Cameron w/Zak Knight)

Cameron caught May with a forearm strike, only for May to shut her down with a basement dropkick. May dropped Cameron with a sideslam, forcing her to tag Saraya in. Storm and Saraya got into a forearm strike exchange, until Storm knocked Saraya down with a Thesz Press. Storm dropped May on top of Saraya with a pair of bodyslams and crushed her with an elbow drop. May clobbered Saraya with a forearm strike, only for Cameron to attack her from behind, as AEW Dynamite went to an ad break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, May and Cameron took each other down with facebusters at the same time. Storm got the hot tag to drop Cameron with a backbreaker and a headbutt. Storm tripped Saraya on top of Cameron before flattening Cameron with Sky High. Saraya broke the pinfall with a thrust kick before the Outcasts hit Storm and May with stereo sunset flip powerbombs. Storm and May kissed Saraya and Cameron before knocking them out with the Storm Zero and the May Day.

WINNERS: Toni Storm & Mariah May at 9:11 (**3/4)

– After the match, Serena Deeb clobbered Luther and Mariah May with chair shots. Deeb spiked Storm with a shoe and put her in the Serenity Lock while sitting on a chair on her back.

– Backstage, the Bang Bang Gang accepted the challenge from Death Triangle, but only agreed to put the titles in the line if they earned it on Collision.

(7) BRYAN DANIELSON vs. SATNAM SINGH (w/Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett & Sonjay Dutt)

Danielson avoided a chop and tried to beat Singh down with right hands, but Singh shoved him down and clocked him with a big boot. Singh clobbered Danielson with a chop to the chest, followed by a delayed vertical suplex. Singh tossed Danielson into the ring post, but couldn’t follow up with a chokeslam. Danielson knocked Singh away with a pair of kicks to the chest and diving knee strikes, setting him up for a running dropkick into the barricade. 

Singh blocked a second dropkick and put Danielson down with a chokeslam on the apron. Singh exposed the top turnbuckle, only for Danielson to hit him with a low blow behind the referee’s back. Danielson cracked Singh with a Busaiku Knee and gouged his eyes, only for Singh to block a second Busaiku Knee with a chop. Danielson countered a power move with the LaBelle Lock, until Jarrett and Lethal entered the ring to attack him.

WINNER: Bryan Danielson via DQ at 5:01 (**1/4)

– After the match, Lethal and Jarrett beat Danielson down, until Danielson shut them down with Busaiku Knees. Singh saved Dutt from a guitar shot by punching through it, allowing his team to overpower Danielson. The Young Bucks showed up to pay Lethal, Jarrett, Dutt and Singh. Danielson avoided the EVP Trigger and pummeled the Bucks down with kicks to the chest.

– Kazuchika Okada made his entrance while Jack Perry attacked Danielson from behind. Okada took Danielson out with the Rainmaker, allowing The Elite to carry him to the stage. The Elite revealed a table off-stage and prepared to put Danielson through it. Darby Allin walked out of the car and fist-bumped Tony Khan who was driving before running into the arena. Allin showed up on stage with a flamethrower to chase The Elite, allowing Danielson to put Nicholas through the table off-stage.