By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@barnettjake)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 148)
Columbus, Ohio at Schottenstein Center
Aired live August 3, 2022 on TBS
[Hour One] Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Taz opened the show at the commentary desk. Jane by Jefferson Starship rang out, and Orange Cassidy made his entrance for the opening match. He tapped fists with a young doppelganger near the entrance ramp on his way to the ring. Jay Lethal then made his entrance with Satnam Singh and Sonjay Dutt. Lethal tore up a sign just to be an asshole.
1. Jay Lethal vs. Orange Cassidy: The action started quickly, and Cassidy got an early advantage. He sent Lethal to the floor and then followed up up the rampway delivering some insulting light kicks as Lethal crawled away. Satnam Singh intervened and walked off Cassidy. Trent Beretta and Chuck Taylor walked out and Beretta was sitting on Taylor’s shoulders to mock the height of Singh.
Dutt walked out and cooler heads prevailed. Lethal got on offense once the action moved back into the ring. He focused on Cassidy’s left ankle. Back on the floor. Lethal trapped Cassidy’s ankle with the ring steps, and then drop kicked the steps…[c]
During the break, Lethal continued to assault Cassidy’s left leg. He stomped on the ankle, and then placed it on the bottom rope so he could drop his weight on the knee. Lethal went to apply a hold, but Cassidy avoided it. Cassidy attempted some offense by climbing to the top rope, but Lethal pulled him down with an avalanche dragon screw. He then applied a figure four, but Cassidy was able to roll to the ropes.
Lethal pulled Cassidy from the apron back into the ring with a suplex attempt, but Cassidy reversed into a Stundog Millionaire. Lethal then countered a tornado DDT into a backbreaker combo. Lethal went up top for an elbow drop, and Cassidy slowly rolled out of the way. Cassidy sent Lethal into the turnbuckle and then landed a hard chop. He climbed to the top rope, and Lethal followed him. Cassidy landed rapid punches, and then a jumping DDT. He then followed with a second swinging DDT for a near fall.
Cassidy continued selling the knee and signaled for the Orange Punch. He tried to charge at Lethal but couldn’t plant on the bad leg. Lethal set up for a powerbomb, but Lethal reversed into a Beach Break for a two count. He went for the Orange Punch again, but Lethal clipped his bad leg. Lethal managed to land the Lethal Injection a few seconds later and get the win.
Jay Lethal defeated Orange Cassidy at 12:33
After the match, Dutt and Singh walked down to the ring and mocked Cassidy for looking jaundiced. He then asked Lethal about Wardlow. He said Wardlow got in their business to protect his new friend Orange Cassidy. He told him he better get to the ring now, because he was going to put Cassidy in the Figure Four and break his leg. Best Friends ran out and cleared Cassidy from the ring.
Wardlow followed and the heels scrambled. Wardlow laid out the title in the ring and told Lethal to come get it. Dutt replied that he just wrestled a match, so now wasn’t the time. He laid out a challenge for Battle of the Belts 3, and told him to put the title on the line. Wardlow welcomed the crowd to Wardlow’s World, and said it didn’t matter where or when, he was going to whoop that ass…
We then got a video package that showed the FTW Title change from last week…
My Take: A solid match, but there’s just nothing lighting my fire about Lethal or his faction at this point. I get the matchup because Cassidy was the last guy to challenge Wardlow, but he was clearly the bigger star in the match. They are keeping it simple with Wardlow, and it’s working.
Adam Cole’s music hit and he came out with Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson. Cole said he was happy to be back in the ring with his friends, but he’s still not medically cleared. He said he had been reflecting on his success, and things they could improve, and praised the five of them for their chemistry. He spoke about the importance of loyalty, and said they have that too. Cole said he came to AEW to be with the Young Bucks and said he had traveled the world and fought with O’Reilly and Fish.
Cole then spoke about the AEW Trios Titles Tournament and addressed Matt and Nick first. He said there was nothing he wanted more than for the undisputed elite to win that tournament, but since he and Kyle aren’t cleared, and they aren’t choosing Bobby Fish for their partner, they wouldn’t be able to do the tournament. He clarified that he wasn’t using his words correctly and said they wouldn’t be physically capable. Cole, O’Reilly, and Fish then assaulted both Young Bucks. Fish trapped Matt’s arm in a chair, and Cole climbed to the second rope.
Hangman Page came to the ring with butterflies embroidered on his jeans carrying a lead pipe. Cole, Fish, and O’Reilly scrambled out of the ring, and Page turned back to The Bucks. Page pulled Matt Jackson to his feet, and Page quickly turned around and left. The announce team speculated about whether this meant the Hung Bucks would return for the tournament…
Jon Moxley stood backstage and said the last survivor of the Hart Dungeon and the newest member of the Blackpool Combat Club face each other for a shot at the baddest man in the game, him, next week. Moxley said he didn’t care, because he doesn’t have any respect for anybody when he gets in the ring. He said he won’t stop in the ring until someone goes into the hospital, even if it’s him. Moxley vowed to make the Hart Dungeon look like a daycare. He said whoever it is better be ready next week, because this is his life, and when you step into the ring with him it is not a game…[c]
My Take: I assumed Page joining the Bucks was in the works last week, but I also assumed Cole and O’Reilly would be cleared and they would compete as well. It wasn’t really clarified whether it was a misdirection, because they didn’t take any bumps during the segment, but I guess we’ll find out soon. A strong promo from Jon Moxley as you’d expect. He really understands his character.
A backstage interview with Christian Cage aired from earlier today. Christian said Jungle Boy was raised by terrible human beings, and he dragged his personal life into it, which he would never do. Jungle Boy then attempted to run down Christian with an SUV, and Christian told nearby security to have him arrested. Matt Hardy vs. Christian Cage was then advertised for later…
Britt Baker made her entrance with Jamie Hayter. They had matching colors. They were accompanied by Rebel. They were followed by “ThunderStorm” Toni Storm and Thunder Rosa. The announce team laughed at Thunder Rosa’s T-Shirt that referenced sandbagging…
2. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter (w/Rebel) vs. Toni Storm and AEW Women’ Champion Thunder Rosa: Baker and Rosa began the match in the ring. All four women were quickly in the ring. Hayter sent Storm to the floor, and returned to the apron. Baker went for lockjaw, but was countered into a pinfall for a two count. Hayter tagged in and ran into a series of clotheslines from Rosa.
Storm and Rosa made some rapid tags that isolated Hayter in their corner. They executed a nice assisted dropkick in the corner, and a double team vertical suplex. Baker provided a distraction that allowed Hayter to take control with a hard right hand. She then landed double knees in the corner and tagged in Baker, who covered for a two count…[c]
Hayter took out Storm on the floor during the break. Baker continued to control the action in the ring with Rosa. Hayter tagged in and choked Rosa in the corner until she was forced to break. Baker tagged back in and ground down Rosa in the corner with her boot. She then applied a long chinlock. Rosa escaped and landed an enziguri, but Rosa couldn’t make a tag. Hayter entered, but ate a Stunner.
Storm got the hot tag, and landed a diving crossbody for a near fall. Baker tried to grab Storm’s leg from the floor, but Storm slipped through the ropes and landed a tornado DDT. She then shoved down Rebel and landed another diving crossbody on Hayter for a two count. Rosa tagged back in, and they attempted a double team suplex on Hayter, but it was reversed. Baker entered the match and landed a ripcord knee on Rosa.
Storm tagged in and climbed to the top, but Rebel interfered and held her up. Baker climbed to the top and landed an Air Raid Crash from the top. She tagged Hayter and followed up with a stomp. Hayter went for a cover, but got absolutely clobbered by a dropkick by Rosa from the top to break the count. Rosa and Baker traded hard chops.
The ref admonished Rosa and Baker for being in the ring. Storm landed a Tornado DDT on Baker. Hayter pulled in Rosa for a Uranage Backbreaker. Baker and Storm then landed double Germans on Storm and Baker. Storm landed a hip attack to Hayter and two to Baker. Storm went for a third, but Baker pulled Rosa in the way and they collided. Hayter then landed a tilt-a-whirl clothesline on Storm and covered for the win.
Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker defeated ThunderStorm at 12:33
We got a video package that explained that Tay Conti and Sammy Guevara were not on Dynamite this week because they were getting married. Eddie Kingston interrupted the video and said that nobody cares about his wedding, and demanded he sign the contract for a PPV match he was sent in the mail for All Out…
A video recapped Powerhouse Hobbs turning on Ricky Starks. Taz then clarified on commentary that Team Taz was over, and he wished all three men the best in their futures…
Powerhouse Hobbs then made his entrance for the next match. Ren Jones was already in the ring…
3. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ren Jones: Hobbs splashed Jones in the corner, and then picked him up for a running powerslam. He ran him into the corner first, and then delivered the powerslam. He then knelt on Jones and got the win.
Powerhouse Hobbs defeated Ren Jones at 0:52
After the match, Ricky Starks ran to the ring and landed some punches on Hobbs. Starks shoved the referee away, and then jumped right into a Spinebuster from Hobbs…
Backstage, Miro brought up a visitor that had been talking to him. He referenced her as a “she”, and said she had been telling him things. He said everyone reveals themselves, and soon the redeemer will too… [c]
My Take: AEW is making better use of video packages and recaps tonight, which is good to see. The Women’s Tag Match was a lot of fun, and it was good to see Hayter get an important win. She’s underutilized as far as I’m concerned. Powerhouse Hobbs and Ricky Starks got good reactions, so I’m encouraged by their direction with the ending of Team Taz. Here’s hoping we get some promo time for both of them soon.
A Darby Allin promo aired where he said that he was the one who got Brody King hired, and said Brody needs validation from him because he gave him everything. You could hear a tattoo gun buzzing during the promo. Darby told Brody that he asked for this match, and next week, his hand would be the last thing he saw before he closed his coffin. He revealed a tattoo on his hand that was dedicated to the match, and said “The Coffin Drops on Brody King”…
In the arena, Jim Ross made his entrance for the second hour.
[Hour Two] Christian then made his entrance for the next match, followed by Matt Hardy.
4. Matt Hardy vs. Christian Cage: Hardy jumped Cage in the early going and landed some right hands. He then shoved Cage into the corner and landed shoulder thrusts. Christian turned the tables and landed some right hands of his own, and then sat on the top rope. Hardy shoved Christian to the outside, and then followed to the floor. He tossed Christian into the barricade, but was unable to put him through a nearby table.
Christian escaped back into the ring, but Hardy followed and drove him down the turnbuckle ladder in the corner. Hardy then landed a sitout powerbomb for a two count. Cage escaped back to the outside, where he was able to shove Hardy into the ring steps. He then backed up and drove his knee into Hardy while he was rested up against the steps…[c]
Hardy pulled Christian into the ring with a superplex. He then landed a back body drop, and landed some punches in the corner. Hardy then drove an elbow into the neck of Christian from the second rope. Both men battled in the corner again, and Hardy landed a back body drop from the ropes. He followed up with an elbow from a near fall.
Christian recovered and snapped Matt across the top rope. He then landed a top rope elbow for a close near fall. He then choked Hardy using the ropes, and then dove to the outside to land a right hand. Hardy landed a side effect and Christian got back in the ring, and then a second one a moment later on the ring apron. Hardy positioned the timekeeper’s table near the ring, and slammed Christian into it. He then placed him on top of it, and climbed back onto the apron. Matt attempted an elbow drop, but Christian moved and Matt crashed and burned.
Back in the ring, Christian pulled Hardy to his feet and landed a Killswitch for the win.
Christian Cage defeated Matt Hardy at 11:00
After the match, Christian grabbed two chairs and set up for a one man Conchairto. Luchasaurus interrupted him and headed to the ring. Jungle Boy snuck up from behind Christian and grabbed one of the chairs. Christian ran away through the crowd and Jungle Boy stared him down from the ring…
Tony Schiavone was shown backstage with Daniel Garcia. He called his victory the biggest in AEW history, and called himself the Dragonslayer for forcing Bryan to submit. He told Danielson that when his head feels better, he can come back so he can slay the dragon again…[c]
My Take: A well worked match from Hardy and Christian. Hardy in particular looked better than his recent outings. Jungle Boy had the crowd with him, even after attempting to pull a Rikishi and run Christian down with a car earlier.
A video recapped Pac’s recent defenses of the All-Atlantic Champion…
Ethan Page was then in the ring with a microphone. He said he was there to ask a question about why he wasn’t on TV every single week, why he didn’t have an action figure, or why he wasn’t on the bus. Page said he deserved better, as Stokely Hathaway slinked up behind him.
Page mocked the audience for not buying his merch, and believing whatever BS Eddie Kingston is spitting out. Page said every week he’s not on TV, the company and moronic fans are leaving money on the table. Stokely asked him what he was doing, and Page said he needed his spotlight. Stokely handed him a business card and walked away. Eventually, they walked away together…
Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, and Anna Jay were shown backstage. Menard said Chris Jericho becoming a two time champion makes his nipples hard. Parker said it was time the AEW Galaxy appreciated them, because they just keep getting better like when they added Anna Jay. She said she would choke out everybody in the are, and then put a cameraman in a chokehold…
Ring announcer Justin Roberts said the next match is a Tag Team Dumpster Match. First out were the Gunn Club. Billy Gunn accompanied his sons to the ring. The Acclaimed ran out and smashed Billy with a trash can, and then drove him into the dumpster. Bowens then smashed both Austin and Colten with a dumpster. Caster then called for his music and did their entrance bit. He said they would make the Ass Boys retire like Vince McMahon, which was the best line of the bunch.
Bowens called them the Trash Boys, and they jumped to their feet and tossed him into the outside of the dumpster. The match started when Austin and Bowens got in the ring.
5. “The Acclaimed” Max Caster and Anthony Bowens vs. “The Gunn Club” Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn in a Dumpster Match: After a quick moment, both Gunns powerbombed Bowens into the dumpster. A moment later, Caster was tossed in, but Austin was unable to close the lid. Caster and Bowens broke free of the dumpster with some cookie sheet shots to both Gunns…[c]
Austin tossed Bowens off of the dumpster and into some nearby trash cans. They then moved to the stage area, where they set up a table. Colten picked up Caster and set up for a suplex on some steel grating on the stage. He then landed a twisting neckbreaker on the stage, and Austin said he was going to climb the set to deliver an elbow drop.
Austin climbed onto the stage, but he was left stranded up there when Bowens recovered. Caster snuck up behind Austin and tossed him off the stage and into the dumpster on the ramp. Caster then dove off the stage with an elbow and put Colten through the table. They then threw Colten into the dumpster and closed the lid for the win.
The Acclaimed defeated The Gunn Club in a Dumpster Match at 6:51
After the match, they zip tied the dumpster shut, and Bowens signaled to shove the dumpster off the stage. It got a little off alignment, and it took a while for them to fix it. After a pause, they shoved it off the stage and it tipped over with styrofoam and cardboard flying everywhere…
Mance Warner vs. Jon Moxley was advertised for Friday’s Rampage, as well as the debut of Madison Rayne. Tony Nese and Josh Woods will also face Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland in a street fight. On Saturday’s AEW Battle of the Belts, Wardlow will face Jay Lethal, and Claudio Castagnoli will face Konosuke Takeshita. The Main Event is next…[c]
My Take: A fun little match and win for The Acclaimed. The dumpster spot got a little squirrely, but they made it work. I’m not sure what to make of Anna Jay being super aggro and choking out everyone in sight.
Wheeler Yuta made his entrance for the Main Event. He was followed by Chris Jericho. William Regal joined on commentary. Claudio Castagnoli made his entrance to even the odds at ringside. He was not wearing the ROH World Championship…
6. Wheeler Yuta vs. Chris Jericho for a shot at the Interim AEW World Championship shot at next week’s “Quake at the Lake”: Yuta flicked Jericho’s broken nose to start the match, and then landed a series of punches and chops. Jericho escaped to ringside to recover with Parker and Menard. Yuta pursued on the floor and landed some right hands. He then tossed Jericho into the barricade, and back into the ring.
The referee admonished Parker and Menard for an attempt at interference, and then ejected them from the ringside area. Claudia shoved them off to the back. Jericho attempted a roll up, but Yuta quickly escaped and landed a kick to the face. He then climbed up top, but Jericho hit the ropes and crotched him up top…[c]
Yuta jumped off the top rope into a dropkick, and Jericho covered for a two count. He then landed some elbows to a prone Yuta and played to the crowd. Yuta fired back with punches and landed a Manhattan drop. He followed up with an enzuigiri, and then a top rope clothesline. Both men collided attempting due to dueling cross body attempts. They then traded slaps when they got to their feet.
Yuta landed a series of German suplexes, and got a near fall on the final bridged attempt. Jericho avoided another suplex and applied the Walls of Jericho. Yuta reached the ropes and broke the hold. Jericho got up and charged at Yuta, but was back body dropped out to the floor. Yuta followed with two suicide dives, and then fired up for the crowd. He then landed a third and tossed Jericho back into the ring.
Jericho recovered with a double underhook backbreaker. He then went for a Lionsault, but Yuta got the knees up. He then went up top but jumped right into a Codebreaker for a close near fall. Jericho landed some elbows, but Yuta grabbed at his nose to cause some separation. Yuta then applied a Regal Stretch, but Jericho reached the ropes and pulled the apron into the ring. The referee dealt with the Apron, and Jericho landed a low blow.
Yuta attempted a seatbelt pinfall, but Jericho escaped and applied the Liontamer. Yuta was forced to tap out.
Chris Jericho defeated Wheeler Yuta at 12:31 to keep his Interim AEW World Championship shot
After the match, Jericho refused to release the hold. Jon Moxley made a run to the ring, and Jericho peeled out. He then grabbed a microphone and told Moxley if he wanted the last survivor of Stu Hart’s dungeon, he’s got it. He warned him that he had opened Pandora’s Box, and he would stretch the shit out of him and take the AEW Interim Championship. Jericho then guaranteed it.
My Take: A predictable outcome, but a solid match from Jericho and Yuta. The Liontamer finish makes sense given the context of Moxley’s demand to get the best of Jericho the previous week. Overall, this was a solid episode of Dynamite. There weren’t any downright bad segments, and they did a better job of allowing things a little bit of oxygen. It’ll be interesting to see what AEW can produce once the roster gets back to full strength and they can put together some anticipated matchups. This show will be an interesting one to watch from a weekly TV ratings standpoint. This show continued to focus primarily on talent outside of AEW’s bigger established stars, so it could go either way in terms of fan interest.
“They are keeping it simple with Wardlow, and it’s working.”
I agree it’s best to take a young Goldberg approach and keep Wardlow’s chatter brief and concise, and to utilize him for actual power-move leaning wrestling matches and not wannabe sideshow action sequences; hopefully they are done with that.
Wait, I thought that Tyson Kidd was the the final graduate of the Hart Dungeon.
“The announce team speculated about whether this meant the Hung Bucks would return for the tournament.”
They must rename themselves the Hung Bucks
There was no Hart Dungeon when Jericho was there. By that time they only had the full Stu and family approach to other members of the family. He and Storm ended up teaching the class, they literally never met Stu there, and the only hart they saw was Keith on the first day when he dropped them off at the house. By that point the Hart’s training program for anyone outside the family was lazier than Buzz Sawyer’s.
I think the last graduate of the actual Hart Dungeon was Nattie Neidhart.
The Hung Bucks would be just as inaccurate as calling themselves the best tag team in the world, but it would be much funnier and actually make them somewhat tolerable.
I’m surprised there was no comment on that Ethan Page segment which clearly looked to me like it was an MJF callback. I just can’t tell in WHAT way.
I know the longer we go the more it feels like the MJF thing was at the very least a shoot that became a work that became another shoot and that’s it… but what if MJF is behind this? I know. I know… I’m doing that thing where I’m wishing things into existence because that’s what I want. But still… you have to admit in today’s wrestling world, that we STILL don’t really know what’s going on with that is pretty incredible.