By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 268)
Reading, Pennsylvania at Santander Arena
Aired live November 20, 2024 on TBS
[Hour One] Dynamite opened with a portion of the Guns N’ Roses’ “November Rain” video that originally aired on AEW Collision…
Excalibur checked in on commentary with Tony Schiavone and Matt Menard. Excalibur ran through the Full Gear lineup. Ring announcer Justin Roberts was in the ring and handled the introductions for the eight-man tag match…
1. Will Ospreay, Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricochet, and Mark Davis vs. Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, Lance Archer, and Brian Cage in an all-star eight-man tag match. The heels came out second and were confronted by the babyface team, which led to a brawl at ringside. The match started once Takeshita and Davis were in the ring.
Ospreay went to the ropes and was cut off by Fletcher, who sent him to ringside. Hobbs confronted Fletcher, but Archer pulled Hobbs to ringside and put his leg behind the ring steps. Cage ran Ospreay into the steps. A trainer checked on Hobbs’ worked injury and helped him to the back.
Archer chokeslammed Ricochet from the ring onto Fletcher and Davis at ringside heading into the first picture-in-picture commercial break. [C]
Davis held up Takeshita and then Ospreay hit a cutter on Takeshita, which led to a near fall. Cage and Archer launched Ospreay to Takeshita, who hit him with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a good near fall.
Hobbs limped back to ringside and took a hot tag from Ospreay. Hobbs initially sold the knee while working over the heels. But then he ran without a limp while hitting all four opponents in the four corners of the ring.
Davis and Takeshita tagged in. Davis put Takeshita down with a piledriver and had him beat, but Fletcher broke up the pin. Fletcher pie-faced his former tag team partner and then slapped him. Davis tackled Fletcher and threw punches at him.
They went to a series of rapid fire spots that left everyone other than Ospreay and Fletcher down. After some back and forth moves, Ospreay hit a standing Spanish Fly. Ospreay tried to follow up with a Hidden Blade, but Fletcher avoided it and Ospreay hit Davis. Takeshita hit Davis with a knee strike and then pinned him…
Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, Lance Archer, and Brian Cage defeated Will Ospreay, Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricochet, and Mark Davis in 14:30.
Powell’s POV: I’m not a big fan of most of the all-star tag matches, but this was an exception. It was interesting that Fletcher and Davis got physical with one another, but then Ospreay took out Davis accidentally. I continue to suspect that Davis will end up with the Callis Family.
Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Marina Shafir, and Wheeler Yuta were shown at an undisclosed location. Moxley spoke while putting his hands on the shoulder of Yuta, who was seated in front of him.
Moxley said Orange Cassidy is a threat to his people and he will destroy him at Full Gear. Castagnoli yelled about Darby Allin and then calmly said he would end him…
Darby Allin was shown in another part of the building holding his skate board. Allin said Castagnoli put the chair around the neck of Bryan Danielson and pulled the trigger on his career. Allin said every one of the Death Riders will have their day, and today is Claudio’s day…
Excalibur hyped the Continental Classic tournament starting next Wednesday… [C]
Renee Paquette greeted The Hurt Syndicate as they arrived in a white SUV. MVP announced that Bobby Lashley will be in action tonight. Swerve Strickland showed up and threw a punch that sent Lashley to the ground. Swerve laughed and ran away, and then MVP and Shelton Benjamin helped Lashley get back to his feet…
Adam Cole made his entrance. Cole said he wished he was getting his hands on MJF at Full Gear. Cole said Roderick Strong will face MJF and they have the same goal of giving MJF the ass whooping of a lifetime.
Kyle O’Reilly made his entrance to a flat reaction. Once in the ring, O’Reilly recalled that he and Cole had their second match together 14 years ago in Reading. O’Reilly said he knows Cole better than anyone.
O’Reilly said the crusade with MJF needs to end before someone gets hurt. O’Reilly said Strong wants to end MJF because of Cole and he doesn’t have a good feeling about it.
Cole asked if O’Reilly didn’t think Strong could get the job done. O’Reilly said MJF is likely three steps ahead of them. O’Reilly said Cole needs to accept that MJF is more of an evil bastard than he’ll ever be and that’s a good thing. O’Reilly dropped the mic and left the ring…
Orange Cassidy delivered a backstage promo. He spoke about making an example out of Wheeler Yuta later in the show and beating Jon Moxley alone. Mark Briscoe, Rocky Romero, and Tomohiro Ishii showed up. Briscoe said they would have Cassidy’s back. Cassidy asked them to stay out of it. Cassidy looked into the camera and told Moxley to do what he’s going to do tonight, but on Saturday he’ll need all the help he can get…
2. Kris Statlander vs. Hikaru Shida. Both entrances were televised. Shida had Statlander draped over the apron and hit her with a knee strike from the floor before a PIP break. [C]
Statlander powerslammed Shida coming out of the break. A short time later, Shida hit a Falcon Arrow for a near fall. Statlander stuffed a Katana and performed the Wednesday Night Fever finisher to get the three count.
Kris Statlander beat Hikaru Shida in 9:20.
After the match, Mercedes Mone made her entrance with Kamille, who had her left arm in a sling. Mone mocked the crowd over the 76ers while shouting out her team the Boston Celtics.
Mone stood on the ring steps and boasted that she’s held the TBS Title longer than Statlander did. She said she will never lose the title. The crowd chanted, “Shut the f— up.”
Mone ordered Kamille to get in the ring with Statlander and Shida despite her injury. Kamille took a swing at Statlander, who blocked it. Statlander and Shida cleared Kamille from the ring. Mone entered the ring and went for a Backstabber on Statlander, who blocked it and then hit Mone with a Wednesday Night Fever…
Powell’s POV: There was no mystery regarding the outcome given that Statlander is challenging Mone at Full Gear. It’s too bad. This was a pretty good match that would have been suspenseful under different circumstances. Is it just me or does Mone have go away heat?
Backstage, MVP and Shelton Benjamin had a cameraman follow while they went after Swerve Strickland. They found a man wearing Swerve’s coat and roughed him up… [C]
A video package aired with Jay White and Hangman Page talking about their match at Full Gear…
Bobby Lashley made his entrance with MVP and Shelton Benjamin while his opponents were already inside the ring…
3. Bobby Lashley (w/MVP, Shelton Benjamin) vs. Joe Keys and Cheeseburger. There were some Cheeseburger chants. The broadcast team labeled him a local favorite. Lashley destroyed both men. Lashley had Cheeseburger pinned, but Keys broke it up.
[Hour Two] Lashley speared Keys. Lashley put Keys in the Hurt Lock and forced him to submit.
Bobby Lashley defeated Joe Keys and Cheeseburger in a handicap match in 2:05.
After the match, Swerve Strickland’s music played. Prince Nana came out with a chair and stood on the stage. Benjamin went after Nana. Swerve crawled out from underneath the ring and then blindsided Lashley. Swerve fought off MVP and Benjamin, and then hit Lashley with a House Call kick. Swerve followed up with a Swerve Stomp (double stomp). Swerve fled the ring and then stood in the crowd for a long distance staredown…
Powell’s POV: Yes, Excalibur called it the Hurt Lock after previously labeling it a Full Nelson. This was a solid handicap squash match. Cheeseburger is more than a local favorite. He was a popular underdog wrestler in ROH for many years. Keys was also in ROH late in the Sinclair Broadcast Group era. The post match angle made Swerve look really strong, which presumably means Lashley is going to beat him at Full Gear.
Renee Paquette spoke with Mariah May and Mina Shirakawa about the champagne celebration they will have at Full Gear. May said that in her division, you hold the title belt or you die. Shirakawa said she is very proud of May and will give her a celebration. May said they will turn Rampage into Glampage “and then…” May and Shirakawa both shooks their breasts…
3. Darby Allin vs. Claudio Castagnoli. Both entrances were televised. Castagnoli got the better of Allin at ringside and knocked him over the barricade. Castagnoli pulled Allin over the barricade into vertical suplex position. Castagnoli held Allin up as he walked up the ring steps and then suplexed him over the ropes and into the ring heading into a PIP break. [C]
Castagnoli dominated the action coming out of the break. Excalibur hyped the Full Gear countdown special airing after Friday’s Rampage. Allin caught Castagnoli in the ring skirting and bit his forehead.
Allin hit two suicide dives. Allin went to the ropes, but Castagnoli crotched him and then performed a gut-wrench suplex from the top rope. Castagnoli covered Allin for a two count. Castagnoli showed frustration over not getting the three count.
Castagnoli grabbed Allin for the giant swing, but Allin countered into a pin for a near fall. Allin followed up with Code Red for another near fall. Castagnoli came back and booted Allin to ringside.
Castagnoli went to ringside and performed the giant swing for a couple of revolutions before swinging Allin into the ring steps. Castagnoli tossed Allin over the broadcast table. Castagnoli placed Allin on the broadcast table and then joined him on it.
Castagnoli pressed Allin over his head and threw him onto a table in the timekeepers area. The referee checked on Allin and then returned to the ring and started to count. Allin crawled back to ringside and beat the count. Castagnoli turned Allin inside out with a clothesline and then pinned him…
Claudio Castagnoli beat Darby Allin in 13:50.
Powell’s POV: The most productive match on the night in that Castagnoli was able to display a real mean streak at the expense of Allin, who takes a beating like no one else. Hopefully they will come up with actual characters for Castagnoli and Pac because they continue to come off like henchmen for Moxley.
Renee Paquette interviewed “Private Party” Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy in the backstage area. She noted that they don’t have to be pinned to lose the titles in the four-way at Full Gear. Quen spoke briefly about defending the titles. The Costco Guys showed up and Big Boom AJ said they have a big announcement coming up next…
Footage aired of MJF pulling up to a building in a sports car. A man shook his cup looking for change. MJF tossed some change and told the man to go get it. MJF cut a promo about Roderick Strong growing up with alcoholic parents. MJF said Strong’s mother shot his father in front of Strong.
MJF said Strong’s upbringing is the reason Strong will do anything for Cole. MJF said Cole is a fraud, but he thinks deep down he actually cares about Strong. MJF said he wants Cole to watch a person he cares about suffer. MJF said he would send Strong back to the trailer park. He said he would beat him so badly that Strong will wish his mother had shot him instead…
Paquette spoke with Big Boom AJ and Big Justice. AJ said something about how it started when he threw the double chunk chocolate cookies. AJ said when he powerbombs QT Marshall through the mat, The Rizzler will ring the bell…
Powell’s POV: Make it stop.
Tony Schiavone stood on the stage and interviewed Roderick Strong, who was accompanied by Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. Strong said he hasn’t slept since last Wednesday because he will finally get his hands on MJF.
Strong said people have talked about his parents his entire life. Strong said he felt like he was in elementary school again. Strong said if you want to break the cycle, you have to earn it. Strong said when things don’t go MJF’s way, he throws a temper tantrum until he gets what he wants.
Strong told MJF to look in the mirror and think about all of the bad things he’s done to people. Strong said MJF will pay for all of his sins at Full Gear. Strong said he would sleep well knowing that he broke MJF’s back and left him humbled…
Powell’s POV: Sheiky Baby would be proud of that last line.
A video package aired on the angle with Daniel Garcia and Matt Menard tying Jack Perry to the front of his bus and driving away…
Menard set up footage of Perry tied to a chair. Garcia threw water on him. Garcia said Perry tried to end Menard’s life. Perry spoke about how everyone has a code until they have to sacrifice. Garcia said Perry has no idea how much he’s had to sacrifice.
Garcia grabbed a tire iron and broke one of the headlights on Perry’s bus. Perry laughed and asked if that was it. Garcia left the room. Menard told Perry that he has a horseshoe up his ass…
Powell’s POV: Anything Bo Dallas can do Daniel Garcia can do better? The next time a wrestler or a creative team member pitches a kidnapping angle, they should be disqualified from submitting creative ideas for six months at the very least.
Renee Paquette hosted a contract signing between Chris Jericho and Tomohiro Ishii for next week’s ROH Championship match. Jericho said he has a legal team that needs to approve of the contract. Paquette said it was sent to his legal team already. Jericho said he’d sign it when he was ready and then exited the room.
Jericho approached his photo on the wall and said he was a good looking guy. Ishii followed Jericho, who started putting objects and people in Ishii’s path, but Ishii kept following him.
Jericho entered the arena concourse with Ishii following behind him. Jericho entered the arena bowl and walked down the steps and eventually entered the ring with Ishii following.
Jericho got a mic and told Ishii that he would sign the contract, but he doesn’t have a pen. Ishii pulled a pen out of his shorts and handed it to Jericho, who then signed the contract.
Big Bill and Bryan Keith entered the ring and attacked Ishii from behind. Bill and Keith held Ishii while Jericho threatened to stab him with the pen. Jericho froze at the sound of entrance music.
Mark Briscoe and Rocky Romero ran out to help Ishii. The babyfafces worked together to clear Bill from the ring and then Romero hit him with a suicide dive. Briscoe hit the Jay Driller on Keith. Ishii performed a brainbuster on Jericho. Ishii picked up the contract, signed it, and dropped it on Jericho…
Powell’s POV: Ishii following Jericho was cute, but I can’t say any of this made me care about next week’s ROH Championship match.
The broadcast team hyped the main event for after the break… [C]
Renee Paquette interviewed Jamie Hayter and asked her about being cut off last week. Hayter said she was baffled by Julia Hart’s video interrupting her. Hayter brought up having a chat with Hart, and then they cut to the next Hart video. The Hart video had a narrator who spoke about the black throne and how Hart’s heart is getting harder…
4. Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta. Both entrances were televised. They fought to ringside where Yuta performed a brainbuster on top of the barricade. Yuta followed up with a DDT on the apron before a PIP break. [C]
Yuta bit Cassidy’s forehead coming out of the break. Cassidy finally came to life and hit a brainbuster for a two count. Cassidy went for an Orange Punch, but Yuta stuffed it and suplexed him. Yuta performed an inverted piledriver for a near fall.
[Overrun] Yuta put Cassidy in Cattle Mutilation until Cassidy reached the ropes. Yuta broke the count at four and barked at the referee. Yuta went to ringside and returned with a chair. Cassidy ducked a chair swing and then rolled Yuta into a pin for the three count.
Orange Cassidy beat Wheeler Yuta in 12:15.
After the match, Cassidy approached Yuta, but Pac attacked Cassidy. Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Marina Shafir arrived. Castagnoli put Cassidy’s hands in his pockets and then Pac wrapped duct tape around Cassidy body.
Excalibur said the entire locker room needed to empty to save Cassidy. The heels toyed with Cassidy. Moxley slapped him across the face. The heels pushed Cassidy, who responded with light kicks. Moxley punched Cassidy.
Mark Briscoe, Kyle O’Reilly, Tomohiro Ishii, and Romero came out, causing The Death Riders to make their exit. Briscoe cut the tape off of Cassidy’s arms. Cassidy looked at the heels and put his shades on and his hands in his pockets. Cassidy’s theme song played to end the show…
Powell’s POV: As if Cassidy wasn’t enough of an underdog going into his title match with Moxley at Full Gear, he got his ass kicked for the majority of the match by Wheeler F’n Yuta. Why? And was that post match angle really supposed to get everyone excited about the match because Cassidy put his shades on and his hands in his pockets?
Overall, this episode was an absolute failure as a go-home show. It wasn’t all bad from an entertainment standpoint by any means, but I can’t say that anything about the show increased my level of excitement for Saturday’s show. 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 Dynamite by grading the show below.
I haven’t sat and actually watched AEW in some time
I will get into a few specifics below but generally I don’t understand how a company that has spend so so much money could look so low budget. The lighting is terrible. The set looks like they borrowed it from some indie promotion and the theme music for the wrestlers sounds like a 13 year old did it on his dads Mac. The announcers are not even remotely credible. Terrible presentation
The wrestlers I saw in the first hour with a few exceptions looked like create-a-wrestler rejects Like they are all cosplaying wrestlers (Ospreay still looks like a star but having him in the with those 7 others was rough – the Callis family looks like something from the bad days of AWA – sorry Jason)
The WWE signings mostly look old and undernourished. I’ve always liked Mox but he looks ancient. And poor Adam Cole should have stayed in WWE and accepted the offer to be a manager. Personally I think he would have killed that opportunity. The exception is Claudio who is really ageless and always looks like a million bucks. Shafir also plays her role well.
I gave up when the Statlander match stated (I used like her too but she looks terribly out of shape)
This show and company need a MASSIVE Reboot if this hour was typical of the product overall. Maybe Tony could have used the money he paid GnR for that theme song and used it to put toward a decent producer / Booker
A kidnapping angle for a throwaway midcard feud, with the 2 faces kidnapping a solitary heel…..
Like I said before it happened, this was a stay home show not a go home show. Nothing that the fucking idiot trust fund cokehead does is good for pro wrestling.
“Is it just me or does Mone have go away heat?”
She’s had go away heat since about her 3rd week in the company.
It’s where the best wrestle. By the way, who let Adam Cole go out looking like he had the worst case of jaundice?