By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 228)
Cedar Park, Texas at HEB Center
Aired live February 14, 2024 on TBS
[Hour One] The Dynamite opening aired and then pyro shot off on the stage. The broadcast team was Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone, and Justin Roberts was the ring announcer…
Jon Moxley entered to “Wild Thing” through the crowd for the opening match. Dax Harwood made his entrance with Cash Wheeler, who did not accompany him to ringside…
1. Jon Moxley vs. Dax Harwood. There were dueling “Let’s Go Moxley” and “FTR” chants before the wrestlers locked up. Moxley sent Harwood to ringside and followed him. Moxley tossed Harwood over the ringside barricade and then both men traded strikes before Harwood hopped back over to ringside.
Moxley took Harwood down and catapulted him into the ring post. Back in the ring, Harwood put Moxley down with a sit-out powerbomb and got a two count. Harwood tried to follow up with a suplex near the ropes, which led to both men tumbling to ringside heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Moxley and Harwood battled on the ropes. Moxley knocked Harwood off with punches. Harwood shot up and fired a punch at Moxley and then executed a top rope superplex. Both men got to their knees and headbutted one another several times before getting to their feet.
Harwood hit Moxley with two short-arm clotheslines, but Moxley stayed on his feet. Moxley fired back with a clothesline. Harwood stayed on his feet and then put Moxley down with a clothesline and applied a Sharpshooter. Roberts announced that there were five minutes remaining in the time limit.
Both wrestlers stuffed the other’s piledriver attempt. Harwood raked the back of Moxley and went for a piledriver, but Moxley backdropped him. Harwood ducked a Moxley punch and then put him down with a piledriver that produced a two count.
Moxley and Harwood ended up at ringside briefly. Moxley returned to the ring and then kicked the ropes into Harwood’s groin. Moxley followed up with a cutter, a Stomp, and a piledriver, yet only got a near fall. Both men countered moves and then Harwood executed a brainbuster for a near fall.
Harwood went for a top rope dive, but Moxley avoided it and put him in a rear naked choke. The referee checked Harwood’s arm and it stayed up, but then Harwood tapped out.
Jon Moxley defeated Dax Harwood in 18:35.
After the match, Moxley didn’t release the rear naked choke. Cash Wheeler ran out and attacked Moxley with punches until Claudio Castagnoli ran out and stopped him. Castagnoli put Wheeler down with a Neutralizer. Moxley put Harwood in a choke hold while Castagnoli put Wheeler in a submission hold. Both men released the holds and exited the ring…
Powell’s POV: A very good match to open the show. I wonder if we’ll get Castagnoli vs. Wheeler before the inevitable tag team match.
Renee Paquette interviewed Don Callis, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Konosuke Takeshita on the backstage set. Callis said they are a victim of their own success because no one wants to wrestle his men. Callis said they need to be on the Revolution pay-per-view. Callis said he would go within the family. He announced that Takeshita would face Will Ospreay. Callis said he used to fight with his brother in the backyard and they would be fine. He said the Callis Family would win either way…
Powell’s POV: That’s one hell of a match on paper. I suspect that the plan is to use this match to reposition Ospreay as a babyface.
Wardlow made his entrance while his opponent was already inside the ring…
2. Wardlow vs. Barrett Brown. Adam Cole sat in on commentary. Cole gave Wardlow a sign and then Wardlow performed a Last Ride style powerbomb and scored the pin.
Wardlow defeated Barrett Brown in 1:10.
Powell’s POV: An all out squash match. The good news is that Wardlow clearly didn’t suffer any significant damage when he injured his knee in a recent.
Footage aired from earlier in the day of “The Young Bucks” Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson arriving in a plane at a local airport. They were wearing the bloody white suits from last week’s show-closing angle. The Bucks were shown getting into a limo while the broadcast team hyped their match against Top Flight… [C]
3. Adam Copeland vs. Daniel Garcia for a shot at the TNT Title. Both entrances were televised. Matt Menard sat in on commentary. Taz finally asked the obvious question of whether Menard is now Garcia’s personal commentator. There were dueling chants for both wrestlers. Copeland had offensive control heading into an early PIP break. [C]
Garcia went to the ropes and was cut off by Copeland, who joined him on the ropes and fought for position before superplexing him. Garcia sold his shoulder. Copeland went to the corner and went for a spear, but Garcia caught him with a kick to the face and rolled him into a pin for a two count. Copeland applied a submission hold, but Nick Wayne and Killswitch ran in and attacked both men for the no-contest finish.
Adam Copeland fought Daniel Garcia to a no-contest in 12:20.
After the match, Christian Cage and Shayna Wayne walked to ringside. Menard stood up from the broadcast table to confront Cage, but Killswitch hit him from behind. Cage set up Garcia for a Conchairto, but Copeland returned to the ring with a chair and ran off Nick and Killswitch.
Copeland and Cage slammed chairs together and Cage dropped his chair. Copeland backed Cage into a corner of the ring and then Shayna low-blowed Copeland. Cage hit Copeland with a Conchairto. Cage put his foot on Copeland and then held up the TNT Title belt while his allies stood next to him. Garcia returned to the ring and checked on Copeland while selling his shoulder or elbow… [C]
Powell’s POV: I would hope this isn’t leading to a three-way at Revolution given that the AEW World Championship match is already a three-way. Wrestlers typically sell the Conchairto, so perhaps this was done to write out Copeland from Revolution.
Footage aired of Swerve Strickland fighting Hangman Page to a 30-minute draw last week followed by Page declining to give him five more minutes, which led to Tony Schiavone announcing that Swerve and Page will challenge Samoa Joe in a three-way at Revolution…
The broadcast team spoke at ringside. Excalibur said Copeland was tended to by the ringside physician and was able to walk to the back, but he was undergoing medical evaluation…
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe made his entrance dressed in a suit. Once in the ring, Joe listened to the “Joe” chants before stating that he is proudly the AEW World Champion. Joe said things were going well with the rankings until last week when Swerve and Page fought to a draw. The fans booed the mention of the draw.
Joe said he thought the championship committee would send them both to the back of the line, but they took a page out of the Texas playbook by making things bigger and dumber by booking a three-way match.
[Hour Two] Joe said both opponents may walk in, but he guaranteed they would both limp out. Joe said he’s the champion and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
Swerve Strickland made his entrance with Prince Nana, who did his dance while the duo headed to the ring. Swerve said it wasn’t supposed to be personal when things started. He said he can’t help but feel that it’s becoming personal the more Joe runs his mouth.
Swerve recalled Joe’s criteria for giving title shots. Swerve said he’s on his way to becoming one of the greatest of all-time and told Joe to check his resume and put some respect on it. Swerve said he’s been grinding for fifteen years.
Swerve said he’s gone toe-to-toe with former world champions and some of the best legends that AEW has to offer. Swerve said he’s always the one left standing and nothing would change at Revolution aside from that he would be holding up the AEW World Championship over his head.
Hangman Page came out without entrance music. Page was censored as he presumably called last week’s match bullshit. Page entered the ring and said Swerve had thirty minutes to beat him last week and he couldn’t do it. Page said if it was up to him, the match would be between two men who value the championship and everything it stands for.
Page said he doesn’t make the matches and it looks like Swerve has been added to the title match. Page went face-to-face with Swerve and said that after everything he’s done to him, Swerve doesn’t deserve a second of his time, let alone five more minutes because he couldn’t get the job done. Page said Swerve doesn’t deserve to be in the championship match.
Joe got between Swerve and Page and said their domestic dispute ends tonight. Joe told both men that he would whip both of their asses at Revolution. Joe slammed the mic down and exited the ring while his music played. Swerve and Page remained in the ring and jawed at one another…
Powell’s POV: My prediction for the Revolution finish is that there’s a double submission spot. Joe has Page in a submission hold, while Swerve simultaneously has Joe in a submission hold. Page is hellbent on Swerve not wining the championship, so he taps out just before Joe does to intentionally cost Swerve the title.
Toni Storm’s “Wet Ink” movie aired. It focused on the matching tattoos that she and Deonna Purrazzo have. She said she befriended a girl that she felt sorry for and labeled Purrazzo her young girl. She said she brought Purrazzo to Japan and helped her get a contract. Storm said Purrazzo “bit the teet that feeds.” Storm was shown getting tattoo work done. She said that if Purrazzo wants the old Storm, she will get it. She asked what do you do when you can’t change the past. The camera showed new ink work around the tattoo that she and Purrazzo both have..
Deonna Purrazzo was interviewed by Renee Paquette on the backstage set. Purrazzo said Storm talks too much. Purrazzo said she would keep it short and sweet. “Toni, I’m going to break your arm, bitch,” Purrazzo said…
The Young Bucks were shown exiting a limo backstage, still dressed in the bloody suits they wore last week. They walked through the back and made their entrance. Top Flight made their entrance and were joined on the stage by Action Andretti, who did not accompany them to ringside…
4. “The Young Bucks” Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson vs. “Top Flight” Dante Martin and Darius Martin. The Bucks wrestled the match in the bloody suits. The Bucks were in offensive control heading into an early PIP break. [C]
Darius performed a top rope crossbody block on Matt for a near fall. Taz said it would have been a huge upset had Darius scored the pin. Matt came back with a superkick on Darius and then DDT’d Dante. Taz said he suggested the Bucks change their name to EVP Bucks and they fined him $2,500.
Darius picked up another near fall on Matt. Dante took out Nick with a suicide dive. Darius hit a standing Spanish Fly on Matt for another near fall. Nick dumped Dante on the barricade and then saved his brother from a catapult by Darius. Matt covered Darius and used the ropes for leverage, but the referee caught him. Nick argued with the referee while Matt low-blowed Darius. The Bucks hit the EVP Trigger on Darius and then Nick pinned him.
“The Young Bucks” Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson defeated “Top Flight” Dante Martin and Darius Martin in 13:00.
The finish was dubbed the finish of the move of the night for a sponsored replay. Schiavone entered the ring to speak with the Bucks. Matt boasted that he and Nick are undefeated in 2024 and are the top unbeatable team in AEW.
Matt said that after beating Top Flight, it’s safe to assume that he and Nick are now number one contenders. A graphic appeared on the big screen that listed the Bucks as No. 1 contenders. Schiavone said Sting wasn’t present due to the despicable act that occurred last week.
Matt accused Schiavone of disparaging the company’s EVPs and said it may be a breach of contract. Nick fined Schiavone $1,000. Nick asked Schiavone if he had a problem with that and then nudged him with his shoulder, causing Schiavone to fall down. Matt and Nick said they would help Schiavone up. They got him in position for an EVP Trigger.
Darby Allin ran out with Sting’s baseball bat to run off the Bucks. Allin got a mic and told the Bucks to remind everyone what the original mission statement of AEW was. Allin said it was to change the world.
Allin said he was homeless when the company started and he begged them for a job, but they didn’t see anything in him. Allin said he had to “sit by and watch all your shit friends get hired.” Allin referred to them as the California Crew.
Allin said thankfully there was one EVP with a brain and he wasn’t talking about Kenny Omega. Allin recalled the Bucks doing an interview after they re-signed with AEW. Allin recalled them saying that they re-signed because the travel was light and the money was good.
Allin said the original mission statement is dead. Allin said he thought it was All Elite Wrestling, but it looks like All Friendship Wrestling. Allin recalled not being on the first edition of AEW Dynamite while Brandon Cutler was. “What the…” Allin said.
Allin said he didn’t know what kind of tussles the Bucks got into while being home schooled, but they are talking about Sting’s final match. He said he doesn’t think the Bucks know what they got themselves into. Allin said Sting is a man with nothing left to lose. “It’s showtime,” Allin said to close…
Powell’s POV: Good fire from Allin. I have no idea how Allin legitimately feels, but his comments echo a lot of the complaints about the Bucks and some of the people who were hired, so they definitely came off as hard hitting. Good stuff.
Paquette interviewed the Bang Bang Scissor Gang Jay White, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Billy Gunn, Max Caster, and Anthony Bowens. White said they all had gold, but they need to work on their cohesiveness. Billy tried to make a suggestion. Austin cut him off and called for a 12-man tag on Rampage. Billy then proposed the same thing and it was well received by the others…
Powell’s POV: Can these trios teams please hurry up and turn on each other?
Willow Nightingale made her entrance with Stokely Hathaway and Kris Statlander. Nightingale and Hathaway headed to the ring while Statlander headed to the back. Skye Blue made her entrance with Julia Hart, who whispered in Blue’s ear and then headed to the back…
5. Willow Nightingale vs. Skye Blue. Stokely Hathaway sat in on commentary. Willow hit Blue with the Pounce and knocked her out of the ring. Hathaway was shown smiling as they cut to a PIP break. [C]
Excalibur touted AEW Rampage having a 6CT/7ET start time and listed Jeff Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara in a No DQ match, and Queen Aminata vs. Anna Jay for the show. For next week’s Dynamite, he listed Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli vs. “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler in a tag match, and Samoa Joe, Swerve Strickland, and Brian Cage vs. Hook, Hangman Page, and Rob Van Dam in a six-man.
Late in the match, Blue caught Willow on the ropes and powerbombed her for a two count. Hathaway said, “Enough of this” and then removed his headset and climbed onto the ring apron. Blue hit Willow with Code Blue and had the pin, but Hathaway distracted the referee. Willow came back with a Doctor Bomb and scored the pin…
Willow Nightingale defeated Skye Blue in 8:50.
Taz said whether you like Hathaway or not, he did the right thing by helping Willow when she was having a problem… [C]
Powell’s POV: I watch all three of AEW weekly television shows and I’m still not sure what they are going for with Hathaway’s oddball alliance with Willow and Statlander.
Entrances for the main event took place…
6. AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy vs. Matt Taven in a Texas Death Match. The wrestlers fought to ringside early on. Excalibur reminded viewers that there were no count-outs and the only ways to win via knockout or submission. Both men fought in the crowd heading into the final break. [C]
Taven was on the stage coming out of the break and then jumped off and tried to put Cassidy through a table on the floor with an elbow drop. The table cracked and just kind of tipped over. Taven set up the broken table against the stage and then suplexed Cassidy through it. Taven hit Cassidy with a Just The Tip knee strike on the stage. Cassidy bled heavily from the forehead.
The wrestlers returned to ringside where Taven leaned a table against the barricade. Taven kicked Cassidy through the ropes, but he didn’t go through the table. Taven went for a running dive that Cassidy avoided, causing Taven to crash through the table, which drew some holy shit chants.
[Overrun] Taven also bled from the forehead, but he got to his feet before the referee’s ten count. Cassidy pulled out a heart shaped box that said it was to him from Chuckie T (Chuck Taylor). Cassidy opened the box and poured the thumbtacks that were inside of it all over the ring.
Cassidy set up for a superplex, but Taven fought him off and threw him onto the tacks. Taven went for a top rope splash, but Cassidy avoided and then Taven landed on the tacks. Cassidy followed up with a DDT on the tacks. An “AEW” chant broke out.
Cassidy went to ringside and pulled a chain and a giant heart shaped box out from underneath the ring. Mike Bennett showed up and attacked Cassidy and then slammed the box over his head. Bennett slid a bunch of chairs inside the ring and then stacked them on top of the backs.
Trent Beretta came out with a box of roses and pulled a lead pipe out of it before entering the ring and hitting Bennett with it. Taven threw a chair a Beretta, who took it right on the head. Cassidy rallied with an Orange Punch and then hit Beach Break on top of the chair.
Taven ripped Cassidy’s pockets. Cassidy responded by wrapping the chain around his fist and then hitting Taven with an Orange Punch. The referee counted. Roderick Strong ran out and tried to hit Cassidy with a knee strike, but Beretta stepped in front of it and took the knee strike instead. Cassidy tossed Strong out of the ring and the referee finished counting Taven down.
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy defeated Matt Taven in 13:25 in a Texas Death Match.
The babyfaces celebrated while the heels made their exit to close the show…
Powell’s POV: Matt Taven has the talent to be in a Dynamite main event, but he felt out of place due to being positioned as a wacky sidekick for so long. That said, both wrestlers worked really hard and the crowd was clearly into the action. I was down on AEW for the unprotected chair shot to the head that occurred last week. There was another in this match, but I’m guessing that it was accidental, as even Excalibur seemed concerned about it on commentary. That being said, perhaps it’s time for AEW to bring in Chris Nowinski for another seminar because his message seems to have been forgotten.
Overall, this was a good edition with a lot of in-ring action. The in-ring promo segments were strong. I will have a lot more to say about this episode in my weekly audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of Dynamite by grading the show below.
“There were dueling “Let’s Go Moxley” and “FTR” chants before the wrestlers locked up. Moxley sent Harwood to ringside and followed him. Moxley tossed Harwood over the ringside barricade and then both men traded strikes before Harwood hopped back over to ringside.”
Can the fucking retarded plumber work a god damned wrestling match one single fucking time? Why the actual fuck does anyone think that bloated slob is remotely entertaining? He’s just a supremely shitty garbage match wrestler that has a money mark hoodwinked.
I AM SHOCKED that you have something negative to say about AEW. Wow. What a difference from any other commment you make on any other AEW report. Shocking.
Actually Darby said there was only one evp with a brain and not talking kenny omega (cue the cody chants)
Fixed. Thank you.
So there was only 1 EVP with a brain and he’s…the one that left the company? Maybe not exactly the message I’d wanna send but okay, lol.
If you’re tired of working with moronic children then maybe that’s exactly the message you want to send.
Loved Allin’s promo and felt like it came across as pretty real. Still don’t know why Matt and Nick are apart of Sting’s last match and I really hope it wasnt their idea.
I read somewhere Sting requested it, because he enjoyed the last time he worked with the Bucks.
Who is the goof booking 12-person tag matches? I can’t wait for the 12-person tag belts to debut next week in a major announcement.
The bucks wearing dirty clothing seems about right.
On last nights show how many of the wrestlers featured would be upper mid card or better if transported to Raw or Smackdown right now?
This isn’t intended as tribalism just making the point that for all the money Tony has spent Dynamite just looks second rate
How’s Jay White feeling right about now? (Well other than rich and fairly well rested).
Good show. I almost think I see storylines finally being a normal part of AEW, which the lack of is really their only major flaw, but I’m going to just keep watching and hope it’s not a mirage.
Fun night, which is all you can ask from a pro wrestling show today.
I AM SHOCKED that you have something positive to say about AEW. Wow. What a difference from any other comment you make on any other AEW report. Shocking.
Can we please get Jay White far away from that garbage.