AEW Dynasty Zero Hour pre-show results: ROH Six-Man Tag Champions Jay White, Austin Gunn, and Colten Gunn vs. AEW Trios Champions Max Caster, Anthony Bowens, and Billy Gunn for both titles

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

AEW Dynasty Zero Hour Pre-Show
St. Louis, Missouri at Chaifetz Arena
Aired live April 21, 2024 on AEW social media platforms

-Renee Paquette and RJ City hosted the pre-show from the stage. The set up video packages and talked about the various matches during the first thirty minutes of the 90-minute show.

-The Young Bucks were shown arriving earlier in the day in a cybertruck that had an “EVP” plate on the front.

-Excalibur checked in on commentary from ringside along with Taz and Tony Schiavone. Ring announcer Justin Roberts conducted the introductions for the opening match.

1. Trent Beretta vs. Matt Sydal (w/Mike Sydal). Sydal got some early offense. Beretta ducked out to ringside to regroup and was hit with a sliding dropkick and then Sydal dove onto him on the floor. Back inside the ring, Beretta came back with a brainbuster. Beretta pulled Sydal off the ropes and into a side suplex for a two count.

Sydal battled back and performed a meteora from the ropes for a near fall. Sydal placed Beretta in a seated position on the top turnbuckle. Sydal set up for a move, but Beretta slipped under him and then dropped him face first on the top turnbuckle. Beretta performed a Gotch style piledriver for a near fall. Beretta hit Sydal with a running knee strike and then locked in a submission hold for the win.

Trent Beretta defeated Matt Sydal in 8:00.

Beretta was slow to release the hold after the match. Mike Sydal entered the ring and checked on Matt. Beretta attacked Mike, who rolled out of the ring. Beretta threw punches at Matt until Chuck Taylor entered the ring, which caused Beretta to roll to the floor.

Beretta got a mic and said Taylor was a prick for not returning his texts and phone calls. Beretta told Taylor that he was giving him until Wednesday to let him know where he stands. Trent headed up the ramp, but he stopped when Orange Cassidy’s entrance music played. Cassidy came out and looked at Beretta, who was near the top of the ramp. Beretta walked past Cassidy and headed to the back.

Powell’s POV: A nice pre-show match with the newly turned Beretta beating St. Louis native Sydal. The post match bit with Beretta and Cassidy was intriguing, but then Cassidy just let Beretta go to the back without confronting him. By the way, the fans were still arriving when the match started, but most of the empty seats opposite the hard camera were filled by the time the match concluded.

Katsuyori Shibata made his entrance and then headed to the ring with Cassidy. The entrances for Shane Taylor Promotions followed…

2. Orange Cassidy and Katsuyori Shibata vs. Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty. Anthony Ogogo came out with Taylor and Moriarty and then sat in on commentary for the match. Cassidy performed an early fall from the top rope into an elbow drop, then casually leaned his head on his hand while covering Taylor, who kicked out at one.

Cassidy and Moriarty ended up at ringside. Ogogo got up from the broadcast table and wound up for a punch, but Shibata cut him off. Taylor took out Shibata with a punch. Moriarty draped Cassidy’s head and neck over the apron and then Taylor performed a leg drop on Cassidy.

Cassidy was isolated and Shibata eventually returned to the apron. Cassidy avoided Taylor going for a corner splash. Moriarty tagged in and rushed over to prevent Cassidy from tagging out. Cassidy eventually slipped away from him and casually made the tag.

Shibata had a nice run of offense before Cassidy tagged in again. Cassidy and Moriarty had a nice back and forth exchange that was capped off with Cassidy hitting a DDT. Tayor ran in and hit Cassidy with a headbutt to the chest. Taylor set up Cassidy for a move, but Shibata ran in and put Taylor in a submission hold. Moriarty took out Shibata with a flying knee. Cassidy and Moriarty traded pin attempts. Cassidy hit the Orange Punch and then pinned Moriarty…

Orange Cassidy and Katsuyori Shibata defeated Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty in 12:40.

Powell’s POV: A good match with the expected outcome. I was hoping to see Taylor and Moriarty get a win to give them some juice, but they took the predictable route.

-The broadcast team ran through the pay-per-view lineup.

-Entrances for the trios match took place with Bullet Club Gold out first. Max Caster rapped while heading to the ring with Anthony Bowens and Billy Gunn. Caster called for his music to stop, then added some raps without music. Caster closed it out by saying he would violate White so bad that he would have to tell the legal team about the taste of his dick. Bowens yanked the mic away before he could finish the last word…

3. ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions Jay White, Austin Gunn, and Colten Gunn vs. AEW Trios Champions Max Caster, Anthony Bowens, and Billy Gunn for both titles. Early in the match, Billy no-sold White’s chops and then tossed him into the corner. White ducked to ringside and then returned to the ring and tagged in Colten, who hit his father from behind. Billy no-sold that shot as well, which drew a “you f—ed up” chant from the crowd. Billy and Colten hugged and then Billy punched him.

Excalibur said the event was sold out and noted that the fans were still filing in, as there were still some empty seats remaining opposite the hard camera. WrestleTix lists the venue as being set up for 6,721 (the listed capacity is 10,600).

A short time later, Billy hit Austin with a Cobra Clutch Slam. Legal man Colten ran in and hit Billy with a Fameasser for a near fall. The Gunns set up for 3:10 To Yuma, but Billy avoided it. The referee stopped Caster and Bowens from running in. Meanwhile, White hit Billy from behind with a bat. The Gunns hit Billy with the 3:10 To Yuma. Colten covered Billy, who kicked out. Good lord.

White tagged in and set up Billy for a move, but Billy powered out of it and hit White with a Fameasser. Caster and Bowens cleared the Gunns from the ring. Billy went for a Fameasser. White countered into a Bladerunner attempt, which Billy avoided. Eventually, White hit Billy with the Bladerunner and pinned him…

ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions Jay White, Austin Gunn, and Colten Gunn defeated AEW Trios Champions Max Caster, Anthony Bowens, and Billy Gunn in 14:45 in a title vs. title match to win the AEW Trios Titles.

A video package spotlighted the AEW World Championship match and then the hosts ran through the main show lineup to close out the pre-show. Excalibur said Jim Ross would join them for the opening match.

Powell’s POV: Billy Gunn continued to play Superman until he finally took the loss. A baseball bat shot and his own sons’ finishing move wasn’t enough to put him away. Fortunately, he did the honors for White after dominating him in a recent Dynamite match. The titles are merged and here’s hoping they stay that way if the company insists upon having trios titles. The pre-show once again felt like it was fine if you saw it, and fine if you did not.

Join me for my live review of the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view in a separate report available via the main page.