By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 259)
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania at Mohegan Sun Arena
Aired live September 18, 2024 on TBS
[Hour One] Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Marina Shafir were shown walking through the backstage area. A separate shot aired of Darby Allin walking backstage… The broadcast team was Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone. Ring announcer Arkady Aura was the ring announcer. Excalibur sent best wishes to Justin Roberts without offering any details. Entrances for the opening match took place…
1. Orange Cassidy (w/Mark Briscoe, Kyle O’Reilly) vs. Chris Jericho (w/Big Bill, Bryan Keith). All six men fought after the bell rang. Briscoe and O’Reilly took Bill and Keith to ringside and brawled while Cassidy and Jericho fought inside the ring. O’Reilly performed a dive onto Bill and Keith. Briscoe entered the ring and ducked a Jericho punch before performing his own dive.
Jericho teased a dive, but then stopped in the middle of the ring and waved while smiling as he looked at the hard camera. Cassidy dropped Jericho with an Orange Punch and covered him for a near fall.
Jericho came back and put Cassidy in the Walls of Jericho. Cassidy countered into an inside cradle for a two count. Jericho powered up Cassidy and then powerslammed him. Jericho took his time before covering Cassidy for a two count.
Later, Jericho and Cassidy fought to ringside and ended up standing on top of a production crate. Jericho suplexed Cassidy through a table, which drew “holy shit” chants heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Jericho applied the Walls of Jericho around 15:00. Cassidy teased tapping out and then reached the ropes to break the hold. Big Bill hit Cassidy with a big boot from the floor while referee Aubrey Edwards was focused on Jericho, who then covered Cassidy for a two count.
Bill and O’Reilly fought at ringside and presumably to the back (Briscoe and Keith disappeared earlier). Meanwhile, Cassidy hooked Jericho in an inside cradle for a two count. Cassidy went for Beach Break and sold low back pain, which allowed Jericho to pick up another near fall.
Cassidy put Jericho down with a DDT. Cassidy went up top and then hit a diving DDT for another near fall. Cassidy went for an Orange Punch and was hit with a Codebreaker, which gave Jericho another near fall.
Cassidy ducked the Judas Effect and hit Beach Break for another near fall. Keith showed up and jumped on the apron. Briscoe showed up to counter him. Jericho tried to hit Cassidy with a roll of quarters. Cassidy avoided the punch, got the roll of quarters, and used them while hitting the Orange Punch, which led to the three count…
Orange Cassidy beat Chris Jericho in 19:30.
Powell’s POV: I actually would have loved it if Jericho mugging for the hard camera and then taking the Orange Punch would have been the actual finish as opposed to just an early near fall. The actual match was fine, but going with the early finish would have caught viewers by surprise and broken up the monotony of most Dynamite openers going long.
Footage aired from after last week’s Dynamite of Pac and Claudio Castagnoli delivering a backstage promo. Pac looked into the camera and wondered where Wheeler Yuta was. Pac said they have an AEW Trios Title match next week and it’s time for Yuta to come to work.
Castagnoli said he’s not mad, he’s just disappointed in Yuta. Castagnoli said he thought he taught Yuta better. Castagnoli said Yuta is old enough to make his own decisions, but he asked him to do him a favor by showing up next week so they could defend their titles.
Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir showed up. Moxley said he knows it’s a lot for Yuta to handle, but he believes Yuta has the strength inside him to do the right thing. Moxley said it’s Yuta’s choice and he’s free to leave, but he has a personal responsibility to the greater good. Moxley said Yuta has to look in the mirror every morning. Moxley asked what type of man they taught Yuta to be…
Footage aired of a distracted Wheeler Yuta winning a match on Saturday’s AEW Collision…
Backstage, Alex Marvez said he understood Yuta was on the verge of leaving and hoped to get a word with him. Yuta showed up and was asked about the others demanding he show up and defend the AEW Trios Titles. Yuta spoke about being conflicted and mistakenly talked about WrestleDream until Marvez corrected him by saying it’s Grand Slam.
A crew member showed up with one of the AEW Trios Title belts and handed it to Yuta while saying he had left it in the locker room. Yuta said if the others want one more favor, then next week he’ll kick whatever ass he has to…
Roderick Strong joined the broadcast team while Matt Taven and Mike Bennett stood next to him. Hook made his entrance and his opponent was already inside the ring…
2. FTW Champion Hook vs. JD Ink. Hook dominated Ink, who lived up to his name by being covered in tattoos from the neck down. Hook forced Ink to submit to Redrum…
Hook beat JD Ink in 1:00.
Hook headed to the stage. Strong jawed at Hook, who headed backstage without any physicality…
Alex Marvez stood backstage and said the Claudio Castagnoli, Pac, and Wheeler Yuta had issued an open challenge for the AEW Trios Titles for next week’s Grand Slam. Marvez introduced “Private Party” Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen while saying it sounded right up their alley. Kassidy said that if Moxley wants a war, he should let them be their first battle… [C]
Renee Paquette interviewed Christian Cage, who was accompanied by Nick Wayne, Killswitch and Mother Wayne. Christian spoke about Nick having a four-way match on Rampage against Rocky Romero, Lio Rush, and Kip Sabian.
Christian said the match would start Nick’s road to glory because he decided that he and Nick will hold championships at the same time. Christian said it would not go over well in the Moxley household because Moxley also wants the AEW World Championship, but he doesn’t have the contract for a shot at the championship.
Christian noticed that Nick wandered off the interview set and saw that he’d confronted Kip Sabian. Christian called for the camera to be turned off. Christian said he didn’t know what Sabian’s problem with Nick was and he didn’t care that his father died. Christian said he would put Sabian in the ground next to his father if he pulled this again…
3. AEW Women’s Champion Mariah May and Serena Deeb vs. Yuka Sakazaki and Queen Aminata. All four entrances were televised. May was going to start the match, but Deeb tagged herself in. May stood at ringside and posed with her title for a moment.
May tagged in and dropkicked Aminata. May knocked Sakazaki off the apron with a forearm shot heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C] Sakazaki suplexed May onto Deeb and then covered Deeb for a two count.
A short time later, Sakazaki performed a hammerlock slam on Deeb, who ended up at ringside. Sakazaki went up top and dove onto May, Deeb, and her own partner on the floor. Sakazaki tossed Deeb back inside the ring and then hit her with a springboard splash. Sakazaki was on the verge of winning when May hit her with the AEW Women’s Title belt for the disqualification.
Yuka Sakazaki and Queen Aminata defeated AEW Women’s Champion Mariah May and Serena Deeb by DQ in 8:35.
After the match, May worked over Sakazaki with belt shots and then gave her a kiss on the cheek before exiting the ring…
A subtitled video package aired with Mina Shirakawa speaking in English about Mariah May saying she wanted her to return. Shirakawa told her to get ready because “Mina is coming”…
Excalibur hyped Jon Moxley appearing after the break… [C]
Powell’s POV: My guess they are setting up May vs. Sakazaki, presumably in a television match given that it seems like Shirakawa will be the pay-per-view challenger. The first hour of the show has been pretty uneventful. Are they phoning it in this week while running against the Survivor and Golden Bachelorette premieres or is the show just off to a forgettable start?
The broadcast team spoke at their desk on the stage. Excalibur hyped the trios match as the show’s main event and then spoke about next week’s Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness match for next week’s Grand Slam show. Excalibur and the match graphic emphasized that the match will only take place if Danielson is cleared…
The first line from the video package they threw to could be heard while the broadcast team was speaking. They tried to play the video package and had technical difficulties. They were able to play the video package that focused on the history between Danielson and McGuinness and had comments from McGuinness, Mark Briscoe, Roderick Strong, and Jerry Lynn…
Jon Moxley made his entrance through the crowd with Marina Shafir and Claudio Castagnoli. Once they got near the barricade, Private Party attacked them. Castagnoli worked over Marq Quen, and Moxley roughed up Isiah Kassidy. Shafir joined in on the Kassidy beatdown.
[Hour Two] Komander showed up in the ring and dropkicked Castagnoli off the apron. Komander went for a suicide dive and was hit with an uppercut by Castagnoli. Alex Abrahantes showed up and had the mic taken from him by Shafir.
Moxley pulled a toolbox out from underneath the ring and grabbed a hammer. Moxley said he could end the careers of Private Party for what they did, but he wasn’t going to do that.
Moxley said Private Party was with the company for five years and are still in the spots they were in at the beginning. He said he was going to give them something to overcome and added that they should consider it a gift. Moxley slammed the hammer over the wrist of Kassidy, who was held by Castagnoli and Shafir.
Darby Allin ran out and hit Castagnoli from behind with a skateboard. Moxley rolled Allin inside the ring and they jawed at one another while Excalibur hyped their match for Grand Slam. Shafir was shown holding Castagoli back at ringside. Allin swung the skateboard at Moxley, who ducked and exited the ring.
Allin got a mic and said he’s not the same guy he was five years ago. Allin said he would run through Moxley and would then become the next AEW World Champion in his home state at the WrestleDream pay-per-view…
Powell’s POV: Moxley wasn’t lying about Private Party being in the same spot they were five years ago when AEW launched. Unfortunately, Moxley and his crew will have plenty of targets if they choose to go after all the wrestlers who fit that description.
A Jack Perry video package aired…
4. Ricochet vs. The Beast Mortos. Both entrances were televised. Mortos caught Ricochet going for a dive from the ring to the floor. Mortos powerbombed Ricochet on the apron heading into a PIP break. [C]
Mortos set up for a powerbomb on the floor, but Ricochet countered into a sunset bomb. Ricochet rolled Mortos back inside the ring and then hit him with a springboard 450 splash for a near fall.
Ricochet and Mortos ended up on the ropes. Mortos pressed Ricochet over head and tossed him into the ring before covering him for a near fall. The crowd responded with a brief “AEW” chant.
Mortos put Ricochet on his back, but Ricochet countered into a crucifix bomb. Ricochet stomped the hand of Mortos and then hit his Vertigo finisher for the win…
Ricochet defeated The Beast Mortos in 11:15.
Powell’s POV: The AEW chant was appropriate in that this was an AEW match junkie special. The match was well worked, but the outcome was predictable and the body of the match felt more competitive than it needed to be.
A Hangman Page video package aired. Excalibur hyped that Page would speak after the break and then hyped the trios main event… [C]
Highlights aired from Collision of the FTR vs. Grizzled Young Veterans match…
Excalibur announced Hook, The Outrunners, and FTR vs. The Beast Mortos, Rush, Roderick Strong, and The Grizzled Young Veterans for Saturday’s Collision…
Tony Schiavone stood in the ring and introduced Hangman Page, who came to the ring for an interview. Page said he knew the day would come when Swerve Strickland was dealt with and would be gone.
Page said there were dozens of other people who need to pay for supporting Swerve and protecting him. Page took issue with the fans cheering for Swerve (finally!). Page recalled hearing those voices while he was home suspended.
Page said he also heard another voice above the fans. Page said it came from the commentary desk and then turned and looked at Schiavone, who showed intimidation while bringing up Jeff Jarrett. Page said Jarrett wasn’t in the ring with him, but Schiavone was.
Jeff Jarrett made his entrance and was attacked by Page once he entered the ring. The fight spilled over to ringside. Page slammed Jarrett’s head on the barricade and then tossed him back inside the ring.
Page set up for a Buckshot Lariat, but a security guard grabbed his leg. Several security guards entered the ring. Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh, and Karen Jarrett came out while Page stood on the stage.
Jeff got a mic and said he’d be damned if he sat backstage and let Page put one finger on Schiavone. Jarrett said there was an entire locker room that wanted to beat the hell out of Page, and Jarrett said he’s at the front of the line.
Jarrett promised that if it’s the last thing he does in his career, somehow he will kick Page’s ass. Jarrett’s music played and he had to be held back by security and his crew while Page headed backstage…
Powell’s POV: It was good to hear Page finally take issue with the fans rooting for Swerve over him. Why is babyface Jarrett still hanging out with his heel male sidekicks?
Will Ospreay interrupted Renee Paquette’s attempt to interview Ricochet. Ospreay said there’s always been heat between them. “My bad,” Ospeay said while offering a handshake. Ricochet passed on the handshake and recalled Ospreay telling him to get some wins and come see him.
Ricochet said it seemed like everyone in AEW was calling him out to prove something. He said everyone in AEW seemed to be more worried about him than he is worried about them. Ricochet said nobody seems to be calling out Ospreay.
Ricochet said he spoke with Tony Khan and got a match. Ricochet said he will challenge Ospreay for the AEW International Championship on the October 2 five-year anniversary edition. Ricochet called Ospreay “little bro” and then walked away… [C]
Powell’s POV: I like that they took the time to advertise Ospreay vs. Ricochet a couple weeks in advance. I’m surprised that it’s a television match, but at least it’s occurring on the anniversary show, which they are labeling “Dynamite 5”.
Will Ospreay made his entrance for the main event. Kyle Fletcher and Konosuke Takeshita made their entrance with Don Callis. Once in the ring Ospreay and Fletcher slapped hands, and then Ospreay sold Takeshita not giving him the time of day. The Young Bucks made their entrance. Matthew Jackson flipped a coin at the bottom of the ramp and then Kazuchika Okada made his entrance…
5. “The Elite” Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson, and Nicholas Jackson vs. Will Ospreay, Kyle Fletcher, and Konosuke Takeshita. Yes, of course Rick Knox was the referee. Don Callis sat in on commentary. Early in the match, Takeshita wanted to tag in to face Okada, but Ospreay did not comply.
Ospreay, Fletcher, and Takeshita performed dives onto The Elite members at ringside before a PIP break. [C] Okada knocked one of his partners off the apron mistakenly and was isolated by his opponents, who hit him with a triple dropkick that led to a near fall.
The Bucks returned and threw double superkicks at all three opponents. Takeshita shrugged his off and put the Bucks down with a double clothesline, but Okada immediately put Takeshita down with a dropkick. Okada performed a neckbreaker on Takeshita and covered him for a two count heading into the final PIP break. [C]
Taz told Callis that The Elite were showing more cohesion than his team. Callis said he couldn’t argue that. The Elite members all flipped off the camera following the usual Rainmaker pose tease.
The Bucks went for a BTE Trigger on Takeshita, who avoided it and then suplexed both men simultaneously. Takeshita made a hot tag to Ospreay.
[Overrun] Okada shoved Matthew out of the way and stuffed Ospreay’s OsCutter attempt. The Bucks hit a double superkick on Ospreay. The Bucks pumped up their shoes moments later and ended up throwing multiple superkicks at Ospreay that led to a near fall.
Fletcher broke up a BTE Trigger attempt on Ospreay. Fletcher and Ospreay hit a double team move on Matthew and had him beat, but the pin was broken up. Fletcher tagged in and was hit by a knee strike by Nicoholas.
Fletcher dropped Nicholas with a superkick while Ospreay held up Matthew. Fletcher jumped from the ropes and hit Matthew with a cutter. Takeshita stuffed a Rainmaker attempt and hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Okada. Takeshita dove onto Okada on the floor.
Nicholas hit a facebuster on Fletcher and then did a moonsault off the apron onto Takeshita. Fletcher avoided the TK Driver and then hit a jumping tombstone piledriver on Matthew and had the pin until Nicholas broke it up. Ospreay took out Nicholas with the Hidden Blade. Fletcher and Opreay hit a double team power slam on Matthew and then Fletcher pinned him.
Will Ospreay, Kyle Fletcher, and Konosuke Takeshita defeated “The Elite” Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson, and Nicholas Jackson in 21:05.
After the match, Callis entered the ring while Fletcher and Ospreay were celebrating. Takeshita joined them while the referee was raising their arms. Ospreay shook hands with Callis. Fletcher and Takeshita shook hands. Ospreay offered Takeshita a handshake, but Takeshita pie-faced him instead.
Excalibur hyped the previously advertised match for next week’s AEW Grand Slam to close the show…
Powell’s POV: An action packed main event with the logical outcome of the challengers beating the tag team champions heading into next week’s AEW Tag Team Title match. The tension between Ospreay and Takeshita is enjoyable and I’m definitely looking forward to their next singles match.
Overall, this felt like an episode of Collision with more star power. I use the “fine if you saw it, fine if you missed it” slogan to describe a lot of Collision episodes. I don’t know if I’ve use that slogan for Dynamite, but it certainly applied to this show. Things should pick up for Grand Slam next week and Dynamite 5 in two weeks.
Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons) will hear my weekly same night audio review of Dynamite later tonight. Let me know what you thought of this episode by grading it below in a our weekly post show poll.
“The crowd responded with a brief “AEW” chant.” Crowd. lol. My church has a bigger congregation on Sunday mornings
Well I would hope so.
Moxley walked to the ring, got hit with 5-6 clean forearms to the face, and completely no sold them. What a fucking douche. That pasty little shit loses grappling contests to flabby dudes that work in offices all week and then acts like the world’s biggest badass when it’s fake fighting.
Such a boring episode.
I’m way beyond tired of 100% obvious match outcomes being booked 50/50. Even some of the sickos had to be bored tonight.
I only watch sections of all of the wrestling shows when they are on. I am stuck at home sick with the big C, so I decided to watch Dynamite. I couldn’t get past the first hour and went back to PS5.
Alex Marvez is by far the worst backstage interviewer in all of wrestling. At one point, he made this weird face while the camera stayed on him.
His face represented how I felt about the show and turned it off.
Yeah I saw that face too.Who knows how he got that job because he is no Mean Gene!