By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 189)
Austin, Texas at Moody Arena
Aired live May 17, 2023 on TBS
[Hour One] The Dynamite opening aired and then pyro shot off on the stage. The broadcast team was Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Taz, and Justin Roberts was the ring announcer. Schiavone said it was a great day to be a fan of AEW and added that they were “all pumped up”…
TNT Champion Wardlow made his entrance dressed in non-wrestling attire. Wardlow said Christian Cage made a lot of promises last week that he wanted him to follow through with. Wardlow called for Cage to come out and spit in his face.
Christian Cage and Luchasaurus made their entrance. Cage got in Wardlow’s face and told him that his time as champion was about over. Both men traded insults that were picked up by the camera microphone. Wardlow grabbed Cage by the throat. When Luchasaurus tried to intervene, Wardlow hit him. Wardlow set up for a powerbomb on Cage and then hit a terrible looking headbutt on Luchasaurus.
Cage low-blowed Wardlow. Cage had Luchasaurus go to ringside and bring back a ladder, which Cage battered Wardlow with. Cage leaned the ladder in the corner. Luchasaurus picked up Wardlow and powerbombed him onto the ladder. Cage placed the mangled ladder in the middle of the ring and then performed his Killswitch finisher onto it. Cage posed with the TNT Title belt…
Powell’s POV: A solid opening segment. Wardlow came off like more brawn than brains, but that’s kind of his thing.
The broadcast team spoke about Don Callis turning on Kenny Omega at the end of last week’s Dynamite. They hyped Callis’s appearance for later in the show…
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin made separate entrances, and their opponents Lee Moriarty and Big Bill followed…
1. Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin vs. Lee Moriarty and Big Bill. Excalibur noted that Moriarty and Bill teamed on the AEW House Rules tour and had “pretty good success” (they’ve lost both of their house show matches as a team). Excalibur added that no one had heard from Stokely Hathaway since The Firm Deletion. Cassidy cleared Moriarty from the ring heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
The referee missed Allin tagging into the match because he was caught up with Moriarty. The heels continued to isolate Cassidy until he eventually made a hot tag. Allin worked over both opponents. Cassidy caught him in chokeslam position, but Allin elbowed his way free. Bill eventually put Cassidy down with a sidewalk slam for a near fall.
Moriarty checked in and put Cassidy in a crossface, which Cassidy broke by rolling Moriarty into a pin for a two count. Cassidy carried Moriarty to his corner and set him on the ropes while Allin tagged in. Allin and Cassidy performed a double superplex. Bill returned and clotheslined both babyfaces.
Cassidy came back with Beach Break on Moriarty. When Cassidy climbed into the apron, Cassidy hit him with the Orange Punch. Allin executed a Coffin Drop on Moriarty. Rather than go for the pin, Allin performed a headlock takedown and then hooked the leg of Moriarty while scoring the pin…
Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin beat Lee Moriarty and Big Bill in 11:15.
Powell’s POV: A good tag team match. That said, I still think Bill has a terrible name and has been completely wasted in this mid-card tag team. Hopefully he’s a guy who will benefit from AEW getting two more hours of television per week. The broadcast team should have done a better job of explaining the headlock takedown. It was the move that MJF vowed to beat Cassidy with at AEW Full Gear 2021. If memory serves, MJF hit Allin with the Dynamite Diamond Ring first, but he did end up performing the headlock takedown before getting the pin.
“The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson were shown arriving in the parking garage area. Alex Marvez approached them and asked for an update on Kenny Omega coming out of last week’s main event. Matt said Omega was banged up, but he was okay.
“Blackpool Combat Club” members Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta showed up behind the Bucks, who turned and said they weren’t fighting. The Jacksons threw their luggage at the BCC members and fought them, but Castagnoli quickly got the better of Nick and tossed him onto a truck. Yuta grabbed Matt by his bad arm and slammed it onto the truck. Moxley looked into the camera and said BCC are the true elite in the business…
Renee Paquette tried to speak with Wardlow in the trainer’s room. Arn Anderson showed up and took Wardlow’s towel and threw it against the wall. Wardlow said that he had Anderson stay backstage earlier because of what happened. Anderson asked Wardlow what he was prepared to do. Wardlow said he would beat Cage at his own game. Wardlow challenged Cage to face him in a ladder match for the TNT Title at AEW Double Or Nothing… [C]
Orange Cassidy was interviewed by Renee Paquette, who noted that Kyle Fletcher showed he wanted a shot at the AEW International Championship. Cassidy said there are a lot of people who want a shot at his title. Cassidy told his potential challengers to find Tony Khan and said he would fight them all. Once Paquette wrapped the interview, she asked someone off-camera if they could get Cassidy a chair…
Sammy Guevara made his entrance while his opponent was already inside the ring…
2. Sammy Guevara vs. Exodus Prime. Guevara made quick work of Prime and finished him off with his GTH finisher…
Sammy Guevara beat Exodus Prime in 0:22.
Guevara delivered an in-ring promo afterward. He recalled wrestling on the Texas independents and his struggles. He said he remembered good times, bad times, and drama. He said it all brought him to where he is today. Guevara said he knows he’s not perfect and he made a lot of mistakes. He said the Texas fans saw him grow up in front of them and saw his mistakes firsthand.
Guevara said sometimes it takes a few wrong turns to get to the right place, and the right place is AEW Double Or Nothing. Guevara said he’s never listened to naysayers, he listens to his heart, which tells him that he will be the new AEW World Champion at Double Or Nothing…
Powell’s POV: Sammy Guevara’s heart is a GD liar. Or at least it should be in this case.
A brief video package spotlighted the Four Pillars to promote their four-way match for the AEW World Championship at Double Or Nothing…
Tony Schiavone stood in the ring and introduced Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh, and Sonjay Dutt. The heels brought out two guitars with “Cash” written on the back of one and “Dax” written on the back of the other. Lethal started to speak from the stage.
“FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler ran out and immediately pushed Singh off the stage, causing him to crash through some tables on the floor. FTR brawled with the heels. Lethal whipped Harwood with his belt. Harwood came back and ripped the shirt and pants of Lethal before tossing him over the timekeepers’ table. Wheeler hit Jarrett with a chair and ran him into the ring post.
The FTR duo threw Jarrett inside the ring. Wheeler threw punches at Jarrett. FTR set up for their Big Rig finisher, but Karen Jarrett entered the ring and hit Wheeler with a low blow. Jeff put Harwood down with the Stroke. Singh entered the ring and double chokeslammed Harwood and Wheeler. Jarrett and Lethal followed up by slamming the guitars over the heads of Harwood and Wheeler…
Powell’s POV: I’m not a big fan of the tag team title match, but they’ve committed to it and this segment effectively put heat on the heels. Karen is an underrated promo and personality.
Darby Allin was interviewed by Paquette on the backstage interview set and asked him if the way he won his match was a message to MJF. Allin said that it was and spoke about the four-way match. Sammy Guevara showed up and said that he knows Allin doesn’t trust him, but Guevara said he respects Allin. Guevara said he wouldn’t lay down for MJF or make it easy for Allin or Jack Perry. Guevara said that whether it’s him, Allin, or Perry, one of them needs to take the belt away from MJF. Guevara held his fist out. Allin gave it a bump and said may the best man win…
The Outcasts made their entrance followed by Hikaru Shida and Britt Baker…
3. Ruby Soho and Toni Storm (w/Saraya) vs. Britt Baker and Hikaru Shida. The heel duo jumped the babyfaces and the referee rewarded them for it by starting the match. The heels got the better of Baker heading into a PIP break. [C]
Shida took a hot tag and delivered a series of forearm shots to the side of Soho’s head. Storm ran in and took one, and then Saraya climbed onto the apron and took a forearm from Shida too. Shida dove off the apron onto all three heels at ringside.
Back in the ring, Shida hit a jumping knee on Soho and covered her for a two count. Shida performed a falcon arrow on Soho for another two count. Baker tagged in and got another near fall that was broken up by Storm. Baker went for her Lockjaw finisher, but Soho rolled onto her for a two count. Soho hit a No Future kick and tagged out.
Baker put Storm down and then hit her with a Stomp. Saraya was bickering with the referee. Baker joined the debate for a moment while Soho slid a spray paint cant to Storm. Baker turned back to Storm, who sprayed paint in her face. Storm performed Storm Zero on Baker and pinned her…
Ruby Soho and Toni Storm beat Britt Baker and Hikaru Shida.
Powell’s POV: Both teams worked hard and they put heat on the heels heading into what I assume will be a six-woman tag at Double Or Nothing. It was odd to see that six-woman tag match originally advertised for this show, but they announced that Jamie Hayter was not medically cleared. It helped create a storyline reason for the babyfaces showing up shorthanded for a change and also created a need for the babyfaces to get revenge in the six-woman tag match.
Cassidy was interviewed by Paquette again and informed him that twenty people took him up on his suggestion by talking to Tony Khan about challenging him for his title. Cassidy said he would fight them all. He said they would have a Blackjack Battle Royal for the AEW International Championship at Double Or Nothing…
Excalibur hyped Chris Jericho vs. Roderick Strong as coming up… [C]
Tony Khan stood backstage and said it was one of the greatest days in the history of AEW. He recalled AEW Saturday Night Collision being announced for TNT beginning Saturday, June 17. Khan listed upcoming Collision dates for Canada, and said that the location of the premiere edition would be announced next week…
Powell’s POV: Does that buy them a week to kiss and make up with CM Punk or are they moving the event out of Chicago? I was hoping for a bigger announcement from Khan tonight and perhaps the original plan was to announce Punk’s return. But we’re still left wondering if there’s any sort of streaming deal between AEW and WBD for the new Max app.
Roderick Strong made his entrance…
[Hour Two] Chris Jericho made his entrance while the crowd sang along with his “Judas” entrance theme…
4. Chris Jericho vs. Roderick Strong in a Falls Count Anywhere match. Jericho Appreciation Society and Adam Cole were both banned from the building. Strong attacked Jericho from behind and the referee rewarded him for it by starting the match. Strong dominated early and performed a backbreaker on the apron. Jericho fell to the floor and then Strong covered him for a two count.
Jericho came back and caught Strong in the Walls of Jericho in the ring. Strong reached the ropes to break the hold heading into a PIP break. [C] Jericho and Strong were brawling in the crowd coming out of the break and fought their way into the concourse where they were surrounded by fans.
Excalibur announced that “Superstar” Billy Graham passed away. Excalibur and the other broadcast team members offered their condolences.
Meanwhile, Jericho suplexed Strong through a merch table. Strong fought back and dumped Jericho on a concession desk. Both men fought their way into a stairwell and fought on a platform near the stairs. Jericho put Strong down and covered him for a two count.
They fought their way back into the concourse. Strong threw ice cream in the face of Jericho and ate some. Jericho wiped his face off and threw a trash bucket at Strong, who exited the building with Jericho in pursuit. Jericho accused him of being scared and told Strong to fight him.
Adam Cole showed up behind Jericho and attacked him once he turned around. The broadcast team explained that Cole was banned from the building, but his involvement was legal because they were outside the building. Cole hit Jericho with a Boom knee in a flower (more like weed) bed, and then Strong hit a move on Jericho and pinned him…
Roderick Strong defeated Chris Jericho in 13:15 in a Falls Count Anywhere match.
Powell’s POV: This brought back some memories of Kevin Sullivan battling Chris Benoit in falls count anywhere matches on WCW Nitro. It was a spirited brawl and the cheering fans in the concourse always create a fun atmosphere. Obviously, my condolences go out to the family, friends, and fans of “Superstar” Billy Graham. Ric Flair announced the news of Graham’s death earlier tonight.
The Superstar Billy Graham Just Left Us 🙏🏻 THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR INFLUENCE On My Career! pic.twitter.com/YH0eT2NM4p
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) May 18, 2023
Entrances for the next match took place…
5. “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry vs. Rush (w/Jose). Rush took the fight to ringside early on. Rush dominated Perry and then returned to the ring and struck his pose heading into a PIP break. [C]
Perry battled back and applied the Snare Trap, but Rush reached the ropes while Jose pulled the bottom rope forward. Jerry bled from the forehead. Rush wiped some of the blood from Perry’s head and then licked it and wiped it on his own chest. Both wrestlers fought on the apron until Rush tossed Perry violently to the floor with a suplex.
Back inside the ring, stood on Perry and stomped him in the corner. The referee pulled Rush away. Rush shoved the ref and then bickered with him. Perry rolled up Rush and held his tights while getting the three count.
“Jungle Boy” Jack Perry defeated Rush in 10:05.
Afterward, Preston Vance ran out and then he and Jose entered the ring and helped Rush. Schiavone said the attack had MJF written all over it. Rush and Vance choked Perry with a production cable. Darby Allin ran out for the save, but he was outnumbered and choked with the cable.
Sammy Guevara ran out and hit Rush with a leaping knee on the ramp. Guevara entered the ring and hit Preston, then stood by while Allin hit a Scorpion Death Drop on Jose. Guevara and Allin threw a double dropkick at Vance. Guevara and Allin looked at one another, and then they both looked at Perry, who was seated in the corner…
Backstage, Paquette spoke to MJF and pointed out that the champion doesn’t need to be pinned or submitted to lose the title. MJF slapped the microphone out of Paquette’s hand and then walked away… [C]
Powell’s POV: I have no idea what to make of Guevara these days. Do they think AEW All Access was enough to justify a babyface turn? He’s still a member of a faction named after another heel. Of course, it could be a swerve, but I like the idea of sending the message that MJF is at risk because all three of his opponents are on the same page. All of that said, it feels like MJF slapping the mic out of Paquette’s hand demands some type of retaliation from Jon Moxley, but I doubt we’ll get one since they are both heels involved in two separate programs.
Excalibur narrated footage of Toni Storm roughing up Jamie Hayter last week and pointed to when Hayter suffered a shoulder injury…
Toni Storm was interviewed by Paquette and noted that she has four wins in the last five days, which is an AEW record. Storm said the champion hasn’t even set records like that. Storm said that if Jamie Hayter has any guts, she’ll defend the AEW Women’s Championship against her at Double Or Nothing…
Powell’s POV: Well, so much for the six-woman tag match. No complaints. I’m all for a title match instead, and Hayter vs. Storm should be a good one.
Jay White and Juice Robinson made their entrance, and then Ricky Starks followed. Taz noted that Austin was a home base for Starks. Excalibur noted that Starks is originally from Louisiana, but he relocated to Austin…
6. Jay White (w/Juice Robinson) vs. Ricky Starks. White took a powder once the bell rang. Robinson was seated in a chair at ringside. White eventually took offensive control until Starks back body dropped him. Starks hit his pose while White went back to ringside. Starks went after White and ate a chop. White drove Starks’s back into the edge of the ring twice. Starks battled back, but White dumped him on the apron. [C]
White stuffed a tornado DDT, but Starks put him down with a suplex and then hit the tornado DDT for a near fall. Starks showed some frustration over not getting the pin. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. White came back with a DDT. White followed up with an uppercut and then dropped Starks over the top rope.
White put Starks down with a uranage slam for a near fall. Starks hit a series of elbows to the head of White, who then dumped Starks to the floor near Robinson. White went to the floor and threw Starks back inside the ring. Starks caught White in an inside cradle for a two count.
White chopped Starks, who responded with a neckbreaker. Starks slammed White to the mat and covered him for a close near fall. Starks set up for his Roshambo finisher, but White slipped away. Both wrestlers ran the ropes. Robinson tripped Starks, who stumbled into position for White’s finisher, but Starks countered into a pin for a two count.
Starks speared White and then went for his finisher. White gouged the eye of Starks. Robinson entered with a chair while the referee was tied up with White. Starks ducked the chair shot and then hit Robinson with it to clear him from the ring. Starks hit White with the chair for the disqualification finish…
Jay White defeated Ricky Starks by DQ in 12:20.
After the match, Starks played air guitar on the chair and then wound up to hit White with it, but Robinson pulled White to the floor…
Powell’s POV: A nice match. The finish was unsatisfying, but the issue I pointed out with this feud is that both men really need wins. I wonder if they will run it back at the pay-per-view or simply move on.
The following matches and segments were announced for Friday’s AEW Rampage (starts at 5:30CT/6:30ET): Blackpool Combat Club vs. Best Amigos and Bandido, Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy speak, The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass vs. Josh Woods, Tony Nese, and Ari Daivari, Jade Cargill holds an open challenge for the TBS Title, Bishop Kaun vs. Dustin Rhodes.
The following match was announced for next week’s AEW Dynamite: Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix vs. Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta for the ROH Tag Titles.
Excalibur ran through the pay-per-view lineup and officially added Jamie Hayter vs. Toni Storm for the AEW Women’s Championship, Wardlow vs. Christian Cage in a ladder match for the TNT Title, and Orange Cassidy’s Blackjack Battle Royale for the AEW International Championship…
Excalibur hyped Don Callis for after the break… [C]
Tony Schiavone stood in the ring and introduced Don Callis, who made his entrance while footage of his turn on Kenny Omega was shown on the big screen. Security was lined up on the ramp as Callis headed to the ring without entrance music. “Don Callis, why, why?” Schiavone asked.
Callis said everyone wants to hear him talk about what he did to Omega, but he was going to talk about what Omega did to him. Callis said he’s the only victim in this scenario. The crowd booed loudly while Callis took credit for Omega winning the IWGP World Championship, facing Chris Jericho at the Tokyo Dome, and winning the AEW World Championship on Callis’s first night in AEW. “Without me, there is no Kenny Omega,” Callis said.
Kenny Omega’s entrance theme played and he walked onto the stage. Security stepped up. Omega punched out security guards until he was attacked from behind by the Blackpool Combat Club members Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, Wheeler Yuta, and Claudio Castagnoli.
The BCC members entered the ring after Callis had apparently made his exit. Moxley got a mic and said the war was already over. He said Omega and his friends couldn’t touch them and never could. Moxley told Omega to stay down and said it was his final warning. Moxley said that BCC is what everyone pretends to be. “We are the elite,” Moxley said.
The Young Bucks’ entrance music played and they walked onto the stage with a trashcan filled with weapons. Excalibur pointed out that they were still outnumbered. Hangman Page made his entrance sporting a patch over his left eye. Omega handed Page a broom wrapped in barbed wire. Page raised the broom and let out a primal scream before he and The Elite headed toward the ring.
The two sides fought at ringside with The Elite getting the better of it. They got Yuta inside the ring where the Bucks hit him with a BTE Trigger and then held him up while Page hit him with a Buckshot Lariat. Yuta rolled out of the ring and was helped to the ramp by the other BCC members.
Page stood between Omega and the Bucks and said: “We are the heart. We are the soul. We are the spirit of this place. We are The Elite. So run and hide while you still can because at Double Or Nothing it’s The Elite, Blackpool Combat Club, Anarchy in the Arena.” Page spiked the mic and then joined Omega and the Bucks in raising their arms in the middle of the ring…
Powell’s POV: Patch Page had to happen. Callis had great heat and I was hoping to hear more from him, but the show closing angle was nicely done with the return of Page to help Omega and the Bucks in their feud with BCC. I continue to assume that Konosuke Takeshita will be aligned with Callis and perhaps that will be unveiled at Double Or Nothing.
Overall, it was a newsworthy show with all of the pay-per-view match announcements. I will have a lot more to say about this show, the AEW Collision announcement, and the CM Punk situation during my weekly same night audio review of Dynamite for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
Orange Cassidy is going to throw all 19 opponents over the top with one hand, because he’s the roughest, toughest, strongest man who ever lived.
I thought the jungle boy rush match was great. Best thing on the show. Ending was just, wow.