By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 257)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin at UW Panther Arena
Aired live September 4, 2024 on TBS
[Hour One] Daniel Garcia made his entrance while Excalibur checked in on commentary with Taz and Tony Schiavone. Ring announcer Justin Roberts tried to introduce Garcia, who interrupted him and called out MJF, saying he wasn’t waiting for All Out and wanted to break his neck in Milwaukee.
MJF was seated in the crowd off the main floor. MJF had a glass of wine and said he didn’t want there to be any excuses made when he paints the canvas in Garcia’s blood and breaks his neck at All Out. MJF said unlike Garcia, he doesn’t attack people from behind like a coward. He said he same sure doesn’t do it while looking like an emaciated skinhead hooked on Ozempic.
Garcia said everyone knows that what MJF said was a lie and that everything about him is a lie. Garcia pointed to MJF’s tan and his trip to Turkey for a hair transplant that didn’t even work. Garcia said the fakest thing about MJF is his love for AEW.
Garcia said MJF could have as many fake tattoos painted on the back of his leg as he wants, people will never believe him. MJF tried to speak, but Garcia cut him off. Garcia said he wants MJF and the people who love him to suffer. Garcia said that if MJF can ever find a woman who will pretend to care about him for more than a year, he wants him to marry her and have a kid.
Garcia said MJF will think about him when he feels a tingle from his neck to his toes when he picks up the “ugly ass baby.” Garcia said the kid will ask if he was a wrestler, and MJF will have to tell the child that he was a wrestler until Garcia ended his career. MJF stood up and applauded Garcia.
MJF took his seat and said, “Did you guys hear that, Danny learned how to speak.” MJF said Garcia has so much to learn and so much maturing to do. MJF said he was trying to do Garcia a solid when he dumped him on his head. MJF said the people used to love him. An MJF chant broke out. MJF said it was too little too late.
MJF said he got too big and the fans turned on him like rats. MJF said Garcia shouldn’t want their love or championship belts because the more he gains, the more the fans will want to see him fall. MJF said Garcia’s friends and family will all turn on him after All Out, but he would make sure they couldn’t hurt Garcia the way they hurt him. An uncensored “shut the f— up” chant broke out.
MJF said he would protect Garcia by putting him in a wheelchair. MJF said the one person Garcia can trust is his mother. MJF said she’s a good woman who will take care of Garcia when he’s laid up in bed. “Lord knows you won’t be the first man lying on their back in her bed that she happily attended to,” MJF said with a smirk.
Garcia left the ring, hopped the barricade, and fought off security. Garcia got to MJF’s section and knocked down two more security guards, but MJF broke a wine bottle over his head. The broadcast team agreed that MJF played Garcia like a fiddle.
Garcia was bleeding from the forehead when MJF sat down next to him and put his arm around him. MJF said every man must go through hell before he gets to paradise. MJF thanked Garcia for awakening something in him. MJF said he would send Garcia straight to paradise on Saturday. MJF said Garcia could thank him later. MJF kissed Garcia’s bloody forehead, then dabbed the blood with his finger and then sucked it off his finger…
Powell’s POV: Garcia showed good intensity and both men delivered their promos well, but all of the talk about broken necks and implied death felt really over the top. On the bright side, they definitely established the blood feud tone heading into their match at All Out.
Backstage, Renee Paquette spoke with Willow Nightingale, Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, and Kyle O’Reilly. She noted that Will Ospreay would join The Conglomeration in a trios match in the show’s main event. Ospreay joined the interview and asked if Briscoe had any words of wisdom for him. Briscoe went into his usual fun mode while recapping how he agreed to team with Ospreay and then got fired up about their match…
Kazuchika Okada made his entrance while being introduced by Justin Roberts. The broadcast team announced a Continental Contenders Challenge for Friday’s AEW Collision. Kyle Fletcher made his entrance with Don Callis…
1. Kazuchika Okada vs. Kyle Fletcher for the AEW Continental Championship. Don Callis sat in on commentary. Fletcher knocked Okada off the apron and then hit him with a suicide dive heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C] Fletcher had his right bicep wrapped and sold it at times.
Okada put Fletcher down and hit him with a top rope elbow drop. Okada played to the crowd and did his usual Rainmaker tease before flipping off the crowd. Okada went for the Rainmaker, but Fletcher stuffed it and hit a Michinoku Driver for a near fall.
Fletcher and Okada ended up at ringside. Okada kicked Fletcher and dropped him with a DDT. Okada set up Fletcher for a move on the apron that was avoided. Fletcher superkicked Okada and then hit a good looking brainbuster on the apron. Both men stayed down head into another PIP break. [C]
Fletcher performed a brainbuster on the ringside barricade, which sent Okada to the other side. Fletcher performed a running flip dive over the barricade onto Okada, then ran up the steps and posed with the fans. Back in the ring, Fletcher used his bad arm while performing a top rope elbow drop.
Fletcher set up Okada for a tombstone, but Okada countered out of it and hit a big clothesline. A “one more time” chant broke out. Okada hit another clothesline, but Fletcher ducked a Rainmaker attempt. Fletcher stuffed a second Rainmaker attempted and then suplexed Okada. Fletcher hit a leaping tombstone piledriver for a near fall.
Roberts announced that there was one minute remaining in the time limit. Fletcher went up top, but Okada ducked behind referee Rick Knox. Fletcher dropped from the ropes. Okada shoved the referee out of the way and then teased whipping Fletcher toward Knox, who covered his head and missed Okada kicking Fletcher in the balls. Okada hit the Rainmaker clothesline and got the three count.
Kazuchika Okada defeated Kyle Fletcher in 19:25 to retain the AEW Continental Championship.
After the match, Konosuke Takeshita came out to check on Fletcher and then jawed at Okada, who headed up the ramp…
Excalibur announced (during and after the match) Orange Cassidy vs. Bryan Keith, Mark Briscoe vs. Lance Archer, and Konosuke Takeshita vs. The Beast Mortos in the Continental Contenders match for Friday’s show. The winners will challenge Okada in a four-way for the Continental Championship at All Out…
Powell’s POV: A good match. One critique is that Fletcher’s selling of his arm was inconsistent. He would wince and hold the bad arm at his side during down moments, but then he’d throw punches and use the bad arm without issue while powering up Okada just seconds later. As much as I gripe about finishes that make Knox looking like a moron, this one wasn’t even in the top 100. And as much as I gripe about most brainbusters looking like suplexes, Fletcher’s brainbusters looked good.
The broadcast team mentioned that Swerve Strickland signed a new contract with AEW…
Footage aired of Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana standing outside Swerve’s childhood home. Photos from Swerve’s childhood were shown. Swerve said the home was foreclosed on during his childhood. He mentioned his new contract and announced that he purchased the home. Swerve called Nana his manager and best friend before hugging him and then they headed inside the house… [C]
Powell’s POV: I was hoping that Hangman Page bought the house before Swerve could, which would lead to Swerve agreeing to put his PGA career on the line in a golf match for ownership of grandma’s, er, Swerve’s house.
Jamie Hayter made her entrance while her opponent was already inside the ring…
2. Jamie Hayter vs. Robyn Renegade. Saraya and Harley Cameron were shown watching the match on a backstage monitor. Hayter dominated the match and got the three count after hitting her ripcord lariat finisher…
Jamie Hayter beat Robyn Renegade in 2:25.
Powell’s POV: A showcase win for Hayter. They can’t get her back in the championship mix soon enough for this viewer.
Highlights aired from last week’s Dynamite of Hook forcing Roderick Strong to tap to Redrum while the referee missed that Strong’s foot was under the bottom rope…
Backstage, Renee Paquette stood by while Roderick Strong complained to Christopher Daniels about the finish of the match. Hook showed up and agreed with Strong’s assessment of the finish. Hook offered Strong a rematch on Dynamite. Strong said he wouldn’t do it in Milwaukee and would let Hook know when the match would take place…
Powell’s POV: As the champion, Hook could have told Strong to take the match on his terms or piss off, but it never seems to work that way in pro wrestling.
Backstage, Marina Shifir beat up some random people while Jon Moxley walked behind her. Moxley and Shafir approached Jack Perry and The Young Bucks. Moxley said he didn’t care what they say, Perry is a sweet kid. Moxley and Shafir walked away while Excalibur said Moxley would speak after the break… [C]
Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir made their entrance through the crowd. Once in the ring, Moxley looked around and said he wondered if Darby Allin was somewhere out there in Milwaukee. Moxley said he didn’t think so.
Moxley recalled facing Allin when Allin was living in his car. He said he beat the piss out of Allin, who was all smiles. Moxley said he knew then that Allin would be special and he still feels he is special. Moxley said he just wanted to talk to Allin. Moxley dropped the mic and then he and Shafir left the ring, hopped the barricade, and exited through the crowd…
Powell’s POV: I hope there’s more to come tonight. That was a forgettable follow-up to Moxley’s interesting return on last week’s show.
Paquette interviewed Chris Jericho, Big Bill, and Bryan Keith in the backstage area. Jericho was still upset with Orange Cassidy ruining his jacket. Footage aired from four years ago of Cassidy flipping a switch that led to orange juice falling on Jericho and his cronies, which ruined the jacket. Jericho claimed the jacket cost $7,000 and said Keith would freshly squeeze it out of his hide on Friday.
Orange Cassidy entered the picture and told Keith to tell Jericho that if Keith beats him on Friday, he’ll give him $7,000 in cash. Cassidy walked away. Keith barked about disrespect and said he would make sure that Cassidy pays the price on Collision…
AEW Women’s Champion Mariah May made her entrance.
[Hour Two] Nyla Rose made her entrance while Schiavone noted that she had more wins than any other wrestler in the women’s division…
3. Mariah May vs. Nyla Rose for the AEW Women’s Championship. May slapped Rose, who grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against the ropes. May slapped her again. May avoided a charging Rose and slapped her a third time, then slapped her several more times. Rose no-sold the slaps and then hoisted up May, who slipped away.
May took control and hit a missile dropkick that led to just a one count heading into a PIP break. [C] There was a clunky double headbutt spot that left both women down for a moment. Rose kissed May and then ran the ropes. May followed and hit her. Rose performed a German suplex.
Rose set up for a Beast Bomb, but May avoided and then dove at Rose from the middle rope. Rose caught May, rolled through, and powerslammed her. May rolled to the floor. Referee Aubrey Edwards rolled to the floor to check on May. Rose stood on the ring steps. May charged Rose and swept her legs.
May booted Rose off the ring steps and then returned to the ring and ordered Edwards to count. Rose returned at the referee’s nine count. May drilled Rose with a knee strike and then hit Storm Zero for the win…
Mariah May defeated Nyla Rose in 10:30 to retain the AEW Women’s Championship.
Powell’s POV: There was no real mystery regarding the outcome, but it’s good to see May defend her title consistently on television.
A Deonna Purrazzo video package aired. Purrazzo sat a table and was surrounded by candles. She spoke about how every great artist goes through phases. She said the Texas Bull Rope match was meant to be her Magnum Opus, but it was not. Purrazzo took a sip of wine and slammed the glass down. Purrazzo said she’s not finished making art…
Excalibur announced Hikaru Shida vs. Deonna Purrazzo for Friday’s AEW Collision, then hyped Mercedes Mone vs. Hikaru Shida for the TBS Title for Saturday’s All Out pay-per-view… [C]
Powell’s POV: A generic video package referencing a Texas Bull Rope match that took place three weeks ago on Collision and did nothing to set up Saturday’s match with Shida. Strange.
TBS Champion Mercedes Mone and Kamille made their entrance. Once in the ring, Mone mentioned that she successfully defended the New Japan Strong Women’s Championship on Friday. She questioned how Hikaru Shida could refer to herself as the ace when she’s not the face. Mone said she’s the face of TBS and the whole damn company.
Hikaru Shida appeared on the big screen and said she’s one Katana away from becoming the TBS Champion. Shida showed off her t-shirt and said you can’t beat the ace. Christopher Daniels joined Shida. Daniels said Kamille is a hell of a competitor, but she’s a nuisance at ringside. Daniels banned Kamille from ringside at All Out. “Sayonara, bitch,” Shida closed…
Powell’s POV: Okada must be proud? The TBS Title match looks good on paper, but noting about this segment increased my level of interest in seeing it at All Out.
Backstage, “The Young Bucks” Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson called for the cameraman come close because Jack Perry had something to say. Perry turned around and recalled being in the ring the first time that Bryan Danielson stepped foot in an AEW ring. Perry said he promised himself that someday he would step foot in the ring with Danielson.
Perry recalled being at home and finding out that Danielson’s career was coming to an end. Perry said he thought he wouldn’t get his chance, but he didn’t give up. Perry said he went to Japan and started over. Perry said he sold his own t-shirts and did everything he had to do to get back to AEW and he did it by himself.
Perry said Danielson could have helped him, but he only cares about his fairytale ending. Perry said it won’t be a happy ending. Matthew said that he and Nicholas will do anything to make sure the AEW World Championship comes back to The Elite…
AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson made his entrance. Excalibur said Danielson would be sitting in on commentary for the show’s main event trios match… [C]
Powell’s POV: They really should have emphasized that the trivial trios match isn’t the only thing left on the show.
Orange Cassidy and Kyle O’Reilly made their entrance while Excalibur and Danielson spoke about the word of the day being stupendous (Vince McMahon is giggling – see the WrestleMania 39 build). Will Ospreay made his entrance. Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta came out together, and then Pac made his entrance…
4. AEW Trios Champions Pac, Wheeler Yuta, and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Will Ospreay, Kyle O’Reilly, and Orange Cassidy in a non-title match. A graphic listed the contract signing segment for later in the show. Pac and Ospreay had an early exchange that Ospreay got the better of heading into a PIP break. [C]
Cassidy jumped from the ropes and went for a DDT, but Pac caught him and then suplexed him. Pac applied the Brutalizer. Ospreay ran in and was then cleared from the ring by Castagnoli and Yuta. Cassidy went for a tag, but both of his partners were down on the floor. Castagnoli tossed Yuta onto Cassidy, but O’Reilly broke up the pin.
Schiavone hyped Collision, Rampage, and the All Out countdown special for Friday (good lord). Cassidy made the hot tag to Ospreay, who worked over Yuta and Castagnoli. Pac and Ospreay went face to face. Ospreay and O’Reilly teamed up on Pac heading into another PIP break. [C]
Schiavone did his weekly bit about the possibility of the show running long (spoiler alert, it always does). Ospreay set up for a Hidden Blade on Yuta on the stage. Pac jumped on Ospreay, who fought him off and sent him off the ramp. Ospreay performed a flip dive onto Pac.
In the ring, Cassidy jumped from the middle rope and put Cassidy down with a DDT. Moments later, Cassidy hit Beach Break on Castagnoli for a near fall. O’Reilly threw kicks at a kneeling Castagnoli while Cassidy threw light and eventually hard kicks.
Cassidy set up for an Orange Punch, but Yuta cut him off. O’Reilly put Castagnoli in a guillotine. Cassidy powered out of the hold and hit a popup uppercut. Castagnoli performed the Giant Swing on O’Reilly and then Yuta capped it off with a dropkick. Castagnoli covered O’Reilly and scored the pin.
AEW Trios Champions Pac, Wheeler Yuta, and Claudio Castagnoli defeated Will Ospreay, Kyle O’Reilly, and Orange Cassidy in 19:00 a non-title match.
After the match, Bryan Danielson joined Castagnoli and Yuta in the ring (Pac and Ospreay disappeared after the stage spot). “The Elite” Jack Perry, Kazuchuka Okada, Matthew Jackson, and Nicholas Jackson attacked Danielson and his crew.
The Jacksons held Danielson while Perry prepared to hit him with a chair. Castagnoli tackled Perry. Castagnoli and Yuta cleared the ring of all opponents other than Perry. Danielson set up to stomp Perry’s head, but the Jacksons pulled Perry to safety.
Castagnoli got a mic and said “you kids just made the biggest mistake of your entire life.” Castagnoli said he and Yuta have nothing to do at All Out so far, then challenged the Young Bucks to an AEW Tag Team Title match. Danielson took the mic and was censored while he guaranteed that he would kick Perry’s f’n head in.
Cameras cut backstage where Pac and Ospreay were fighting. Pac gave Ospreay a brainbuster (that looked just like a suplex) on a production crate. Pac jawed at Ospreay while Christopher Daniels barked at him to leave…
Powell’s POV: The action was solid, but none of this made me more excited about All Out.
Excalibur made the AEW Tag Team Title match official and then announced Bryan Danielson, Pac, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta vs. “The Elite” Jack Perry, Kazuchuka Okada, Matthew Jackson, and Nicholas Jackson in an all-star eight-man tag match on Friday’s AEW Collision…
Tony Schiavone stood in the ring with the contract signing set. Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana made their entrance.
[Overrun] Hangman Page’s entrance music played, but he didn’t come out. Schiavone apologized and tried again, but Page didn’t come out. Page appeared on the big screen in front of Swerve’s childhood home and then went inside.
Page said he could see Swerve’s mother and father. Page assumed that Swerve’s father didn’t love him very much. Page said what a wonderful world it would have been had Swerve never been born. Page had a can of gasoline and poured it on one of the walls inside the home.
Page recalled Swerve saying he watched him take his pregnant wife to the hospital and saying that he needed to choose between hate and success, as well as vengeance and peace. Page poured gasoline on the front porch of the home. Page said he told Swerve that he told him there was nothing more he wanted out of this life than to burn Swerve’s world to the ground.
Swerve was shown looking pained in the ring. Page sat down on a chair outside the home and said he would take what’s left of Swerve at All out by taking his pride. Page said Swerve will be on his knees begging for his forgiveness, but he won’t give it to him.
Page said it was time to say goodbye to the AEW World Championship and any idea he may have of holding it again. Page said Swerve would say goodbye to his career, his joy, and his happiness on Saturday. Page said he would get some practice tonight.
Page lit a match and then tossed it on the ground, which led to Swerve’s home going up in flames. Swerve sold agony in the ring while Page remained in his chair and took a drink from a glass while the house burned (way too close to him initially) behind him to close the show…
Powell’s POV: Fire! Fire! Fire! The feud started with breaking and entering followed by the harassment of an infant child and has now escalated to arson. Wow. As over the top as this storyline has become, the history between Swerve and Page is the only hook for All Out beyond the usual good wrestling for this viewer.
Overall, there was more bad than good when it came to delivering go-home hype for All Out. I will have a lot more to say about Dynamite in my weekly same night audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
Join me for my live review of AEW All Out on Saturday night.
I am hoping Okada ends up in a feud with Takeshita. That would be a excellent program and match
God this show sucks
Plumber Moxley is horrible
Khan may as well flushed millions down the toilet with what he’s paid Ocody and Mercedes Moan
I’m bored too, but can you at least try to share a thought that Jim Cornette didn’t express first?
I just appreciate the greatness of the legend that is Jim Cornette and the fact he tells the truth about this shit show. Licking blood and arson on the same show. Horrible
Speaking of hot new signings … where is Ricochet?
He was squatting in Swerve Strickland’s childhood home?
That made me LOL
Long opening talking segment … burning a house down. Welcome to the attitude Era of Dynamite
How does it take everyone 15-20 minutes to beat Kyle Fletcher, a guy who has literally NEVER won a singles match on Dynamite?
Why is a flabby, pale douchebag who loses grappling contests to nondescript accountants treated like the biggest badass in the world by AEW?
Kudos to Tiny Con and company for proving me right that this was a stay home show (2400 in a 12700 capacity building) more than a go home show.
Oof, 2 rough eps in a row.
Okada’s punches on Claudio were flat out embarrassing. I encourage everyone to go back and watch that.
Aew has a massive payroll and can’t get 3k people to attend live TV.
I’m guessing that was a screen behind Hangman? It looked beyond fake.
Making 1996 movie references, Powell-a-mino? You’re still 4 years ahead of the film that inspired Moxley’s new character.
I don’t apologize for dated references to a classic, especially when a sequel is finally happening.
I had no idea, that’s awesome! I watched the first one at the theatre at age 15, I’ll be there for this one too. I bet we’ll see a nice tribute to Mr Chubbs Peterson.
Yeah, but it’s a Netflix sequel so I’m very skeptical.
Oh, FFS! What is with this company and tasting, drinking and licking blood? Can AEW produce one show where this doesn’t happen?
It’s not edgy, it’s disgusting. And, like all of the other bloodletting in AEW, overdone and meaningless.
Is there not a mature producer in this entire company?
I want AEW to succeed. Does AEW?
I’ll raise a Steve-weiser to these words!
They’ve overdone drinking blood to the point it has little to no impact now.