By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 238)
Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place
Aired live April 24, 2024 on TBS
[Hour One] Excalibur checked in while footage aired from earlier in the day of an SUV containing Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson, and Nicholas Jackson. The trio exited the SUV dressed in suits and had their title belts over their shoulders.
A second SUV arrived. Jack Perry exited the SUV and then looked into the camera and smiled. AEW Security approached Perry, but the Jacksons told the security guards that Perry was with them. Security backed off and then the wrestlers walked toward the building. Nicholas said they had some business to attend to…
Orange Cassidy’s entrance music played while Excalibur mentioned that he was joined on commentary by Taz and Tony Schiavone. Cassidy was thrown onto the stage and then Trent Beretta walked out behind him. Beretta worked over Cassidy on the stage.
Once in the ring, Beretta called for Chuck Taylor to join him. Taylor entered the ring while Excalibur noted that Taylor entered from the crowd rather than the backstage area. Beretta said he was sorry, then said he was sorry he didn’t do this sooner. Beretta said Cassidy was supposed to be their mascot. He said they fought for Cassidy and he gave them nothing.
Beretta told Taylor that Cassidy doesn’t care about him and is not his friend. Beretta told Taylor that he loves him and told him to do the right thing by giving the people what they want. Beretta held his arms open for a hug. Taylor opened his arms and then walked forward without hugging Beretta.
“You know, Trent, I’ve always thought you were a piece of shit,” Taylor said. Taylor hit Beretta, who exited the ring. Taylor said he knows he wouldn’t be cleared to compete in the ring, but he wanted to fight Beretta in the parking lot instead. Taylor checked on Cassidy…
Powell’s POV: I’m all for Beretta getting a singles push as opposed to moving forward with Taylor as a tag team, so this was a welcome development.
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley delivered a backstage promo. He said he wasn’t underestimating Powerhouse Hobbs and he’s aware of what’s at stake in their match. Moxley said the Callis Family put a hit out on his friend and he knows how far they are willing to go. Moxley said he knows what it takes to get to the top and stay there. Moxley said he doesn’t play golf and said pro wrestling is the greatest sport in the world…
Prince Nana walked onto the stage while Swerve Strickland’s entrance theme played. Nana told the fans to get on their feet and show respect for the AEW World Champion. Strickland made his entrance with the title belt around his waist. Swerve looked into the camera and pulled his jacket back to show off his title belt while also smiling to show off his grill. Footage was shown of Strickland beating Samoa Joe to win the title at AEW Dynasty. Kyle Fletcher made his entrance along with Don Callis…
1. AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland vs. Kyle Fletcher in an eliminator match. Don Callis sat in on commentary with the broadcast team on the stage. A graphic listed a “Casino Gauntlet Match” while Excalibur said the winner would get a shot at the AEW International Championship at Double Or Nothing. Schiavone said they didn’t know the participants in the match.
Fletcher caught Swerve with a kick that knocked him off the apron. Fletcher followed to ringside where he was distracted by Nana for a moment, which led to Swerve backdropping Fletcher on the floor. Swerve went to the apron and threw a kick to the head of Fletcher heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Powell’s POV: The audio is rough tonight. It was really bad during the Moxley interview and there’s a lot of bass whenever anyone takes even a step in the ring.
As the match continued, a shot aired of The Elite and Jack Perry entering Tony Khan’s office. Swerve hit a double stomp on Fletcher, who was on the apron. Swerve came up selling a right ankle injury. Back in the ring, Fletcher blocked a House Call kick and then put Swerve in an ankle lock.
Swerve eventually came back with a kick and then leaped up and put Fletcher down with a Flatliner. Swerve hit a brainbuster for a two count. Schiavone actually spoke about what a great champion Swerve has been early in his reign (it’s his first match since winning the title).
Fletcher picked up a near fall off a tombstone piledriver. Fletcher got Swerve on the ropes and joined him. Swerve fought back and got him in a tree of woe before double stomping him, which led to a two count. Swerve hit the House Call kick and scored the pin…
AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland defeated Kyle Fletcher in 14:40 in an eliminator match.
Renee Paquette interviewed Thunder Rosa on a backstage interview set. She wasn’t happy that Deonna Purrazzo got in her business. Purrazzo showed up and they bickered and then shoved one another. Two security guards stepped between them… [C]
Powell’s POV: The usual well worked match, but I actually wanted to hear from the new champion more than see him win a predictable eliminator match. The night is young, so hopefully we’ll get both. Unfortunately, the audio sounded rough for the Rosa interview. It was very echoey. I’m sure being at Daily’s Place isn’t easy for the production crew, but I don’t remember the sound being this much of an issue for past shows at the outdoor amphitheater.
A video package recapped Will Ospreay beating Bryan Danielson at AEW Dynasty… Ring announcer Justin Roberts delivered the introductions for the next match…
2. Anna Jay vs. Mina Shirakawa (w/Mariah May). Shirakawa targeted right knee of Jay. The broadcast team said Hook was not medically cleared to appear after Chris Jericho hit him with a baseball bat. Jay raked the eyes of Shirakawa and then performed a neckbreaker over the middle rope. Jay dropped to the floor to taunt May for no reason, then entered the ring and covered Shirakawa for a two count. [C]
Shirakawa performed a dragon screw leg whip and then locked Jay in a figure four. Jay reached the ropes. Shirakawa hit a missile dropkick and followed up with a leaping enzuigiri. Jay countered.a move into her Queen Slayer submission hold, but Shirakawa countered into a nice pin and got the three count.
Mina Shirakawa defeated Anna Jay in 8:55.
After the match, May entered the ring with champagne, but Jay punched her and then knocked Shirakawa down. Jay put May in the Queen Slayer. Toni Storm’s music played and she ran to the ring and chased Jay out of the ring. Storm checked on May.
Serena Deeb’s entrance music played and she walked out wearing non-wrestling attire. Deeb picked up the heels that Storm left on the stage and tossed them behind her. Deeb looked at the AEW Women’s Championship belt that Storm also left on the stage. Deeb sat down and spoke into the camera and said the next time she touches the belt she will be the AEW Women’s World Champion. Excalibur hyped Willow Nightingale’s championship celebration for after the break… [C]
Powell’s POV: Thank goodness for closed captioning because it was tough to make out what Deeb was saying. The actual match was solid. Shirakawa is very charismatic and seems to connect quickly with live crowds. It was also nice to see a no nonsense finish as opposed to the usual approach of making Rick Knox look like a blithering idiot.
Stokely Hathaway and Kris Statlander stood in the ring, which had balloons attached to the ring post. They sang the praises of Willow Nightingale and then introduced the new TBS Champion. Caprice Coleman was on commentary and rapped to Willow’s entrance theme.
Hathaway told Willow that he didn’t like her initially, and she said she didn’t like him either. Hathaway said that he and Statlander are proud of her. Willow recalled being in the front row in the past and then working her first AEW match. She said she’s not a rookie, she’s now the face of TBS.
Mercedes Mone made her entrance. Excalibur said Mone stole Willow’s moment at AEW Dynasty and was doing the same tonight. Mone entered the ring and got a microphone. Mone told Jacksonville to say hello to their CEO. Willow said it was like the fourth time that Mone interrupted her. Willow said it’s her moment.
Mone said she came out to congratulate her. Mone said she would be the new face of TBS and the new TBS Champion at Double Or Nothing. Mone asked if Willow was “that bitch” who attacked her. Willow said no. Statlander said Willow was attacked last week and questioned whether it was Mone, who wondered whether Statlander was behind the attack. Hathaway said everyone knows it was Julia Hart.
Willow said it’s felt like Mone has a vendetta against her. She asked if Mone thinks she intentionally injured her. Mone asked Willow if she was asking her if she blamed her for almost ending her career and taking what she loves away from her for a full year. Mone said Willow doesn’t want to know the truth.
Willow recalled going back to her hotel after she beat Mone and said she wondered whether she could have beaten Mone if she had been 100 percent. She said she saw the same questions on the internet and in the locker room. Willow spoke about how she earned her TBS Title and wants Mone to be 100 percent so she can show her that she can beat her.
Mone told Willow to enjoy the title while she can because Willow knows she can’t beat her. Mone turned to leave, but Statlander grabbed her arm. Mone turned and slapped Willow across the face. Willow was held back by Statlander and Hathaway…
Backstage, Alex Marvez asked Jack Perry, Kazuchika Okada, and Nicholas Jackson whether Perry was reinstated. All three men blew him off. Marvez pleaded with Matthew Jackson, who said Tony Khan agreed to meet with Perry in the ring later in the show…
Highlights aired of Perry’s return at AEW Dynasty… The first two entrances for the Casino Gauntlet match came out. Jay White came out with Austin and Colten Gunn, and then Dante Martin made his entrance…
[Hour Two] 3. A Casino Gauntlet match for a shot at the AEW International Championship. Jay White and Dante Martin started the match. Schiavone once again said they had no idea who was in the match. Excalibur said the person who got the first pin or submission would win the match, so it benefitted White and Martin to start the match because they could end it before anyone else came out.
The third entrant was Penta El Zero Miedo, who came out with Alex Abrahantes. Penta was in offensive control of both opponents heading into a PIP break. [C]
The fourth entrant was Kyle O’Reilly. He caught White in a heel hook, but White reached the ropes.
The fifth entrant was Will Ospreay. A “holy shit” chant broke out when Ospreay and White ended up in the ring together. White acted chummy with Ospreay and then took a cheap shot at him.
The sixth entrant was Lance Archer, who pointed at Ospreay from the stage and then faced off with him once he was in the ring. Archer ended up tossing Ospreay onto the rest of the wrestlers who were at ringside heading into a PIP break. [C]
The seventh entrant was Komander, who performed a huracanrana that pulled Archer off the apron and through two tables at ringside. In the ring, Komander performed a DDT on Ospreay and covered him, but White broke up the pin. White put Komander down with a uranage slam for a two count. Ospreay hit White with a sit-out powerbomb for a two count.
The eighth entrant was Jay Lethal, who didn’t get much of a reaction when he came out. Schiavone said there were a total of 21 wrestlers who could be in the match. Komander had O’Reilly pinned, but Ospreay hit Komander with a Hidden Blade and then pinned him.
Will Ospreay won a Casino Gauntlet match in 18:45 to earn a shot at the AEW International Championship at AEW Double Or Nothing.
After the match, AEW International Champion Roderick Strong walked out with fellow Undisputed Kingdom members Adam Cole, Wardlow, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett. Strong went face to face with Ospreay and they jawed at one another… [C]
Powell’s POV: A chaotic spot fest. Do I want to see a Strong and Ospreay match? Sure. Do I have any interest in seeing Ospreay go after AEW’s fourth singles championship? Absolutely not.
Chris Jericho made his entrance and is now using “The Learning Tree” as his 8,000th nickname. Jericho played to the crowd, then addressed Hook. Jericho claimed that Hook forced him to hit him over the head with the baseball bat. Jericho spoke about the Jericho Vortex and how so many people came out of it as bigger stars.
Big Bill made his entrance with a mic in hand. Bill said he’d been listening in the back and only had one thing to say. “I need the guidance of The Learning Tree,” Bill said. Bill referred to Jericho as the Socrates of pro wrestling. Bill said Jericho was always willing to take a less established guy and bring him right to the top.
Jericho said he’s watched Bill for a long time and took credit for being one of the reasons that Bill is in AEW. Jericho said he would keep an eye on Bill and give it a lot of consideration. Bill told him to do that and then left the ring. Jericho played to the fans again. He showed off the FTW Title belt, which now has a “Learning Tree” logo on it…
Powell’s POV: Meh. I guess Bill didn’t ask Starks what it’s like to sit under Jericho’s learning tree. At least Jericho is playing an insincere character as opposed to still trying to get the fans to cheer him.
Backstage, Renee Paquette interviewed Will Ospreay, Don Callis, and Kyle Fletcher. Callis congratulated Ospreay and praised him. Callis questioned why Ospreay didn’t use the Tiger Driver 91. Ospreay said it’s a dangerous move that has to go. Fletcher tried to speak up on behalf of Ospreay, but Callis cut him off and said Fletcher shouldn’t be talking about winning matches. Callis said Ospreay would give Roderick Strong another broken neck and win his title…
Entrances for the main event took place with Jon Moxley coming through the crowd. Powerhouse Hobbs came out with Don Callis to a tame reaction…
Powell’s POV: Hobbs should mean so much more than he does. What a shame.
4. Jon Moxley vs. Powerhouse Hobbs for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Don Callis sat in on commentary because being at the broadcast table rather than at ringside has worked out so well for the family members not named Ospreay. Moxley suplexed Hobbs, who popped right out and hit Moxley with a suplex of his own. They cut to a PIP break while the broadcast team was talking. [C]
Moxley sent Hobbs to the floor. Hobbs held his knee before he got up and then Moxley hit him with a suicide dive. Hobbs stayed down and held his knee while the referee checked on him. The referee spoke to Moxley, who then pushed Hobbs back inside the ring.
Hobbs hopped on one leg when Moxley pushed him back in to the corner. Moxley stood on the middle rope and threw a series of punches at Hobbs. Moxley put Hobbs down with a Paradigm Shift for a near fall. Moxley put Hobbs in a Bulldog Choke and referee Paul Turner called for the bell…
Jon Moxley defeated Powerhouse Hobbs in 9:40 to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
After the match, Konosuke Takeshita walked onto the stage, looked at Moxley, and motioned for the belt. Takeshita headed to the back while Moxley played to the crowd…
Powell’s POV: Hobbs was obviously injured and unable to put weight on his injured knee, so they had to call an audible for the finish. Here’s wishing Hobbs the best. Am I the only one hoping that The Elite put Tony Khan through a table so that he can wear a Bobby Heenan style neck brace in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ war room during NFL Draft weekend?
Excalibur announced the following matches for Saturday’s AEW Collision: Jay White, Austin Gunn, and Colten Gunn vs. Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti for the Unified Trios Championship, and AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm vs. Anna Jay.
Excalibur announced the following matches for Saturday’s AEW Rampage: Thunder Rosa vs. Deonna Purrazzo, and Trent Beretta vs. Chuck Taylor in a Parking Lot Fight…
Backstage, Renee Paquette interviewed Katsuyori Shibata, who used his phone to speak for him. Shibata said he wants to face Chris Jericho for the FTW Championship on next week’s Dynamite in Winnipeg. He also noted that the rhinestones on Paquette’s shirt made a heart and said that’s fun…
Jack Perry was introduced and he walked out to no music wearing all black with a “Scapegoat” armband. Perry said he had some of the best nights of his life in Jacksonville. He said he had business to handle and wanted to handle it with Tony Khan.
Tony Khan joined Perry in the ring. Perry said he and Khan have had their ups and downs, but the only thing he’s ever wanted is what’s best for AEW. Perry asked Khan to shake his hand and reinstate him so they could continue to change the world together. Khan shook Perry’s hand and then hugged him.
Perry held up Khan’s arm and then they played to the crowd. Perry hit Khan in the gut. Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Jackson, and Kazuchika Okada ran out and acted like they were there to calm Perry down. The Jacksons had Khan in position for an EVP Trigger, but they helped him up.
Okada pointed up. Matthew grabbed Khan and then Nicholas went up top and they hit him with the Tony Khan Driver (f/k/a Meltzer Driver). Three referees and a trainer ran out to help Khan while The Elite members played to the crowd. Matthew waved and said, “Thank you, Jacksonville, we love you so much.” They all went to the stage and raised their arms while Matthew said it was time to change the world.
Once The Elite went backstage, a group of wrestlers finally ran out to check on Tony Khan. AEW owner and Tony’s father Shad Khan entered the ring to check on his son…
Powell’s POV: Bring on the neck brace for the NFL Draft war room shots! There was no overrun this week, presumably because of the NHL playoff game that was following Dynamite on TBS. Anyway, I can’t believe they didn’t hype the Jack Perry and Tony Khan segment in the days leading up to Dynamite. The angle should generate some buzz and potentially put heat on The Elite with the AEW fans. As always, it’s all about the follow-up.
Overall, this was a chaotic show and a disappointing follow-up to the great Dynasty pay-per-view. It’s the same old story. AEW pay-per-views are good to great, but the weekly television product is subpar. I will return later tonight with 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.
Tony “Mr I don’t want to be a tv character” Khan. All this for a viewership of 700000. Shad Khan was out there thinking this is where all my money is going
Somehow, someway you’re still watching AEW and you find a way to hate on it like that other sicko on here every week. You can make fun of AEW’s declining viewership all you want, but you’re one of the idiots out here actually still supporting it by watching it.
It’s like a train wreck. Just can’t look away from it. When you think it can’t get any lower old TK proves me wrong
Id like to see you start your own promotion. Im Sure it wouldnt be a train wreck but more like an absolute tragedy. Keep going douche.
A fucking retarded chimp could do better than Tony Khan if he had a rich dad handing him hundreds of millions of dollars to start a wrestling promotion.
I would but I don’t have a billionaire father to grant me my every whim
If I could spend my dad’s unlimited amount of money to start a wrestling promotion and use it as my play-thing, it would be better than Dixie Khan’s play-thing. It certainly couldn’t be any worse.
(See, I said all that without calling anybody nasty names)
You and “greatest” and the other idiots who sit here and watch a show (IF you even watch it, because I”m sure some just come here and post negative comments because they are that laughably pathetic) that you hate. Sad. I do find your type very humorous because your nothing-lives cause you to only enjoy being pricks, but it’s also so, so sad. FUNNY as hell, but sad.
683k donkey fucker.
How’s the view under Tony Khan’s new nutsack?
Wad up weirdo, you still obsessed with AEW?
I’m convinced it’s a bunch of WWE nutriders who have hated on AEW day one. AEW can’t do anything right in their eyes. This was a good episode of Dynamite and of course they’re going to find a way to shit on it. They didn’t have a problem with the Khan & Elite segment back when Austin was doing that to Vince over 25 years ago.
Calling someone else a nutrider is hilarious from you. Tiny Con could literally shit in your mouth and you’d call it a 4 star chocolate sundae.
BTW, on this site the AEW shows almost always get an A or B, but last night has 28% F and 25% D as the top two vote receiving options. It was as bad as your moronic Tiny Con pipe smoking.
I kinda liked the closing angle (didn’t watch the rest of the show because of other sports tonight) but why did the presentation (stage set up, weird seating, poor audio) look so incredibly bush-league. Looked far more like TNA or that weird Ohio wresting they show on random Pluto channels than the #2 company in the country. They need to ramp that up yesterday
How long before you’re annoyed by Mone’s entrance music/shitty piped in chant, Powell-a-Mino? That makes Ziggler’s music sound like Buffalo Springfield.
Wow, you can really feel the love in here tonight. Mone’s entrance theme blows, but it’s actually better than the one she had in NJPW. Well, maybe not better, but equally shitty. Maybe I’ll hate it as much as Dolph’s theme if I have to listen to it for 15-20 years.
I consider myself fortunate to have never heard the one from NJPW. Your body will be in worse shape than your boy Buxton’s after the hit list tomorrow lol. Enjoy the draft, Powell-a-Mino! Mahomes went 10th, hopefully you guys can land a star at 11th.
They won’t be staying at 11 if they have their way. Sounds like they are willing to give up a lot to get as high as third. We’ll see if they can find a dance partner.
Next week Tony will come out power walking to the ring while his new theme song no chance in heck plays
You can only have TK get roughed up the first time once, better make it worth it. And you need to bwe sure it looks good. Why do the weird flip for a tombstone? Timing was off. Can’t take those chances in a big angle.
They shouldve saved this for another talent, one with bigger upside.
TK’s getting desperate for ratings.
I agree with Mercedes music.I’ve been a fan of hers for the most part,but the way she’s being used so far isn’t good and yes the music is terrible..
Punk got fired because Tony “feared for his life.” There’s no storyline way to make the beatdown at the end work unless The Elite and Jackoff are fired from the company.
I agree with you on the Swerve follow up. Celebrating wins/championships is something WWE has always done well.
Especially for the top belt in AEW, Swerve should have had an in ring talking segment, not a mid show match, looking like any other wrestler in a company with too many belts.
If you were watching the show for the first time, you’d have thought Jericho was the top guy.
I hope the Bucks and Perry can continue to develop this neo-NWO gimmick. Hopefully this is Khan writing writing himself off of television.
Time for Jack Tunney.
I don’t know if they will get the heel heat they think from this angle. I think at this point even hardcore AEW fans have to know the biggest issue with AEW week to week is Tony Kahn.
If the bad guys just took him out and he isn’t there to underuse his huge expensive signings, that’s not exactly a bad thing.
And holy crap it just gets worse with Monè. At this point I hope Willow squashes her.
And why on earth is Osprey going for the international title?
For the love of Pete, this was rough.
It wasn’t that bad, pipe down.
Considering how much time you spend playing Tony’s pipe, that’s an odd choice of words.
First time in awhile I didn’t even bother watching, especially after reading that ending. That’s what they are going with in the main event spot? Khan and the Bucks are pathetic
I don’t think Tony Khan will wear a neck brace in the NFL draft war room – because that amateur doesn’t know how to “sell”. He can of course prove me wrong but I doubt it unless someone smart gets in his ear.
I think a lot of people will cheer Tony Khan getting taken out.
Pretty good episode coming off of a pretty good PPV for Dynamite outside of the bad audio issues. One thing that I do like is in the spring/summertime is when that first hour of Dynamite is in daylight like we had during the pandemic era. AEW should do episodes from minor league ballparks or small college football stadiums for a few weeks during the summer.
I liked the ending with Jack Perry and The Elite laying the SmackDown on Tony Khan’s candy ass. LOL! It was nice to see Shad Khan appear too. I do wonder if we could get Shad in a promo next week updating us on his son’s status and how Jack Perry and will be disciplined for their actions. Jack Perry coming back was good for AEW, definitely something different for them.
I’m glad Swerve is champ, as I’m excited to see if his title run can live up to Joe’s run.
I hope Hobbs is okay as well with his knee.
I’m liking Chris Jericho being with Big Bill and putting him in his Learning Tree. My biggest qualm with AEW is that they don’t book big guys right. Big Bill deserves to be this era’s Kevin Nash.
Is Toni Storm, Mariah May, and Mina Shirakawa babyfaces or tweeners now? Anna Jay to my surprise is also still a heel since I thought she turned face earlier this year. Anna Jay has improved a lot in the ring, and that’s good to see, she’s working hard. That’s a good sign because she’s one of their promising young wrestlers to go with Julia Hart, Skye Blue, and Billie Starkz. Since she is a heel, I’d put Anna Jay with Heel Kris Statlander & Stokely Hathaway.
This is why the women’s division needs a tag team division and titles because you could have Skye Blue & Julia Hart being the first tag team champs, and having Statlander & Anna Jay teaming together, and Mariah May teaming with Mina Shirakawa.
Serena Deeb and Toni Storm will bang at Double or Nothing.
Mercedes Mone revenge storyline is being booked better than HHH’s Liv Morgan storyline unless Liv uses Dom to join Judgment Day. I like the blame game Mercedes Mone plays on Willow. I really think Statlander is the one who attacked them and she’s going to turn heel with Stokely.
This is Tony’s burner account isn’t it? Or else a bot. Calling for more titles in AEW when they already have around 50 meaningless titles now? The AEW women’s division sucks. Tony made people not care about Paige or Sasha. That’s saying something
Is this HHH’s burner account? Brian the guy who hates hearing anything positive about AEW, but watches AEW every week like the weirdo he is.
This kinda bummed me out tonight. It’s fun to make and read snarky comments about pretend fighting we watch on TV. Not so fun to read grown, supposedly adult men go at each other like teenage girls fighting over who goes with who to the winter formal.
RIP,
Jack Tunney.