This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite aired live from the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, featuring two major championship matches between Mercedes Mone, Hikaru Shida, the Young Bucks and The Acclaimed.

(1) MERCEDES MONE (w/Kamille) vs. HIKARU SHIDA – AEW TBS Championship

They locked up, until Shida forced Mone to hide in the corner. Mone knocked Shida off her feet, only for Shida to hit her with a shoulder tackle. Mone avoided a knee strike and surprised Shida with an arm drag into the Statement Maker. Both women traded pinning combinations and tried to go for dropkicks at the same time. Shida caught Mone with a hurracarrana, followed by a jumping knee and a series of right hands. Shida dropped Mone with a snap suplex before they started exchanging pinning combinations. Mone evaded a knee strike and rolled to the apron, only for Shida to smash her head into the turnbuckle.

Kamille saved Mone from a superplex, but Shida was still able to hit her with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Kamille got in Shida’s way, allowing Mone to crush her with a Meteora from the apron. Mone blasted Shida with a running double knee strike before nailing her with a kick to the back. Shida caught Mone with a boot to the face, but Mone immediately retaliated with a rising knee and an elevated double knee shot. Shida cracked Mone with an enzuigiri and knocked her away with a missile dropkick. They traded forearm shots to the head, until Shida hit Mone with a jumping knee for a two count. Mone avoided a suplex and put Shida down with a Backstabber.

Shida evaded a running Meteora and chopped Mone atop the turnbuckle, but Mone shoved her down and hit her with a Meteora for a nearfall. Mone took Shida down with the Three Amigos, only for Shida to counter the last suplex with a Falcon Arrow for a close two count. Kamille pulled Mone out of the ring before she could go for the Katana. Shida knocked Kamille away with a dropkick through the ropes and clobbered her with a kendo stick. Mone took Shida’s kendo stick to distract the referee, allowing Kamille to clock Shida with a big boot. Mone immediately spiked Shida with the Mone Maker to pick up the win.

WINNER: Mercedes Mone at 10:30 (Still AEW TBS Champion) (***3/4)

– After the match, Britt Baker’s music played, but there was no sign of her. Kamille tried to assault a masked fan, only for Baker to show up behind Mercedes Mone. Baker blocked a kendo stick shot and nearly put her in the Lockjaw. Kamille pulled Mone out of the ring while Baker stood tall.

– Last Wednesday after Dynamite, Hangman Page assaulted Jeff Jarrett during an interview.

– Backstage, Renee Paquette interviewed Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett about Hangman Page’s actions. They started discussing Page’s attack, only for Page to attack both of them with a mic and drag Lethal to the entrance way and the ring.

(2) HANGMAN ADAM PAGE vs. JAY LETHAL

Lethal managed to low-bridged Page, setting him up for a five back-to-back suicide dives. Page blocked a power move and spiked Lethal with the Dead Eye on the apron. Page smashed Lethal’s head into the ring post and threw his body over the timekeeper’s table, as AEW Dynamite went to commercials.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Lethal shocked Page with a huge chop, only for Page to shut him down with a forearm to the head. Lethal surprised Page with a roll-through, but Page retaliated with a belly-to-belly slam for a two count. Page caught Lethal off-guard with a Death Valley Driver for a close two count. Lethal avoided a corner clothesline and knocked Page down with an O’Connor Roll, followed by a backslide and La Magistral for a close nearfall. Lethal took Page down with the Lethal Combination, but he kicked out at two. Page tried to put Lethal in a crossface before countering a Figure 4 Leg lock with an inside cradle. Page clobbered Lethal with a clothesline and knocked him out with the Buckshot Lariat.

WINNER: Hangman Adam Page at 9:32 (***)

– A recap of MJF defeating Michael Oku at a Rev Pro show before being chased away by Will Ospreay.

– A video package was shown, hyping up the upcoming rematch between MJF and Will Ospreay.

[Commercial Break]

– Backstage, PAC complained about being the top contender for the International title, only for Will Ospreay to get the match at All In instead. PAC officially set his future title match against the winner at All Out.

– A recap of Darby Allin wrestling on Rampage and Collision was shown.

– A video package was shown, featuring Darby Allin talking about his arrival to AEW. Allin said that The Elite signed one of their friends in Jack Perry. Allin said that Perry doesn’t treat AEW with respect and he wishes he would have been fired because he wouldn’t miss him.

– Darby Allin started making his way to the ring, only for Jack Perry to shock him with a running knee strike. Perry pummeled Allin down and dragged his body to the back. Backstage, Allin swept Perry off his feet onto a storage box, only for Allin to hurl a trash can into his head. Perry smashed Allin’s head into a retractable steel door before shutting the door onto his chest. Perry tried to crush Alllin’s head with a storage bin, but numerous security guards made the save at the last moment. As Perry was dragged away, he challenged Allin to a Coffin match.

[Commercial Break]

A FILM BY MARIAH MAY

– Mariah May teased doing a black-and-white film before saying that she was done with that sh*t. May mocked Toni Storm for failing at last year’s All In and said that she wouldn’t commit the same mistake. May said that Storm would die and she would finally be able to forget her when she has more important stuff to do. She said that they would both eventually die, but she would get to write Storm’s eulogy.

– Backstage, Renee Paquette interviewed Mina Shirakawa about the issues between Toni Storm and Mariah May. Shirakawa said that she was shocked by what happened between them, that she couldn’t recognize any of them and said that she hoped no one got seriously hurt.

(3) KYLE O’REILLY vs. ORANGE CASSIDY vs. RODERICK STRONG – Casino Gauntlet #1 Spot

Strong immediately blasted Kyle and Cassidy with chops to the chest. Strong knocked Cassidy with a strike to the chest and threw Kyle out of the ring. Kyle caught Strong with a kick to the gut, setting him up for a basement dropkick from Cassidy. Kyle clotheslined Strong out of the ring, followed by a suicide dive from Cassidy, as AEW Dynamite went to an ad break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Strong hit Kyle with a backbreaker and countered the Satellite DDT with a gutbuster on Cassidy. Strong dropped Cassidy with an uranage on top of Kyle’s back for a pair of two counts. Strong nailed Cassidy and Kyle with backbreakers and a back suplex for a nearfall. Cassidy shocked Strong with Stundog Millionaire, setting him up for an axe kick and forearm shot from Kyle. Kyle and Cassidy traded pinning combinations, until Kyle put Cassidy in a sleeper hold. Strong tried to put Kyle and Cassidy in a double Stronghold, until he lost grip of the hold. Strong stopped Cassidy atop the turnbuckle with a chop to the chest, only for Cassidy to knock him down.

Kyle knocked Cassidy off his feet atop the turnbuckle with a roundhouse kick and started trading strikes with Strong. Kyle put Strong in a Guillotine Choke, until Cassidy broke the hold with a diving elbow drop. Matt Taven and Mike Bennett showed up on the apron, until Mark Briscoe and Tomohiro Ishii made the save. Briscoe crushed Taven and Bennett with a Tope con Hilo using a chair before dragging them to the back. Cassidy low-bridged Strong by sitting on the chair in the ring and knocked him away with a suicide dive. Strong rammed Cassidy into the apron and planted Kyle with a backbreaker on the apron, as AEW Dynamite went to a commercial break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Strong put Cassidy in a Texas Cloverleaf, until Kyle broke the pinfall with a series of kicks to the chest. Strong and Kyle traded strikes and kicks to the chest while kicking Cassidy out of the way. Cassidy attacked Strong and Kyle with a bunch of kicks to the chest, followed by a double hurracarrana. Cassidy spiked Kyle with a Satellite DDT and flattened Strong with Beach Break for a nearfall. Kyle caught Cassidy with a knee strike, only for Cassidy to respond with a thrust kick.

Kyle knocked Strong down with a clothesline and tried to put Cassidy in an armbar. Strong tried to stomp Kyle’s chest, only for Kyle to trap him in a Heel Hook. Cassidy and Kyle blasted Strong with a pair of Penalty kicks before Kyle and Strong instinctively put Cassidy down with Total Elimination. Kyle and Strong traded forearm strikes, until Cassidy took a jumping knee for Kyle. Strong caught Kyle with the Sick Kick, only for Kyle to put him in an armbar. Cassidy broke Cassidy’s hold with a crucifix pinfall to score the three count.

WINNER: Orange Cassidy at 15:56 (****)

KAZUCHIKA OKADA & CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI FACE-TO-FACE

– Backstage, Renee Paquette interviewed Kazuchika Okada and Claudio Castagnoli, ahead of their title match next week. Castagnoli put over how much it meant to challenge for the Continental title after failing to win last time. Okada mocked Castagnoli’s pose, claimed that he was the greatest tournament wrestler and that he would beat him before walking away. Castagnoli said that he hoped to face the Okada that won four G1s and main evented Tokyo Domes because he would bring his best.

[Commercial Break]

– A recap of Christian Cage assaulting the Bang Bang Gang and the House of Black at the end of their trios match on Collision was shown.

– Backstage, Renee Paquette interviewed The Patriarchy about his upcoming title defense in Wembley. Christian Cage said that a new team would step up because the House of Black and the Bang Bang Gang couldn’t get up from the Ten Count. Cage said that Nick Wayne would deal with Kip Sabian on Rampage and said that they were the faces of AEW forever.

WE’LL HEAR FROM HOOK

– Tony Schiavone introduced Hook to the ring to ask about his eyes. Hook said that he couldn’t use his left eye, but he could still use his right one and wanted to fight Chris Jericho right now. Jericho showed up to refuse Hook’s challenge for a fight tonight, but agreed to give him a title match at All In. Jericho said that this would be Hook’s final title shot and that Hook had to take on Big Bill next week. Bill told Hook that he would shove his head right into Taz’s ass. Hook told Jericho that he would tear him limb from limb and that after All In, he would never be the same.

[Commercial Break]

 

(4) YOUNG BUCKS (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) vs. THE ACCLAIMED (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) – AEW World Tag Team Championship

The Acclaimed attacked the Young Bucks on the ramp and put them down with stereo back body drops. Bowens crushed the Bucks with a high crossbody off the stage. The Bucks caught The Acclaimed with stereo sliding dropkicks and stereo planchas, as the match officially started. Bowens blasted Matthew with a rising kick and an elevated Famouser for a two count. Billy Gunn showed up while The Acclaimed hit Nicholas with a double hip toss. The Bucks nailed Caster with a tag team pop up dropkick before taking him down with a jawbreaker and a double stomp to the arm, as AEW Dynamite went to commercials.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, The Acclaimed dropped Matthew with a bodyslam, but couldn’t follow up with Scissor Me Timbers. Matthew avoided a clothesline, allowing Nicholas to blast him with a Penalty kick. BIlly threatened Nicholas with a chair, but the referee immediately ejected him. Matthew pummeled Caster down and smashed his head into Nicholas’ boots. Nicholas pummeled Caster down and tore apart a sign, only for Caster to ram him into the apron. 

Nicholas raked Caster’s back before accidentally hitting Matthew with an enzuigiri. Bowens got the hot tag to knock the Bucks down with a series of jabs and thrust kicks. Nicholas caught Bowens with a superkick, setting him up for Sliced Bread and a knee to the face. Matthew dropped Bowens with a suplex and put him in a headlock, as AEW Dynamite went to an ad break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, The Bucks knocked Caster off the apron with a double superkick before receiving a double clothesline from Bowens. Caster got the hot tag and knocked Nicholas down with a sling blade before dropping Matthew onto the turnbuckle. Caster crushed Nicholas with a plancha, followed by a high crossbody for a two count. Both teams missed clotheslines before knocking each other down at the same time.

Nicholas took Caster down with an enzuigiri and a bulldog, only for Caster to block a Swanton Bomb with his knees. Matthew pulled Bowens off the apron and dropped him with a powerbomb on the ramp. Nicholas surprised Caster with a deep roll-up, but he managed to kick out at two. Caster avoided the TK Driver, only for Matthew to ram him into the referee and hit him with a low blow. Dax Harwood showed up to stop Matthew from using a belt before tackling Matthew and causing a DQ.

WINNERS: Young Bucks at 18:08 via DQ (Still AEW World Tag Team Champions) (***)

– After the match, The Acclaimed and FTR nearly got into a brawl, but numerous security guards showed up to separate them.

– Backstage, Christopher Daniels said that since The Acclaimed weren’t properly beaten, he would set up a match between them and FTR on Collision to determine number one contenders.

– A video package showing footage of Bryan Danielson’s AEW career and his origins in the indies to Green Day’s Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

– Bryan Danielson was in the crowd to watch the next match.

(5) SWERVE STRICKLAND (w/Prince Nana) vs. WHEELER YUTA

Swerve knocked Yuta down with a pair of boots to the face and smashed his head into the guardrail. Swerve smashed Yuta’s head into the barricade and taunted Danielson. Back in the ring, Yuta attacked Swerve with chops to the chest, until Swerve put him down with a pair of backbreakers. Swerve smashed Yuta’s head into the turnbuckle and nailed him with a diving uppercut to the back. Swerve trapped in a modified Stretch Muffler before putting him in a Deathlock.

Yuta caught Swerve off-guard with joint manipulation and stomped his chest down. Swerve tried to powerbomb Yuta, but Yuta sent him out of the ring with a hurracarrana and blasted him with a suicide dive. Swerve avoided a diving splash and trapped Yuta in the LaBelle Lock. Yuta tried to counter with an ankle lock, but Swerve knocked him away with right hands. Yuta knocked Swerve down with a barrage of elbow strikes, setting him up for the Seatbelt Clutch for a nearfall.

Swerve went for the rolling flatliner, only for Yuta to avoid it and plant him with a German suplex. Yuta slapped Swerve and nailed him with chops to the chest before receiving a sudden rising headbutt. Swerve cracked Yuta with the House Call kick, but he managed to get back up to his knees. Swerve hit Yuta with two more House Call kicks, followed by a bunch of stomps and punches to the head, as the referee called for the match to be stopped.

WINNER: Swerve Strickland at 9:22 (***1/4) via referee stoppage

– After the match, Swerve Strickland told Bryan Danielson that his attack was an example of what he would do to him. Swerve told Danielson that he would beat him in front of his daughter and cripple him into retirement before walking away. Danielson checked on Yuta, only for Swerve to return to the ring and nail him with the House Call kick.